“… in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes” – Benjamin Franklin
Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy; the heart is broken and on top of the emotional pain there is the burden of dealing with the deceased’s estate. What to do with their house, their personal possessions, their vehicles.
We will look at just one of those “what to do’s” now, the deceased’s vehicles. There are many questions the survivors and heirs have such as.
- Who is insured to drive the deceased person’s vehicle?
The surviving spouse of the deceased person lives in the same household at the time of death is covered. The surviving spouse would need of course, to maintain a good driving record and pay the premiums due to keep the policy in force.
If there is no surviving spouse, the legal representative of your estate like an executor or administrator would be covered for limited use of your vehicles. Which brings us to our second question about using the deceased’s vehicle
- Can the deceased’s vehicles be driven for everyday uses such as shopping, running errands, doctor’s visits, going to work or school?
The surviving spouse has no limitations as to how he or she may use the deceased’s vehicle.
However, the legal representative or the legal representative’s family or friends cannot drive the deceased’s vehicle for everyday uses as listed above. The legal representative can only use the deceased’s vehicle while performing duties connected directly with the estate such as routine maintenance on the vehicle like changing the oil or State Inspections to keep the vehicle in good working order. Other uses would include the legal representative driving the vehicle to a notary to sell and sign it over on behalf of settling the estate.
- How long does their automobile insurance last after the policyholder passes away?
Normally, the deceased’s policy, where there is no surviving spouse, will continue per what is written in the auto policy “until the end of the policy period during which your death occurs”. Please note, if the policy holder’s death occurs “30 days or less before the end of the policy period coverage will be extended up to 60 days from the date of your death.”
As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our agency, we are here for you!