Garber v. Ohio Mut. Ins. Co.

**Court Rules Against Worker in Farm Insurance Dispute** This case involved a worker who was driving a borrowed tractor on a public road and got into an accident. The worker tried to get coverage under the farm owner's insurance policy with Ohio Mutual Insurance Company, but the insurance company refused to cover the incident. The court sided with the insurance company and ruled that the worker was not covered under the farm owner's policy. The judges found that the worker wasn't performing "domestic duties" on the farm property itself, nor was he officially working as an employee of the farm owner when the accident happened. Since the accident occurred on a public road rather than on the farm premises, the policy's limited coverage for vehicles didn't apply either. **What this means for workers:** This ruling highlights an important gap in insurance protection. Workers who borrow equipment from their employers or use employer-owned vehicles may not automatically be covered under their employer's insurance policies, especially when accidents happen off the work premises. Workers should ask their employers about insurance coverage before operating any company equipment and consider whether they need additional personal coverage to protect themselves in such situations.