Are you responsible if someone has an accident with your car?
The simple fact about car insurance is that it covers your car, not you. In most cases, this means that if someone else is driving your car and you get into onecar accidentThat's your fault, your insurance will cover it.
But even if the accident is covered, you may end up paying for part of the damage. Everything depends on...:
- How extensive is your coverage?
- How expensive was the accident?
- If you have given the person permission to drive the car
- And even what the driver was doing when the accident happened.
If your auto insurance doesn't cover all the costs of the accident and the person driving your car is uninsured, it can cost you even more. If neither of you has car insurance, it may be time to seek legal advice.
Does the insurance cover an accident if someone else drives?
As a general rule, the vehicle owner's insurance pays for damage. So if someone else is driving your car and is at fault in an accident, your insurance company will pay.
In "no-fault" insurance states, each affected automobile is covered by its own insurance, regardless ofwho is to blame for the car accident. But the same rule applies: it doesn't matter if a non-owner drives, as long as the car has insurance.
The amount of damage covered by insurance depends on the type of insurance. This is where things can get tricky if someone else is driving your car.
Obtaining and paying for car insurance is almost always the responsibility of the person who owns the car. Most states require the car owner to carry liability insurance – the owner's liability if injuries to a third party or damage to another car or property result from an accident. Some states only require personal injury liability insurance. Some also claim liability for property damage.
The required dollar amount of coverage varies by state and whether both types of liability are required.
Some states also require collision insurance, which covers damage to your own car.if you are guilty.
If you have liability insurance and the person driving your car is responsible for the accident, your insurance will cover injuries and damage to the other vehicle up to the limit for which you are insured.
Once you have reached the limit, if the driver of the other car sues, the remaining costs will be on you. For example, let's say you're covered for $25,000 in personal injuries, but the medical bills for the person in the other car were set at $35,000. You are responsible for the $10,000 your insurance does not cover.
The good news is that if the person driving your car has auto insurance, their insurance may cover what's left after yours reaches the limit. But his is still the main coverage and needs to be maxed out before it can have any effect.
If the person driving your car doesn't have car insurance, they will have to pay for everything.
If you have collision insurance, you must cover damage to your own car if the driver is at fault, up to the limit for which you are insured.
State requirements are often well below the actual costs that can arise from a car accident. Because of this, you may want to pay a higher premium to avoid having to pay out of pocket in the event of an accident. If your state does not require auto insurance or collision and total liability insurance, it pays to get insurance.
Exceptions: When the insurer cannot pay
Your auto insurance company may deny coverage if someone else is driving your car and you crash it in some cases, such as:
- If they drive your car without your license and you can prove it, your insurance company may deny you coverage. Proving that you did not give permission can be difficult.
- If a stranger steals your car and causes an accident, you are not responsible for other people's injuries or property damage. Your comprehensive insurance, if you have one, covers damage to your car.
- You can exclude certain people from your insurance. If you cause an accident while driving, your insurance company may deny coverage.
- If someone drives your car while you are doing something illegal (drunk driving, driving without a license, robbing a bank, or any other illegal activity), your insurance company may deny you coverage. This also applies when you drive.
Your insurer will not cover someone else driving your car, or you, if you use a private car for business purposes, such as B. delivering pizza or driving for a car service company. Be sure to check with your insurance company about what you need to do to add this type of coverage, and they may only cover certain people on the list.
Some cheaper insurance coverages require the owner to list the people who can drive their car. If there is an accident and someone who is not on the list is driving, the insurance will not pay. If you have this type of insurance, you may want to pay more for standard auto insurance rather than risk financial disaster if someone not on the list drives your car.
What happens if an uninsured driver has an accident with his car?
If someone else driving your car is in an accident and they don't have auto insurance, it usually doesn't matter as long as:
- The damage does not exceed your insurance coverage.
- You drove with your permission
- They didn't do anything illegal.
If your insurance company denies coverage, or if your insurance is canceled but doesn't cover all of the damage, that's a problem. If the person driving your car does not have insurance, you may be personally responsible for the damage and have to pay the money to cover it.
You can try to get the other driver to bring you the money, but this can be a difficult and expensive proposition. This is a case where you may need to seek legal help.
What happens if someone without a license hits your car?
if someone isdriving without a license and being involved in an accident, and they are at fault, your insurance company may deny coverage. In this case, you will probably be liable for damages.
This not only applies to driving without a license, but also to drunk driving, texting, driving if it is illegal in your state, or any other illegal activity.
Will your auto insurance premium go up after someone hits your car?
Insurance premiums almost always increase when the insurance company has to pay compensation for an accident at fault. This is regardless of whether you or someone else is driving your car.
The Bureau of Insurance allows insurers to increase premiums by 20-40% after paying for an accident. But other factors, including where you live, the circumstances of the accident, the cost of the accident, and more, also factor into the final decision. Premiums after filing an accident claim can be as high as 80%.
The best way to avoid the financial repercussions that can result from an accident involving your car is to understand your insurance coverage. It is not enough to have the minimum required insurance and be careful who you give your car keys to.
If your insurance coverage refuses to pay compensation if someone crashes your car, you may want to contact an attorney.