Could my insurance be affected?

Chris

You should report it to your insurance company anyway. Your policy requires that you do so if your vehicle is involved in a loss. You will need to give them information for their investigation regarding the person who drove it, whether he/she has driven before, how they got the keys, etc. Your carrier will determine if there is coverage for this loss. Most of the time if there is no permission there is no coverage- EXCEPT if the person lives with you and is related, or has driven it before and has reason to believe permission was given. They may ask you why you didn't file a theft report, but if you didn't know the car was gone until after it was in an accident, that's like closing the barn door after the horse has gotten out! If you did, then supply them the police report for the theft.

Don't hide from it, report it. If it gets reported by someone else you won't look very honest to the insurance company by having kept it from them. If they do provide coverage, it will be because based on the investigation it was a situation where coverage existed.

No coverage cases and lending losses do not normally affect your rates. It all depends, however, on the company and where you live.

2insure4less

The driver is at fault.

amandamhodges

If there's no claim from either company you should be fine. And if they took your car w/o permission, that is technically called theft. Are they insured? It should affect their insurance and they should be liable for any damages.

CowboyBill

Do what Chris said ---(damn, she's good).

edselmanll

Not if there is no claim

Kevin C

If there was no report, witnesses, etc. probably not.

In most cases, if someone takes your car (with or without permission) and hits someone and causes an injury/damage, their insurance takes precedence to your's, unless they:

a. have no insurance
b. have low limit insurance (your's would pick up the difference).

Here's the caveat - if someone takes your car without your permission, call the police and report it stolen, even if you know them, this almost always gets you off the hook for responsibility for what they may do with your vehicle.

**New info** If your relative is agreeing to take care of this, have them sign something to that affect and get it notarized. However, if they're a big enough dirt bag to take your car without asking, good luck!

Mike Hunt

Yes. I have been through this. You are liable. That is why you want to make sure the people you lend your car to are insured.

notaclue

ABSOLUTELY unless you have the unauthorized driver arrested for "theft of your auto" you are responsible! Police reports and witnesses are not a requirement for initiating a claim when involved in an accident!
Any claim that arises as result of that accident will definitely affect your policy premiums unless you pursue the arrest!
Unfortunately you are going to bear the brunt! I would not attempt to deny the accident as paint samples can be taken among many other investigative actions! No matter what the relative agrees to, you will bear the rsponsibility until the other party has what they're after!
You have a responsibility to contact your insurance company because there are "windows" of time for reporting the accident! Afer they expire, the insurance company could legally dump the entire mess in your lap! OUCH!!!!!!!!!
DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING!!!!!

shepardman1

if you called the police and reported it stolen.Maybe they can,ask the police.

Russell

What company carries your insurance?

Pieandchips

Chris always beats me to the perfect answer. If the person driving your car lives at your residence or has driven the vehicle before, leaving your keys around where she can gain access is called "implied consent." If she took it without your permission, why didn't you report it stolen? No police report means it wasn't stolen...you are likely on the hook for this as insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver.

saintlyinnocents

Yes it can be, if the person who took your car hit another vehicle or they hit him. They would likely send you a bill, or have their insurance send you a bill. However, its not too likely since there is no police report, which is usually what they require in order to process a claim.

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