Hijacked Metro bus case raises important insurance questions

A hijacked bus? I’ve seen it all!

Los Angeles news outlets are reporting a story out of Downtown Los Angeles. A metro bus was hijacked Thursday evening. The hijacker took control of the Metro bus and crashed it into the Ritz Carlton hotel on Olympic Boulevard.

Police officers found a BB gun on the bus. This was the weapon the hijacker used to take control of the Metro bus.

Reports say that the bus driver and other passengers were injured in the hijacked bus crash.

This bizarre story raises an important question: Does insurance cover damage or injuries caused by a hijacked vehicle?

The simple answer is no.

Let’s take the example of a private vehicle. You have a Toyota Camry, and you lend it to your brother. Your brother is not listed on the auto insurance policy.

In the event of a collision, your auto insurance will cover the damage because your brother is what’s known as a “permissive user.” Most policies have a “permissive use” clause which states that coverage will be afforded if the vehicle is used by someone other than the named insured, as long as the named insured granted permission for that driver to use the vehicle.

But, in the same example, if someone stole your Camry out of your driveway, your policy will not cover injuries or damage to someone hurt by the person who stole your car. That’s because the hijacker was not a “permissive user.” He stole your car, he didn’t ask you for it.

The same would apply to a hijacked Metro bus. Many municipal vehicles are covered by insurance, and some municipalities are self-insured. This means damages and injury claims come out of their coffers, not insurance company accounts.

But a hijacked Los Angeles Metro bus is not a permissive use of the vehicle.

Do those injured have any recourse? Without knowing more facts, I can’t say whether those injured on the bus have a valid uninsured motorist claim. But it’s always a good idea to check in and make sure your uninsured motorist coverage is up-to-date.

Carrying uninsured motorist coverage is an effective way to protect yourself from injuries caused by an uninsured driver, even possibly a Los Angeles hijacked Metro bus.

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