Borrowing a car from a friend, family, or colleague can be a convenient way to make a quick trip or move around for a while. But vehicle accidents are common road mishaps that can occur at any time to any vehicle regardless of whether it’s borrowed or not. When an accident occurs, someone has to be held liable for the damages. If an accident occurs involving a borrowed vehicle, three parties may be liable for the accident; the borrower, the lender, or the third party. Whichever category you belong to, you’ll need to contact a professional beach car accident attorney to help you handle the case.
Also, if you’re the car owner, the borrower, or the third party, you should take some important steps to aid your compensation processing. Read on to learn more!
Whose Insurance Plan Covers The Damages Of An Accident Involving A Borrowed Vehicle?
The answer to this question varies depending on the situation surrounding the accident. Firstly, if the accident was caused by another party, the compensation for the damages should normally be made by the other party’s insurance company.
In a case where the accident was caused by the driver of the borrowed car, the insurance coverage of the driver could cover some of the damages, provided that the driver is insured. In some states, all vehicle drivers are mandated to get minimum auto liability insurance coverage. This type of insurance plan pays for damages to other parties’ properties or injuries to them caused by an accident in which you’re at fault. It doesn’t cover the damages to your car or any bodily injuries.
The insurance coverage of the car owner will be responsible for the damages to the car. This car owner’s insurance plan can also cover the family members with a valid driver’s license and any driver you authorized to drive your car.
Different insurance companies offer different insurance coverage so make sure to contact your insurance company to verify your coverage.
What Should I Do If I Own The Borrowed Car Involved In An Accident?
- Check On The Driver Of Your Car
The health and well-being of your friend, family, or colleague driving your car at the point of the accident is crucial. Therefore, you endeavor to check on the driver of the vehicle following the accident.
- File A Police Report
In most cases, before the car owner hears about the accident, one of the parties involved would have called the police to file a report. If the report has been filed, you’ll need to contact the police to obtain a copy which would be used in processing your insurance claim. However, if the report has not been filed, you should contact the police to make an official report and also get a copy of the report.
- Contact A Professional Car Accident Lawyer
Car accident cases can be tricky mainly because of insurance companies and their tactics. Though your insurance company is there to have your back during challenging times like this, most insurance companies are always looking out for themselves. Although they will cover your losses, oftentimes, the offer might not cover your damages. Fortunately, professional car accident lawyers understand the tactics of insurance companies and they’ll work with you to ensure that your insurance company does not take advantage of you.
In addition, car accident lawyers also understand the law governing cases like yours and they’ll guide you through your claim filing process.
- Contact Your Insurance Company
The next step is to contact your insurance company with the help of your car accident lawyer. Inform your insurance company about the accident and explain that this was caused by someone you permitted to drive your car. At this point, your insurance company will ask you a series of questions to aid in the processing of your compensation. Try to answer the question strategically with the help of your lawyer so that you won’t say anything that’ll affect your compensation. However, if your insurance company contacts you about your car accident before you’ve had the chance to hire a lawyer, try to answer the question as simply as possible. Avoid discussing details about the party at fault or other implicating details.
If you borrowed someone’s car and the car got involved in an accident, don’t hesitate to contact your car accident lawyer as soon as possible. They will be able to guide you accordingly and help you avoid financial responsibilities that aren’t yours to bear in the first place.