What does liability insurance cover in a car accident?

Does liability insurance cover the car or the driver?

Generally, car insurance follows the car. That means if someone borrows your car and is at fault for an accident, your policy's liability coverage will cover them. There are instances when car insurance follows the driver, like when you rent a car.

What liability coverage should I have?

The best liability coverage for most drivers is 100/300/100, which is $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident in bodily injury liability and $100,000 per accident in property damage liability. You want to have full protection if you cause a significant amount of damage in an at-fault accident.

What is bodily injury liability?

What is Bodily Injury Liability? If you are responsible for a car accident, bodily injury liability coverage pays for the medical costs of the people who are injured (not including yourself). This coverage also helps cover payment for legal defense in the event you are sued for damages.

What's the difference between full coverage and liability?

There's a big difference when it comes to liability insurance vs. full coverage. ... Liability covers you for accidents you cause, but full coverage protects you in other important ways as well. If you own your car outright, the choice can be up to you to set the coverage limits that best protect you and your family.

Does liability follow driver?

Contrary to popular belief, car insurance typically follows the car — not the driver. If you let someone else drive your car and they get in an accident, your insurance company would likely be responsible for paying the claim, depending on the coverages in your policy.

Does insurance cover someone borrowing your car?

The short answer is your car insurance pays. Your auto insurance policy is responsible for your car when someone else driving it is involved in an accident. ... If a friend borrows your car and causes an accident, your insurance policy pays for any at-fault damages.

Are you liable if someone has an accident in your car?

How Your Primary Coverage Works. The bottom line is that when someone to whom you have loaned your car causes an accident that injures another person or damages someone's property, you are liable, and your insurance will be the first in line to cover their costs.

What happens if my friend borrowed my car and gets in an accident?

If you let a friend borrow your car and he or she causes an accident, your auto insurer would be responsible for paying for damages to the other driver and his or her passengers, up to the limits of your policy. If damages exceed your policy limits, your friend's insurance would act as secondary coverage.

What happens if someone crashes your car and you don't have insurance?

If you are at fault in a car accident and you don't have auto insurance, you will be expected to pay out of pocket for any damages to the other driver. Any injuries the other driver sustains are required to be paid by you; if you refuse or unable to pay, the other driver has the right to sue you for compensation.

What happens if my son crashes my car?

If someone else is driving your car and another person causes the accident, the at-fault driver's insurance is usually responsible for covering costs. On the other hand, if the driver of your car is at fault, your car insurance will usually cover damages.

Can my son drive my car if he doesn't live with me?

Your child likely won't be able to be on your auto policy any longer because he or she doesn't live in your household. ... If you're the parent who isn't listing the child on your car insurance, your child can still drive your car and be covered by your insurance. It works just as if you had a friend borrow your car.

Can I put my daughter on my car insurance if she does not live with me?

No, you cannot add someone who doesn't live with you to your car insurance in most cases. College-aged students who aren't living at home but still use their parents' home as their permanent address are the biggest exception to this rule.

Can I insurance a car that is not in my name?

Generally, no. A person cannot get an auto insurance policy on a car that they do not legally own unless they can prove to the insurance company that they have an insurable interest in the vehicle.

Can you add someone to car insurance temporarily?

You should be able to add a second driver to your insurance policy temporarily, but you may not need to do so. That's because most car insurance policies cover anyone you let use your vehicle--up to a point. This is called permissive use.

Will my insurance go up if someone else crashes my car?

The short answer is yes, probably. Since your car insurance works much the same way when you lend it to someone and when you're driving it yourself, your premiums will go up if someone else causes an accident in your vehicle, just like they would if you caused an accident.

How does insurance work when driving someone else's car?

Generally speaking, auto insurance follows the car instead of the driver. Follows the car, meaning: if you lend your friend your car and your friend gets into a collision, your insurance would cover it, and if your friend lends you their car and you get into a collision, your friend's insurance would cover it.

What happens if the at fault party doesn't have enough insurance to pay a claim in California?

Just because the at-fault party is uninsured does not mean you cannot fight for the compensation you need. All motorists in California are required to have car insurance, according to the California Department of Insurance. All drivers must be able to show proof of insurance for their registered vehicles.

What do you do if someone hits your parked car?

How long does it take for insurance to pay out after accident?

Once an insurance company has admitted liability and agreed to process the claim, they tend to move quickly. Some claimants receive their compensation in a few days. More commonly, the claimant will receive their compensation payment within 2 and 4 weeks.

What should I tell my insurance company after an accident?

Give Only Limited Personal Information. You need only tell the insurance adjuster your full name, address, and telephone number. You can also tell them what type of work you do and where you are employed. But at this point you need not explain or discuss anything else about your work, your schedule, or your income.