Accident in Someone Else’s Car

I have full insurance coverage for my vehicle. However, I recently hit a truck while driving a family member’s vehicle that was uninsured at the time because of a lapse in coverage. Is my insurance company now responsible for the damages the other vehicles sustained?

Answer

Insurance policies usually follow the vehicle, not the driver, so your insurer will not be responsible. If the vehicle was uninsured at the time of the accident, there will be no coverage to pay for the damages to the other vehicles. The other drivers could carry uninsured or underinsured driver coverage, in which case the property damage might be covered by their own policies. Another possible scenario is that one of the other drivers could file a lawsuit against you or your family member. In that case, the liability protection of your own car insurance policy should protect you and help pay for your legal fees.