Insurers Win Michigan Supreme Court Case Over Rogue Drivers

The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of insurance companies in two cases that involve drivers who crashed cars when they didn’t have the owners’ permission to get behind the wheel.

The court’s Republican majority said Tuesday the drivers don’t qualify for insurance benefits, even if they weren’t stealing the cars.

The court ruled in a case from Kent County where a man crashed his father’s car. Craig Smith Jr.’s girlfriend was driving but he talked her into letting him take over, despite not having a license.

A second case from Ottawa County involved a man who was excluded from his wife’s insurance policy. He drove the car anyway and crashed.

The Supreme Court overruled decisions by the state appeals court, which said the drivers were eligible for benefits.