Question about car insurance

[AdventurerKat]

If we have a friend come to town and she drives our car to sightsee, if she was in an accident, whose car insurance covers her? Ours or the insurance on her car in Seattle? Or neither? Can you get temporary riders on insurance policies for someone to drive your car if they are visiting?

Sorry if these are stupid questions. I cannot drive and my DH just started driving again after I don't know how many years. I just don't know these things.

 

[Mskanga]

I let my parents drive my car when they were here and the insurance told me MY insurance would cover.

 

[NHDisneyKid]

Your insurance will most likely cover. It protects the car, no matter who is driving. BUT, your insurance company will most likely put up a big fight if someone who is not listed on your policy is in an accident driving your car. They will, most likely, try to subrogate to the driver's insurance company to try to reclaim some of the money they have to pay out to fix the car, or pay for medical bills if any injuries are sustained. Remember, medical costs associated with a car accident are covered under auto insurance (bodily injury and med pay), not medical insurance (unless there isn't enough auto insurance and then it will be turned over to medical insurance, which may, or may not pay).

In the end remember, if someone else is driving your car on your insurance and is in an auto accident, YOUR premium is going to skyrocket upon renewal because you've become a greater risk to your insurance company. You can list occasional drivers on an auto policy, but I don't know of any companies that allow for "temporary" drivers, especially if that driver has their own auto insurance in another state.

 

[ducklite]

You don't need a rider. Your insurance would cover, and theirs would possibly pick up the difference in the event of a catastrophic occurance.

Anyone who drives your vehicle is covered automatically, unless the policy specifically excludes them. (Very few would have an exclusion clause)

However, any accident they are in can cause your rate to go up, which is why you need to be particularly careful of who you allow to drive your vehicle.

Anne

 

[AdventurerKat]

Thank you.

She's a very good driver, I don't think she has been in an accident the entire 16 years I have known her. I just wanted to know, in case she wants or needs to use our car, that there would be some sort of coverage.