Topic Posted by: Barb
Date Posted: Sat Aug 9 20:56:07 2008
Additional Comments: I pick up and deliver a senior citizen(93 yr old woman) to a senior center weekly. This is 93 yr old woman. I am going her way anyway because I play canasta there. This woman gives me $5 weekly to help with my gas. If I should ever have an accident involving her would my car insurance cover her? My agent says it's a tricky situation since I receive money from her(I never asked).Should I tell her not to pay me anymore? I don't want to be sued and lose my house etc!!!
Posted by: CannaLily Date posted: Wed Aug 20 13:10:35 2008
Message: Barb, we all face the same thing no matter who rides with us. Be it a friend or the lady you give the ride to. If we have an accident and we're at fault, they can sue for medical bills, etc. Unless nobody ever rides with you at other times, I wouldn't give a thought to it.
Posted by: Barb Date posted: Wed Aug 13 15:02:22 2008
Message: Had a long discussion with my car insurance agent-Anyone who is a passenger in your car and an accident occurs will be covered by your car insurance BUT this does not say that this injured passenger will not sue. Suppose th e passenger ends up in a place where 24/7 care is needed-the driver can be sued big time. Even if this lady's son signed a statement that he would not sue it wouldn't hold up in court. I was advised not to accept payment from her. So sorry I got myself in this situation. If I tell her I can't drive her anymore she will not get to the senior center and I would feel like a cad. Guess I'm back where I started-with less gas money to boot!
Posted by: fee Date posted: Wed Aug 13 10:15:31 2008
Message: Barb, I agree with Sammie. She's not paying you, she's helping on gas. As far as I know, passengers are covered if they ride in your car with you, up to a certain amount of money. If you could do without the help on gas, and it was no problem, then I might let her know that you'd prefer to just do it for her. I know my father INSISTED on giving us money for stuff like that, and we couldn't refuse him, because he was totally unrefusable!
Posted by: Sammie Date posted: Mon Aug 11 8:59:53 2008
Message: I drive cancer patients to the hospital for their treatments. I don't expect them to pay me, but some insist. Before I started driving them I ask my insurace agent if they were covered in case of an accident. He told me that all passengers in my car are covered. Since I was not expecting to be paid for taking them I didn't ask if they were covered if they paid me, but I cannot see how that would make any difference. They are only helping pay for the gas, they are not paying you a fee. A few times a year a group of us girls get together and go antiquing. I drive a van, so I am the one who drives, and they all pitch in a help pay for the gas. If we were in an accident I cannot see how that would affect my insurance at all. This is not a job for you, or an income, so I would not worry about it. It is nice you drive her so she can get out an enjoy herself.
Posted by: maggimae Date posted: Sun Aug 10 17:31:51 2008
Message: Isn't a sad reflection on how things are when we have to worry about doing a good deed? I think your best bet would be to continue taking her, but refuse to take any money.
Posted by: Tosca Date posted: Sun Aug 10 12:46:38 2008
Message: I don't see a problem at all, but I'm not an insurance person. If she told you to pull into a gas station and pumped 5 bucks worth of gas into the car, she wouldn't be 'paying you'. You're just pumping the $5.00 worth of gas in for her. She's giving you gas money as a kind gesture. She's not employing you to drive her anywhere. That's how I see it. How many times do any of us share a ride with someone and chip in for the gas. That doesn't mean there's employment involved. Now, if she paid you the 5 dollars in a check and had FICA taken out, etc., that might be a different situation.
Posted by: Roxie Date posted: Sun Aug 10 1:56:52 2008
Message: I don't really know the answer to that Barb. But since I manage apartments and have elderly tenants, I have asked my Company about driving elderly residents to places they need to go and was instructed never to do that because of insurance purposes, so I never have.
Posted by: muffin Date posted: Sat Aug 9 23:13:48 2008
Message: maybe you should check and see if the senior center does pickups and drop-offs. might depend on where you live (i.e. small town vs big city) but i know when my grandma went to our senior center they came and got her and brought her home every day...and it was much easier because the bus had a lift on it. all she had to do was stand there with her walker and get hoisted up! or, you could call the company from which you buy your insurance, not the agent but the actual company that writes the policy. but if you do that, make sure you get the name of the person you spoke to, and get the policy in writing if possible. hope this helps!
