Car insurance can be a frustrating matter when you want to make sure you and your passengers are protected. If you are organizing a carpool for work you should be aware of your car insurance policy’s rules on carpools, as some may exclude coverage for vehicles used for “public conveyance.”
This rule is geared toward people that use their car for monetary gain by transporting people, like a taxi cab driver. If you share-the-expense carpool with your coworkers then you are free and clear and should be covered.
When you are just a rider in a carpool, not the driver and owner of the car, you should still review your car insurance coverage to see if you carry personal injury protection (PIP), also known as medical payments. This can help provide you with coverage for your medical expenses should you be injured in someone else’s vehicle during a car accident.
Before you join the carpool, talk to a car accident attorney or insurance agent to make sure that your coverage is right for driving a carpool or that you would be covered as a passenger in another’s vehicle. Your car insurance is important when you’re in a vehicle, no matter who the driver is!
