Lending Your Car to a Friend is Not a Wise Idea

The complications that follow letting someone who is not on your insurance policy are innumerable – in short, if an accident occurs with your car while someone else is behind the wheel, chances are good that you will be found liable for any damages caused. Thankfully, your insurance should cover the expenses, but that coverage of your friend’s incident is likely to affect your rates for future coverage. An increase to your rates is more likely than not, but does depend on the terms of your insurance package. 

Some packages, however, will not fully cover accidents caused by a driver of your car who is not listed in the terms of your insurance contract. There are often exceptions to this lack of coverage if the friend who was behind the wheel lives with you or has been explicitly added to your policy prior to their instance of borrowing. There is also precedent set for degrees of coverage based on the length of the borrowing period. According to the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the Insurance Information Institute, Jeanne Salvatore, “... [S]ay I borrow your car to go pick up milk, and as long as permission has been verbally granted, you’ll typically be covered.”

The primary takeaway from all of the potential coverage is that car insurance typically follows the car – not the driver. No matter what kind of insurance your friend may have, if they are behind the wheel of a car that you insure, your insurance will take the brunt of the financial burden. This is not a steadfast rule, however, and it may be the case that your friend’s insurance will follow them no matter which car they are driving.

Beyond the nuance behind are you covered and how much coverage you’ll receive from your insurance company, there is the issue of when your insurer will pay out. In the case of a driver-caused incident involving your car, but driven by a person who is not on your policy, most insurers will only pay out for damages after the driver is found legally responsible. While you may be able to find policies that pay out in advance of a legal ruling, being stranded with a bill for an accident which you did not cause is a daunting thought for everyone. 

Ultimately the decision to allow someone else to drive your car is your decision. Know the risks of handing the keys off, though, as chances are good that if something happens to the car, driver, or anyone else on the road as a result of the other person’s driving, you will be faced with the bill. Even if your insurance covers the damages, your rate has potential to increase and you may not get your reimbursement until months later.