Does My Car Insurance Cover Other Drivers?

One significant concern many drivers have when lending their cars to their friends and significant others is what would happen if the vehicle crashed. Cleaning up after a crash can be messy and complicated if someone else was driving. Determining who pays if someone else crashes your car can be difficult, if you don’t understand the rules.

If you need clarification on what happens after someone else crashes your car in Massachusetts, consult skilled Boston personal injury lawyers. They can provide insights into what happens in such cases and guide you on how to protect your rights and avoid legal complications that may arise later.

Liability After Someone Else Crashes Your Car

Car insurance usually applies to your car, not the driver. In other words, insurance policies follow the vehicle, and if someone else crashes your car, it will cover the damage to the vehicle. Your car liability insurance may also cover damage to the other car involved in the crash and injuries to the other driver, depending on the case specifics.

Your insurance can pay for the crash as long as the driver in your car is licensed and doesn’t regularly borrow your vehicle. Skilled Boston car accident attorneys recommend listing other drivers who regularly drive your car in your policy, depending on the kind of policy.

What if the Person Driving My Car Has Their Own Insurance Coverage?

Even if the person who crashed your car has their own insurance coverage, your insurance would still be considered the primary coverage. The other person’s policy would be regarded as secondary to yours if your limits are used up, or the injury bills and property damage exceed your policy amount.

Sometimes, your insurance company may try to recover some money from your friend’s auto insurance company. The process is known as subrogation. Consult experienced car accident attorneys in Boston to understand how the process might affect your coverage in the future.

Exceptions to Insurance Coverage When Someone Else is Driving Your Car

There are instances when your insurance company may not compensate you for damages if someone else crashes your car. For example, you and your friend’s insurance may not be liable for damages and injuries arising from the wreck if the crash isn’t your friend’s fault.

The financial responsibility may rest with the other parties at fault for the crash. Skilled car accident attorneys in Boston can investigate the case and help you determine liability. Other instances where you may not be able to file a claim are:

  • The person is listed in your policy as an excluded driver
  • The person doesn’t have permissive use
  • Your car was in use as a rental car and doesn’t have such coverage

How Can I Prove That Someone Had My Permission to Drive My Car?

Permissive use means permitting another person to drive your car. If someone drives your car without your consent, that is known as non-permissive use. Proving that someone had your permission to drive your vehicle can be difficult.

This evidence is necessary to recover damages from your insurance company after an accident. You might get stuck paying for damages, and it gets worse if you had excluded the person from your policy.

What Should I Do if Another Person Driving My Car Causes a Crash?

If someone else crashes your car, acting quickly to protect your rights and avoid incurring more expenses than necessary is vital. Gathering evidence to help you build a strong case can take several weeks or months, so starting as soon as possible is essential. The best first step is to contact skilled personal injury lawyers in Boston for legal counsel.

Working with legal experts enables you to do the right thing and avoid mistakes that could further complicate the case. If the accident was not your friend’s fault, the lawyers can ensure you seek compensation for the damages by holding the at-fault driver liable.

Insurance companies fight hard to shortchange claimants to pay less than their claim is worth. Aggressive car accident lawyers in Boston can fight on your behalf to enhance the chances of a more favorable outcome.

Understand Your Coverage

Before filing a compensation claim, let your car accident attorney help you evaluate your insurance policy to understand what it covers and the rules. The rules differ across various policies, such as comprehensive, liability, collision, rental car coverage, and gap insurance.

Collect the Necessary Evidence

The same claim process applies if someone else crashes your car as when you get into a crash when driving. You must collect the necessary evidence to help you file a solid claim for the damages. Helpful pieces of evidence that can help your case include:

  • Photos and video footage of the accident scene, property damage, and bodily injuries
  • Witness statements
  • Police and accident report
  • Contact details from the other drivers involved in the crash

Your attorneys can help you collect this evidence, build your case, and forward your claim to the insurance company. The insurer will investigate the claim and notify you of the outcome. Aggressive car accident lawyers in Boston can fight for the compensation you deserve.

An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Providing Legal Guidance After a Car Crash

Insurance claims after a car accident can be complex. The case can become more complicated if someone else was driving your car at the time of the crash. Typically, your insurer should compensate you for the property damage, but adjusters can try to shortchange you for various reasons depending on the accident’s circumstances.

Experienced car accident lawyers at Joel H. Schwartz, P.C. can look into your case and guide you on filing a claim. We understand the complex insurance laws in Boston and want to help our clients obtain the most favorable outcome in their insurance claims. Call us at 508-625-9161 to schedule a FREE consultation.