Letting a friend or relative borrow your car is a kind gesture, but unfortunately if the borrower gets into an accident and it’s their fault, you could be the one who pays.
Insurance “follows the vehicle” according to DMV.org, meaning that unless you actually go through the process of excluding a person on your policy, your insurance would become the primary coverage if another person crashed your car.
As for the friend or relative to whom you gave permission to drive your car, their insurance would cover any excess expensive, basically acting as secondary coverage. Permission is a key word here because when you consent to letting a person drive your vehicle, your insurance will cover any damage they cause to other people and their property. Although, there are a few caveats and exceptions, which are outlined below.
A FEW SCENARIOS
Note that when you do not give permission to a person to drive your vehicle, the situation changes. However, often, your insurance will probably still be used. Here are some examples:
- If your car is stolen and the driver gets into an accident, you would not be liable to pay for damage to the other driver/car. However, damage to your car would still be covered by your own insurance. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll get a dime out of the thief.
- If you can prove that you expressly did not give a friend or relative consent to take your car, their insurance would become the primary coverage if they got into an accident, and your insurance would be the secondary coverage.
- If your friend is uninsured, you’ll probably be stuck having to use your own insurance to pay for any damage they caused to another driver, especially if it’s a lot of damage. The other driver could even come after you for property damage and medical expenses.
- In general, if you give another person permission to drive your car and they get into an accident, your coverage will be used to pay for any damages caused to your car and the other driver’s car.
HANDLING COLLISION REPAIR
In the unfortunate event that your vehicle incurs damage from an accident, our auto body shop in Richardson, TX can help. Dallas-area drivers will receive premier collision repair service from our team and all vehicle makes and models are welcome.
In addition, if you have collision insurance our body shop can work with your insurance company directly, so you don’t have to worry about being a liaison or handling paperwork during this stressful time.
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