When it’s a permissive driver In most cases, if you give permission to someone else to drive your car (making them a permissive driver) and they cause an accident, your insurance will cover the costs. That’s because yours will be the primary insurance, whether or not you were in the car with them at the time.

How does car insurance work when someone else drives your car?

Whenever someone is driving your car with your permission, your car insurance will be primary. This means that if the permissive driver gets in an accident, your car insurance will cover the damage in much the same way as though you were driving it.

What happens if someone borrows your car and has an accident?

If a friend borrows your car and causes an accident, your insurance policy pays for any at-fault damages. A rule of thumb to remember in this situation is “car insurance follows the car, not the driver.” It’s still a good idea to make sure whoever drives your car has their own insurance policy, though.

How does car insurance work when you are not at-fault?

In most cases, your insurance company won’t have to pay for a not-at-fault accident since the other driver’s policy will cover your expenses. But if you’re hit by an uninsured motorist or you’re the victim of a hit-and-run, your policy might cover the damages depending on what types of coverage you have.

Can you let a friend drive your car?

Not only is this a negligent act, but it is also a violation of California law: “No owner of a motor vehicle may knowingly allow another person to drive the vehicle upon a highway unless the owner determines that the person possesses a valid driver’s license that authorizes the person to operate the vehicle.

What happens if I’m hit by uninsured driver?

What if the accident was your fault? Even if the other party is uninsured, if the accident is your fault then you’ll be responsible for their repair costs. This should be covered by basic third-party insurance, however, repairs to your car will only be covered under comprehensive insurance.