What If Another Driver Crashes My Car?

Posted in Auto Insurance , Liability

March 6th, 2009

It happens from time to time that we have to let other people, such as friends or family members, drive our cars. Their car may be in the shop, or maybe it’s been stolen and they haven’t gotten a new car yet. In any case, they might need to borrow your car and you let them. If they get into an accident while driving your car, it can have negative repercussions to your car insurance. You need to know more about your insurance policy if you’re want to be able to loan your car carefree.

Many people have auto insurance that provides for the coverage of other drivers. You may as well, with a policy that requires you to list who these other drivers are. They can be family members, such as a spouse or teenage children, or just close friends who drive your car semi-frequently. Other types of auto insurance will cover your car no matter who is driving. Still other auto insurance providers will not cover any damages to your car if another person other than yourself is driving it and crashes. Before you lend your car to anyone, make sure you know how your auto insurance provider will deal with the situation.

As a result of lending your car to someone else, you could see your insurance rates go up if they have an accident, since you will be held responsible for the crash. This is a very likely scenario: it’s your car, and you’re responsible for it no matter who drives it.

To learn more about your auto insurance coverage, be sure to call or meet with a qualified auto insurance representative and go over your questions in as much detail as you need. You should know all about your auto insurance before you commit to paying for it, especially in terms of what happens should another driver crash your car.