Legal Question in Insurance Law in Idaho

NO insurance on car I don't own

The other day I got pulled over for having a frosted rear window. I was driving my boyfriends car that was given to him by a friend about 3 days before, so it wasn't in his name yet. In fact he still had the title and registration on the kitchen counter so he could change the title and reg. into his name.

So in result I got a no insurance ticket.

Here's my questions: Do I need insurance for a car i don't own? If i pay, I admit to it, and Idaho will suspend my licence. (I just moved here from WA). I don't have a car at all and I've never been pulled over.

Second: The ticket says it was issued Dec '06 and that I need to pay by Jan '06. So it's dated wrong. Does that make it valid still?

Third: I'm from WA and showed my WA licence to the officer. Does this make a difference in how i should handling the ticket?


Asked on 1/20/07, 12:03 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Re: NO insurance on car I don't own

You aren't required to have insurance for the car. Instead, you are required to have liability insurance for yourself so that if you injure someone while driving -- regardless of what vehicle you're in at the time -- the insurance benefits will be available to pay for your victim's medical bills, suffering, etc.

The fact that you don't own a car has nothing to do with the requirement to have insurance. If you drive on public roads you must be insured.

That you live in another state has no bearing on the case. You must obey the laws of whatever jurisdiction you happen to be in. If you break those laws the courts will treat you like any other lawbreaker. What matters is what you did, not where you live.

Read more
Answered on 1/20/07, 9:12 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Insurance Law questions and answers in Idaho