I took a road trip with my car and we took turns driving. My friend hit an animal. Who pays?

mbrcatz

The owner of the car is responsible for paying the deductible. In most states, you need to have comprehensive coverage to pay for collision with an animal. If the owner does NOT have comp coverage, it's vaguely possible that the friend's policy will cover it - IF this vehicle was a SUBSTITUTE for his own car. If it's not a substitute vehicle, then there's no carryover.

Nicademuss

Your friend should offer to pay the deductable for sure. I actually went through the same situation, and it will strain, and perhaps end a friendship. Your friend should offer, but in the end it's your car. Accidents happen, right?

daniel

Ethically, I think your friend should pay. Legally, however, it was your choice to let your friend drive, and your car is your responsiblity.

osok48

I'm sure your friend didn't mean to hit the animal and if you ask him to pay he may not pay and you could lose a friend in which case you would still have to pay and lose a friend too. Is his friendship worth the price. I say you pay and keep your friend. Good friends are priceless ane hard to come by.

BigDog507

You are responsible since it is your car and you allowed your friend to drive. If your friend OFFERS to pay you could thank him/her and suggest that each of you pay half. Otherwise pay it and forget it.
Have you checked with your insurance yet? Every state has different requirements. Some policies cover the driver in any car and some cover the car and any driver and some cover both. You need to find out what your policy covers first.

roman_ninja

i would say split the deductable, it was a mutual deal and you let him drive. He was as much a part of the road trip as you were, the fair thing would be to eat half the cost and ask him for the other half. Then neither of you is paying for ther whole thing. Then stop driving into animals.

oklatom

So, you have collision coverage? If yes, the insurance will pay for the damage, less your deductible amount.

I assume your friend was driving with your permission, and if so was covered under your policy.

Think back to when you first got your insurance policy. Who was it that chose a deductible amount, and essentially said "I will pay the first (whatever amount) on any accident that is my fault." If that was your friend, he will pay. If it was you, you will pay.

cubsfreak2001

Well it is your vehicle, and you did give your friend permission to drive it, so I hate to say but you are probably responsible. I doubt you had your friend sign an agreement to pay for any damages while driving as allowed by you. I would say if it went to court you would be responsible for your vehicle.

upside666

I think the animal payed already.

Ahdunno

the person driving will fix it on their own insurance

Xai

Well your friend should have had his own insurance in order to drive your car, so his insurance should pay. Insurance is connected to the person, not the car. If he had hit a person and they had sued him, the damages would have come from his insurers as he was driving. In order to get your insurers to pay out you'd have to lie and say you were driving. And you don't want to start lying to insurance companies!

If it's not enough to bother with insurance I think you should split the damages. It's not like it was caused by negligent driving and sounds like it could have happened to either one of you.

Kiffin # 1

Your car, you allowed your friend to drive, you have insurance that will cover the damages and now you expect HIM to pay the deductible for damages incurred in an unavoidable accident? Some friend YOU are - NOT!!!!! Get over it.

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