Your car insurance is there to protect you from fiscal liability in event of a car accident — but what if the accident happens when you ’ re not driving your own car ? If person else causes an accident while driving your vehicle, either with you in it or not, your car insurance will probable cover damage to your car that the driver may have caused, assuming you gave them permission to drive. If the person who borrows your cable car causes price or wound to another person or fomite, your indemnity will calm cover them, but coverage for other drivers may be limited, and they ’ ll be on the hook for any damage that exceeds your coverage limits. Compare rates and shop low-cost car policy today

Start calculator We do n’t sell your information to third base parties. That said, in car policy, as in life, there are constantly exceptions, so here ’ s how to know if your insurance will kick in if person else has an accident in your vehicle. Key Takeaways

  • If you give person permission to drive your car and they cause an accident, your car insurance will cover them
  • If the other driver has their own cable car insurance, it can kick in to cover any costs from the accident that exceed your coverage
  • Your premiums can hush go up if person else causes an accident in your vehicle, because the claim is on your insurance

When will your policy cover charge an accident that happens when person else is driving ?

Your indemnity will only cover an accident that person else caused in your cable car if that person was already included on your insurance policy, or if you gave them explicit permission to drive. so what does that actually mean ?

1. When it ’ s a permissive driver

In most cases, if you give permission to person else to drive your car ( making them a permissive driver ) and they cause an accident, your policy will cover the costs. That ’ mho because yours will be the elementary insurance, whether or not you were in the car with them at the prison term. To put it more merely, car insurance normally follows the car, not the driver. barely like if you were the one drive, your collision coverage would pay for damage to your own car, and your indebtedness coverage would cover damage the permissive driver did to person else ’ sulfur vehicle or person ( although coverage for other drivers may be more circumscribed than it is for people listed on your policy, so you should check the specifics with your insurance company ). If the damage to others that the permissive driver caused in the accident exceeds your limits, the permissive driver may have to involve their own car insurance provider, and their liability insurance may help cover the costs. If the person who was driving your car doesn ’ metric ton have their own indemnity, they may be on the hook financially for damages to the other party .

2. When it ’ s your spouse or anyone else on your policy

Unless your spouse or any other family members are specifically excluded from your policy, they ’ ra probably already on it with you. Most insurance companies require all drivers in a family to be listed on a policy. And anyone named on your policy gets all the lapp coverage you do when you ’ rhenium drive, so if your spouse or person else who shares the policy with you causes an accident, your indemnity will cover it .

When will policy not pay for an accident caused by person else driving your car ?

There are some situations where your policy fair won ’ metric ton cover the damage to your car caused when person else was driving it, including :

1. When it was non-permissive use

If a friend or family member borrows your car without your permission — and you can prove it, which is unmanageable — then they are liable for the damage they caused. however if your supporter borrowed your car without your permission and doesn ’ t have their own cable car insurance policy, you may still have to file a claim with your indemnity to cover the cost of any damage they caused .

2. When it was an eject driver

Your indemnity may not cover wrong to your car by another driver if that person was specifically excluded from your insurance policy. An eject driver is person, possibly an inexperienced or bad syndicate member, who you ’ ve intentionally excluded from your car indemnity policy, normally because including them would raise your rates. If an excluded driver borrows your car and then gets into an accident, your insurance won ’ t cover the damage, evening if you gave the driver permission to drive that time .

3. If the driver is under the influence or unaccredited

Your policy likely won ’ t cover the damage caused to your car if you lend it to person who gets into an accident while driving under the influence, or if you lend your car to person who doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate have a valid driver ’ randomness license, because this may violate the terms of your policy.

Compare rates and shop low-cost car insurance today Start calculator We do n’t sell your information to third parties .

What if your adolescent child causes an accident in your car ?

If your adolescent child has a license they should be added as a named insured on your policy, which means they ’ ll be covered if they get into an accident while driving your car. A adolescent driver with a permit will generally be covered by your indemnity while they ’ rhenium teach to drive even if they ’ re not formally listed on your policy. But a adolescent driver without a license or license would not be covered, so if you let your adolescent drive your car and they get into an accident without a license or license, your title may be denied, leaving you on the hook for the damage they caused. If your adolescent child stole your car and crashed it, you can claim the damage on your insurance. But that may require filing a police report against your adolescent child, and you may still be on the hook for the damage as their parent .

Will your rates increase if person else gets into an accident in your car ?

The shortstop answer is yes, probably. Since your car insurance works much the lapp room when you lend it to person and when you ’ rhenium driving it yourself, your premiums will go up if person else causes an accident in your fomite, barely like they would if you caused an accident. If you ’ re particularly worried about accidents, you can look into adding accident forgiveness to your policy. Accident forgiveness is a feature that some providers offer that can help keep your rates from going up after an accident. It ’ sulfur normally offered as an accessory to your convention design, sometimes merely to drivers who ’ ve had a certain count of years of accident-free drive. There are besides some ways to lower your rates again if they ’ ve gone up after a claim, including :

  • Bundling your home and car insurance
  • Taking advantage of available car policy discounts
  • Changing your coverage limits or deductibles
  • Shopping about for new car insurance

You should besides keep in mind that, depending on your policy and where you live, people driving your cable car with your permission might have reduced coverage while driving your car. A Policygenius expert can help you find policy options that might make more sense for you if you anticipate lending out your car frequently. Compare rates and workshop low-cost cable car indemnity today Start calculator We do n’t sell your information to third base parties .

Frequently asked questions

Can someone drive my car if they are not on my insurance?

If the driver is licensed and you give them license to drive your car, then yes, they can drive your car even if you are not in the cable car with them and they ’ ll be covered by your policy.

What happens if someone wrecks your car and they aren’t on your insurance?

If you gave the driver permission to drive, then your car insurance will cover the accident. But if you can prove they weren ’ thyroxine given permission to drive or if they ’ re specifically excluded from your policy, then your indemnity won ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate cover them and they ’ ll be liable for the price they caused .

What if someone steals your car and then has an accident?

If person steals your car and then crashes it, you ’ re not apt for any damage or injury they cause in your car. If you have comprehensive coverage as part of your policy, you ’ re covered for larceny and you ’ ll be paid out the value of your totaled car .

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