Insurer finds way to avoid paying

To the editor:

I would like to share something that happened to me that might be of concern to others. I was recently involved in an accident. The other vehicles was being driven by someone who didn't own the vehicle. When I tried to file a claim with the car owner's insurance company, the claims adjuster told me the person driving was an unauthorized driver and refused to take any information about damages to my car. The insurance company paid for the car the unauthorized driver was operating.

In this incident, the owner of the car and the driver had the same address. The owner didn't report the car stolen. A lawyer told me I will have to sue the driver, and it will take a year or two before this case gets to court. Even if I win, there is no guarantee I will ever collect. I think the legislature needs to close this loophole. Why do we need to carry insurance if an insurance company can get out of paying damages because of an unauthorized driver?

MIKE MILLER, Cape Girardeau