Here is a common question that many people have asked me: Does your insurance cover a driver not named on the policy? For example, if you let your brother drive your car because you are tired or he needs to run to the store for you, will your insurance cover him if he causes a car accident?
Generally, yes. Your insurance will cover a car accident caused by someone who drove your car by your permission. This means that if your sister drives your car to the store to get you bread, your brother drives your car because you loan it to him for the night to go to a concert, or your teenage son drives your car, your insurance will cover all of these situations in the case of a car accident.
What if your teenage son doesn’t have his license yet and wasn’t supposed to be driving your car? Your insurance most likely will step in and cover the car accident that your son caused even though they were not named on the insurance policy nor had a license to drive. The reason is that most insurance policies follow the car and to direct family members under the owner that are minors. Permission is assumed in these cases.
What if someone steals your car? If someone takes your car without your permission, even if they are related to you, your insurance will not cover them. Generally, insurance policies are written to cover anyone who drives your car with permission. It is somewhat unclear if your insurance will cover a relative if they take your car without your knowledge unless you would generally allow them to take your car but people that steal your car are not covered. This means that if a thief steals your car and hits someone else, you and your insurance are not responsible for the car accident that they caused.
Who covers the damage to your car if your car is stolen by a thief? If your car is stolen and they get in a wreck, they are responsible for the damages. If they have no insurance, you will have to hope that you have collision coverage or comprehensive coverage to cover you if your car is stolen to cover the repairs in a car accident.
If you know of anyone who has been injured in a car accident in Seattle, contact a Seattle personal injury lawyer like Andrew Cherin today. Consultations are free and clients pay out of the settlement. Therefore, everyone can afford a lawyer but you can’t afford not to hire one.