Does My Car Insurance Cover Me in Another Car?
It’s a common scenario. Perhaps your car is in the repair shop, so you’re using a friend or family member’s car until yours is fixed. Or maybe you’re home for the holidays and want to take your cousin’s BMW for a spin.
What if you get into an accident? Does my car insurance cover me in another car? What if you’re just a passenger while someone else is driving and we’re involved in a wreck? Read on to learn more about what to do when in a wreck involving someone else’s car and what a New York car accident lawyer can do to help.
When You’re Driving Someone Else’s Vehicle
There is good news. Your liability coverage follows you regardless of who owns the vehicle you’re operating as long as it’s eligible. However, the same is not true for your collision and comprehensive coverage.
Liability — Your liability insurance pays to repair the other driver’s car even if you get into an accident with a borrowed car.
Collision — One caveat to remember is that collision coverage does not apply if you’re driving a borrowed vehicle. Your collision coverage will not pay to replace or repair the owner’s vehicle, and this is true regardless of who is considered to be at fault.
Comprehensive — This helps pay for stolen vehicles or damage done by vandalism, fire, or other unexpected events but only for your car. If you’re driving someone else’s car, you’re out of luck.
Some ineligible vehicles are not covered by your liability coverage, either. For example, say you visit a distant city and you need transportation. Your friend offers you the keys to his car so you can get around while you’re there. However, it’s a replacement vehicle he is temporarily using while his car is being fixed.
If you crash into another or multiple cars with his rental car, your liability coverage will likely not cover repairs for the car that you ran into. This could mean you are personally liable to fix the other party’s vehicle and pay for their medical bills like whiplash treatment. This situation could lead to financial ruin.
When You’re the Passenger
Most of the time, if you’re a passenger and are involved in an accident while someone else is driving, the responsible party’s insurance policy will cover you. There will be no need to use your own insurance, but you are still able to file a claim for compensation from both the at-fault party’s insurance company and your own insurance company, since coverages vary widely.
Shockingly, about 13% of drivers don’t even have car insurance. Uninsured and underinsured coverage is required by law in New York. It covers you, as a passenger, if you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver who is found to be at fault.
Lawyers Know Insurance
Don’t let complicated insurance policies confuse you or stress you out by spending hours worrying. Talking to an attorney will be a welcome relief if you’re grappling with the question, does my car insurance cover me in another car? Schedule your free consultation with Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP by calling 1-800-VICTIM2 (842-8462) or contact us via live chat and we’ll handle the rest. For more quick answers, check out our car accident FAQ.
