Lending your car to a friend or relative seems like a nice thing to do. You may trust them completely, and believe that they are the ones who will be held responsible if there is an accident. Due to something called "vicarious liability," you are responsible for what the other operator does. If your friend or relative decides not to pay, you may be able to sue for damages, but you will be held responsible first as the vehicle owner.

At TruePoint Insurance, we can make sure you have a policy which will have limits which are capable of covering all the damages, including property damage and injuries. If the injuries were minor, there will likely be few problems, but you want to be protected in case of major problems. Especially if you want to lend your vehicle to other drivers, you need to make sure your policy covers other drivers. For instance, if you lend your car to your spouse, make sure your spouse is listed on your insurance policy as a driver at your home address.

Another problem could arise if your friend or relative does not have a driver’s license. In that case, you are still responsible for your friend’s actions. You may also have an auto insurance policy which specifically includes coverage of unlicensed drivers, which could leave you personally responsible for all resulting damages. 

The only time you can evade responsibility for the damages when someone else is driving your car is when you did not give that driver permission to operate your vehicle.  If you think you need more coverage, or just have questions, please call TruePoint Insurance and we will be happy to help you.