If Someone Else Drove My Car In An Accident, Is It Covered By My Insurance?
Mark A. Steinberg
Accident Lawyers
It is normal for family members to share and drive their cars. Sometimes, even close friends ask to borrow each other’s vehicles for events, outings, or road trips to North Port or Punta Gorda. However, when an auto accident happens, whose insurance policy will cover the expenses? It’s All About The Car, Not The Driver
You may have to think carefully before lending your car to someone else because, under Florida law, the insurance policy follows the car or the vehicle. This means that when an accident happens, the medical expenses of the person who is driving your car shall be covered by your insurance policy.
As a no-fault state, car owners are required to have a Personal Injury Protection Insurance or PIP. It is also normal for your family members to be listed under your PIP and this makes them automatically covered by it if they get into a car accident. In the case of friends borrowing your vehicle, your PIP will also cover their medical expenses as it is your car that they were using when the accident happened.
What About Other Damages And Secondary Expenses?
Under the PIP, the victims’ medical treatment for their car accident injuries will be covered regardless of who is at fault. But before you start to worry, your insurance policy is not responsible for all the expenses that need to be paid following an accident, such as car damages and property damages. Depending on who is held liable, your auto insurance policy can remain undisturbed.
If the other driver is at fault, their auto insurance policy will be paying for your car’s damages. Other exceeding costs on your policy can also be shouldered by your friend who borrowed and drove your car.
What If Someone Borrows My Car Without Permission?
Just like everything else, there are exceptions to the rule and this is one of them. When it comes to liability and insurance claims, permissive and non-permissive use is also checked by insurers. Knowing whether a driver is permitted to drive someone else’s vehicle or not can determine if the insurance policy will or will not provide coverage.
Permissive use means that you gave your full consent to someone to drive your car. When the permissive driver gets involved in an accident, your insurance policy is set to cover for them. On the other hand, non-permissive use means that your car has been taken away without your permission and you are not aware that it has been taken, their own insurance policy will take care of the primary expenses first. Only the exceeding costs, if there are any, will be shouldered by your insurance coverage.
What If My Car Is Stolen And Gets Into An Accident?
If your car gets stolen, your auto insurance coverage will shoulder only your car’s damages and exempt them from also covering for the damages of the other vehicle involved. You are also exempted from paying for the other driver’s medical bills and treatment.
To make things easier to remember, just remember that the insurance always follows the vehicle and not the driver. Resolving these cases can get complex and an auto accident attorney can help you with any difficulty with insurance claims and coverage.