What happens if someone wrecks your car and they aren't on your insurance in Georgia?
Asked by: Dr. Ryder Swaniawski | Last update: May 19, 2025Score: 5/5 (59 votes)
What happens if someone who isn't on your insurance crashes your car in Georgia?
Q: What Happens If Someone Who Isn't on Your Insurance Crashes Your Car in Georgia? A: If someone who isn't listed on your insurance crashes your car in Georgia, your insurance may still cover the damages, depending on your policy terms. Typically, auto insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver.
Can someone drive my car if they are not on my insurance in Georgia?
Many people wonder whether car insurance covers the car or the driver. Car insurance in Georgia typically follows the vehicle, not the driver. This means your auto insurance policy is usually the first line of defense if someone else gets into an accident while driving your car, regardless of who was behind the wheel.
What happens if the person at fault in an accident has no insurance in GA?
Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina allow an uninsured driver to file a claim for damages if the other driver was at fault. However, you will likely not be allowed to drive your car once the police know you do not have insurance, so you may face towing, impound, and other fees or fines.
What happens if I let someone borrow my car and they wreck it?
Vehicle Owners Are Liable Under California Law
This law holds a vehicle's owner responsible for collisions caused by the driver of the vehicle – even if the driver is not the owner. Liability is determined by identifying the actual owner of the vehicle.
Car accident without insurance in Georgia?
What happens if my friend is driving my car and gets in an accident?
If your friend or any family members get into an accident while behind the wheel of your vehicle, liability will also take into account whether or not they had driver's permission. California's laws on insurance coverage mean that the car insurance will follow the vehicle, no matter who is driving it.
What happens if someone not on your insurance gets in an accident?
Insurance follows the vehicle, so if someone else drives your car and gets into an accident, your insurance will handle the claim. This is known as permissive use — your policy covers the damage, not theirs.
Do you go to jail for no insurance in GA?
Driving Without Insurance
The vehicle must have, at the minimum, the state required insurance on it. A person convicted under O.C.G.A. §40-6-10 will be charged with a misdemeanor. Misdemeanor convictions in Georgia come with a penalty of up to 12 months in jail, a fine between $200 and $1,000, or both.
Do insurance companies go after uninsured drivers?
While insurance companies may pursue uninsured drivers to recover claim costs, the process can be complex and time-consuming. Uninsured drivers involved in accidents should seek legal counsel promptly to protect their rights and explore possible compensation avenues.
Is Georgia a no fault accident state?
Georgia is an at-fault state, meaning drivers have to pay for any accidents that occurred because of their negligent actions. For this reason, it's important to prove who caused the accident. Unfortunately, establishing liability isn't always the easiest thing to do, legally speaking.
What happens if you don't add a driver to your insurance?
A driver who lives in your household and isn't listed on your auto policy may be denied coverage if they borrow your vehicle and are involved in an accident. Family members who live in your household and drive your vehicle, including a teenager or your significant other, should be listed as drivers on your policy.
How does insurance work if you borrow a car?
Generally, insurance coverage follows the vehicle rather than the driver. So in most instances, as long as the owner of the car has insurance, it's covered even if someone other than the owner is driving it — as long as they have the owner's permission.
What happens if someone who isn't on your insurance crashes your car Progressive?
If an unauthorized driver not on your insurance causes an accident, your liability coverage may not apply. However, with collision insurance, it covers damages to your vehicle if a friend crashes it.
Am I liable if someone else drives my car?
Usually, a car insurance policy covers the vehicle itself, not the person driving it, and that means the liability coverage (which is required by California law) should cover the friend. California is an at-fault state, which means the driver responsible for an accident is the one whose insurance will be the primary ...
What happens if someone else is driving my car and gets in an accident in Tennessee?
Generally, the owner of the vehicle will provide the primary liability coverage in any accident involving their vehicle, even if someone else is driving it. This is known as ownership liability.
What happens if someone else is driving my car and gets in an accident in Illinois?
In Illinois, insurance follows the vehicle. If your friend loaned you a car, their insurer would be responsible for any accidents that happen in that vehicle – even if you were driving. If you have permission to use the car, the owner will be responsible.
What happens if someone who isn't on your insurance crashes your car in California?
Liability for accidents involving another driver operating your car depends on whether the driver had permission to use the vehicle. When it comes to insurance coverage, policies in California typically follow the vehicle, meaning that your policy would cover damages even if someone else was driving your car.
Am I covered against uninsured drivers?
If you cause an accident and you have a comprehensive Car Insurance policy, the cost of repairing both your car and the uninsured driver's car is covered. If you only have third-party insurance, you'll have to pay for any repairs to your own car yourself, but the uninsured driver's car will still be covered.
Who is considered an uninsured driver?
An uninsured motorist is someone without auto insurance. Chances are about one in seven drivers in the U.S. is uninsured, according to a 2011 estimate by the Insurance Research Council. Uninsured motorist coverage helps you pay for damages caused by a driver who doesn't have car insurance.
Can you sue an uninsured driver in Georgia?
Yes, you can sue an uninsured driver, but the main challenge is whether the driver has any money or assets to cover your damages. Winning a lawsuit doesn't automatically mean you'll get paid, especially if the uninsured driver doesn't have the financial resources to compensate you.
How long can you go without car insurance?
It is a crime to drive almost anywhere without car insurance coverage, even for a minute or just down the street. So, how long can you be without car insurance? If you're driving, you can't. Anytime you get behind the wheel as a licensed driver, you need insurance coverage or you'll risk incurring major consequences.
What happens if you don't pay for a car accident?
The court could garnish your wages, put a lien on your property, or order you to sell assets to come up with the money. If you still cannot pay, you could be sent to jail. The court may allow you to set up a payment plan in some states.
What happens if my friend drives my car and crashes?
If the borrower of your vehicle has an accident and another driver is at fault, California's fault rule comes into play. You and the borrower would both have grounds to file claims against the at-fault driver's insurance policy.
Is it worth suing an uninsured driver?
Suing the uninsured driver might not be worth it unless they are financially capable of satisfying a judgment. After a crash with an uninsured or underinsured driver, contact a car accident lawyer about your legal options.
What happens if someone wrecks your car and they aren't on your insurance in Ohio?
In Ohio, liability insurance is required, and it follows the auto, meaning it will likely pay for the other party's material damages even if you weren't the one driving.