Each week, millions of Americans carpool to work or school to save money, conserve their cars and help the environment by reducing the number of vehicles on the road. The U.S. Census 2000 found that 15.6 million, or 12.2 percent of all travelers to carpool to work.

In the last decade, eco-mind carpooling motorists have taken a step further, laying the groundwork "peer-to-peer" car-sharing programs that allow them to share their cars with strangers or give up car ownership altogether and just borrow a car when needed. Although their numbers remain small - 518,520 vehicles drivers are 7776 through 27 programs across the country, says the University of California, Berkeley researcher Susan Shaheen - the trend is growing.

"You're seeing it mostly in college towns because it works very well for a college campus where students need only vehicles for errands and not for the whole day," said Pete Moraga, spokesman for the Information Network California Insurance.

If you operate as a member of a vehicle, your auto insurance company has already given the green light on the model contract, as long as you make no money from it. However, if you use your car as a taxi or livery for transporting people or goods for profit, individual coverage is typically excluded.

"If you are a hub of automobiles, the coverage applies," says Kip Diggs State Farm spokesman. "If I'm in my car and driving is, you would be a permissive user in this case, so that coverage would also apply."
Peer-to-peer sharing of car

The green light turns yellow to warn of peer-to-peer car sharing, or P2P, is concerned. If the car has already enlisted in the cause P2P or are thinking about it, there are some potential legal potholes to be taken into account in this newly paved road.

P2P shared car comes in two flavors: for-profit and nonprofit. For-profit programs such as Zipcar, Getaround and RelayRides, will be renting the car during the hours of their choice and share the profits with you. Nonprofit programs can offer lower rates and other features such as car sharing.

There is also a growing number of car sharing programs offered through rental car business competitors who lease their own vehicles. Some are run by automakers such as Daimler car2go, and some are in charge of the car rental giants like Hertz Hertz On Demand, the company WeCare even carpool U of U-Haul.

Although business models vary widely shared ride concept is simple: For a nominal fee, you have access to cars in demand in the rental rates at least $ 5 to $ 15 an hour and $ 50 to $ 150 per day. You search online for the trip you want at the location nearest you and schedule your rental time. Use a card, code or safe, to collect the vehicle and return in the allotted time and place.
Car sharing risks

While carpooling has its obvious convenience and benefits to society, presents several problems for the auto insurance companies that might affect your coverage.
Livery: If you rent your ride, its personnel policy will not cover it. Many of the P2P programs understand this problem and provide the necessary coverage for commercial vehicles when your car is being driven by another person, but it is best to confirm coverage before handing over the keys.
Who's driving? Your auto policy extends coverage to driving your car with your permission. That coverage would extend to strangers? If the P2P program does not offer insurance coverage to be driving and driving record investigated?
"If you do not know that person that lets you drive your car, it's risky," says Mitch Wilson, spokesman for the Ohio Insurance Institute.
Increased risk: individual coverage premiums are based on personal and noncommercial vehicle. Submit your car for carpool exposes your car to a higher risk because of the weather, traffic and drivers unfamiliar with the vehicle.
"Some insurers view car sharing, services such as a higher risk, so you can cancel or not renew the policy of a driver or car insurance premiums increase if the insured vehicle is involved in an accident while it is rented "said Loretta Worters, vice president of communications at the Insurance Information Institute.
Responsibility: "What if you do not keep your car in good condition and not an accident caused by poor maintenance of cars," says Moraga. "The policy covers the other person? Do you have any guilt?"
Transition: "What if there is a dispute about exactly when a minor accident occurred - was that while the insurance company covers rental car or indeed their own policy," says Worters. Some companies are experimenting with P2P data recorders and phone applications to control the time, mileage and who is behind the wheel, says Moraga.
Depreciation: If a pilot exchange of remains of his car, the insurance company can fix P2P. But is then stuck with the depreciated value of personal automobile insurance?

This year, California and Oregon passed the nation's first car-sharing laws to address these problems. California law requires that all companies in ride sharing to provide insurance equal to or greater than the coverage of the vehicle owner. California law involved in a car-sharing program is not a business use of your vehicle, provided that the service provides insurance and do not earn more income through car-sharing service to the monthly costs of vehicle operation.

"No matter how good the legislature tries to anticipate these problems may be a problem that the law ensures that the courts have to" Moraga said. "There will be some interesting challenges to it. By the time you have an accident, you will begin to test this law."

What steps must travel enthusiasts to share in other states take to ensure they are covered up to their state enacted similar laws?

Worters suggests that on the safe side. "Consumers who participate in peer-to-peer sharing to increase your limits travel uninsured / underinsured and, if not already have one, buy a policy for the protection of millions of dollars of liability," he says.

Moraga suggests a less expensive protection.

"Actually, it is incumbent upon those who will participate in this to know exactly what your policy covers," he says. "One of the biggest challenges we have in this business is that most people do not even know what your policy covers"