Does it cost more to insure a new car?

insure a new car

Buying a new car

If you are thinking about buying a new car, you might wonder if you have to worry about your car insurance rates. That new car might be very tempting and very shiny, but how much is it going to cost to insure? You’re already going to be paying a lot of money for the vehicle, after all, and you’re a bit apprehensive about what those insurance rates are going to look like. Does a new car cost more to insure? Well, insurance rates are complicated, but here are a few things that you can keep in mind.

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6 tips for Atlanta college student car insurance

Atlanta college student car insurance

Atlanta college student car insurance

If you’re a college student, you’re probably discovering a lot of freedom – and a lot of responsibilities. Along with being able to eat pizza at 3 a.m., you have to take care of grown-up things – one of which is car insurance. Sure, being in college and being independent is great and all, but maybe you wish you weren’t quite so independent when it comes to getting your auto insurance. Where do you even start? It might seem overwhelming, but here are a few tips for getting Atlanta college student car insurance.

6 tips for Atlanta college student car insurance.

1. Drive safe.

We know, we know – you’ve heard it a million times. Don’t speed, don’t text and drive, try not to hit things, and all that good stuff. But these things have consequences that go beyond just getting a ticket and/or having to pay a hefty fine. You may end up paying quite a bit more for your car insurance. If you drive safe and keep a clean driving record, it can put you in a better insurance situation. That’s how being a safe driver can pay off – you can get lower insurance premiums.

2. Ask about college student car insurance discounts.

Okay, if you’re a student, funds might be a little tight. School is expensive, room and board is expensive, food is expensive. And insurance for young drivers is typically pretty expensive. However, you may be eligible for college student car insurance discounts. Here are a few discounts you may want to look into.

Good Student: A student who makes good grades may qualify for a Good Student Discount. You’ll probably have to provide some proof of said good grades – i.e. a transcript.

Away at School: If you’re attending school a certain distance away from home – for example, 100 miles – and you don’t bring a car, you might get an away-at-school discount. That could come in handy, so check with your parents if you’re still on their policy and see if that’s something that could help you out.

Bundling: If you have a car and an apartment, you may want to think about bundling your car insurance and your renters insurance. (All this means is you’re getting both coverages from the same insurance company.)

Pay-in-full: In the long run, you may be able to save money by paying for your policy upfront. Yes, it’s a big payment, but it could be less expensive than paying in installments if you get a pay-in-full discount. Just something to consider – of course, you have to do what’s best for your budget.

These are just a few car insurance discounts you can qualify for as a college student. Don’t forget to ask about your discounts and what savings you could be eligible for.

3. Understand what coverages you need.

First thing to know about car insurance – there are a lot of different coverages out there and they all do different things. Of course, they all protect you, just in different ways. It can help to have a working knowledge of these coverages so you’re prepared when you get the car insurance you need. Here are the basic coverages you should know about.

Bodily injury liability – It’s really important to have bodily injury liability coverage because it can cover the other driver’s medical expenses and lost wages if they’re injured in an accident in which you’re at fault.

Property damage – Can cover repairs to the other driver’s car (or other property you happen to damage) if you’re at fault in an accident.

Collision coverage – Can cover repairs to your car if you are in an accident or you hit something, like a fence.

Comprehensive coverage – Can cover repairs to your car if it’s damaged by something other than an accident, like fire, falling objects, animal strike, and vandalism. (It can also cover theft.)

Rental reimbursement – Can help cover the cost of renting a car if your car is in the shop due to an accident.

Medical payments – Can help cover your medical bills and those of your passengers if you’re injured in an accident.

These are some of the coverages you can consider as part of your car insurance plan. Well, to be honest, you’re required to have some of them. The State of Georgia requires you to have $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 of bodily injury liability per occurrence, and $25,000 of property damage liability. And if you have a car payment, your lender may require you to carry collision and comprehensive coverage. Anyways, make sure that you have the coverage you need and that you have high enough coverage limits to truly protect you.

4. Think about bundling your car insurance and renters insurance.

Something you might want to think about is bundling your renters insurance and your car insurance, which we mentioned earlier. Yes, this could indeed help you save money, but it also gives you the convenience of being able to deal with only one insurance carrier. Look into bundling and see if this seems like a good strategy for your situation. That way you could set yourself up to save money and un-complicate your insurance.

5. Resist the impulse to procrastinate.

True, insurance isn’t something that most people enjoy having to deal with. And that means that you might have the urge to procrastinate when it comes to getting your car insurance taken care of. But – not to nag or anything – you might want to be proactive and not wait until the last minute to get college student car insurance. If you give yourself time, you spare yourself a headache, for starters. But you also give yourself more time to look into various insurance options so you can choose the one that suits your needs and situation (and perhaps budget).

6. Get multiple quotes for Atlanta college student car insurance.

Getting multiple quotes for your college student car insurance might seem like a lot of work, but it can pay off to keep your options open and compare different quotes. You don’t have to do that all on your own, though – our team can help you with that. We can help you get multiple quotes. In fact, our team of agents are pretty good at that, if we say so ourselves.

Here’s how it works.

1. You reach out to us over the phone, with our online form, or through LiveChat. If you need to email or text, we can do that, too.

2. We have a quick talk about your insurance situation.

3. We’ll get you some car insurance quotes.

4. We go over your quotes with you.

5. We’ll be here to handle any issues or questions that come up.

So, that’s what you need to know about college student car insurance! Insurance might seem intimidating and scary, but we like to make insurance as easy as possible. Our team can help you through the process of getting car insurance – get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.

What’s happening with Georgia HB 113 about distracted driving?

HB 113

HB 113

Georgia passed a broad distracted driving law a few years ago in an effort to reduce distracted driving. The law prohibits drivers from handling their phones (i.e. texting or holding the phone) behind the wheel. The 2018 distracted driving law meant that Georgia joined several other states in their missions to target this issue. But there is a new bill on the horizon that has revealed that this issue is not cut and dry – HB 113. There are different opinions on the matter.

What is HB 113?

A State House of Representative Committee recently backpedaled a proposal that would have affected the fines for distracted driving. The original HB 113 (sponsored by Rep. John Carson) would have made the fines increase. The maximum fine for a first offense would have risen to $100 from $50, and the fine for a second offense would have gone to $200. A third offense would have meant a fine of $300.

However, what actually happened was a little different. The committee okayed a substitute bill, sponsored by Rep. Alan Powell. The fine for distracted driving would be between $25 and $100 according to the judge’s decision, no matter how many previous distracted driving citations the driver had. The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee also added a stipulation that forbids drivers under the age of 18 from using electronics while driving.

What happened with HB 113.

Georgia lawmakers appear to disagree on how to prevent and reduce instances of distracted driving, though safety professionals have said that distracted driving has fueled a rise in traffic deaths.

Rep. John Carson, who sponsored the original version of HB 113, believes that higher fines are needed to dissuade drivers from using electronics behind the wheel. Carson’s proposal of steeper fines for distracted driving was met with approval from police, hospitals, insurance, and traffic safety groups, as well as those who have lost loved ones in distracted driving accidents.

But Powell believes that the fines are too much, which is why he supported the substitute bill. He expressed concern that the proposed fines in HB 113 would be too difficult for some people to pay. He believes that because people follow Georgia’s seatbelt law though the fine is only $15, the distracted driving fines do not need to be so high. (Powell’s version of the bill also gets rid of additional fines that could be added on for the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund.)

HB 113 and teen drivers.

The substitute bill also added a measure that would prevent teen drivers (those under age 18) from using electronics while driving. This was part of Georgia’s anti-texting law until the distracted driving law passed in 2018. (Essentially, this measure would add that restriction back for teen drivers.) Carson is in favor of this measure, but he pointed out in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article that this could also prove to be a point of division among lawmakers and could even threaten the bill’s chances.

The revised bill from Powell was approved by a vote of 7-4.

Get car insurance quotes.

If you need quotes for Atlanta car insurance, we can help with that. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat.

Source:

https://www.ajc.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/panel-revises-georgia-distracted-driving-bill-reduce-proposed-fines/fmopuyyOh7H3XT6TjMjDgN/

What is property damage liability insurance?

Property damage liability

Property damage liability

If you’re a driver, you need to have the proper insurance. It’s really important that you have the right insurance to legally hit the roads in Georgia, and one of the coverages that you’ll need is property damage liability coverage. What’s that, you ask? Property damage liability is the coverage that can help you if you’re responsible for, well, damaging someone’s property. We’ll explain more about this coverage, including what it does, what it doesn’t do, and how much of it you need to have.

What is property damage liability?

Property damage liability is the coverage that can help repair the other driver’s car if you’re at fault in an accident. (For example, if you rear-end someone and cause $1,500 of damage to their car.) In that way, it helps you cover your legal obligation to the other driver. It can also help you out if you accidentally take out a fence or mailbox or something. Oh, and it can help you cover legal expenses if you get sued. Pretty cool, huh?

Am I required to have property damage liability?

Yes. Most states require drivers to carry property damage liability insurance, and Georgia is no exception. In Georgia, drivers have to carry $25,000 of property damage liability at least. It’s really important that you carry the limits of insurance required by the state. Not doing so can be a big problem.

(Now, while we’re on the topic of Georgia car insurance requirements, we’ll touch briefly on another coverage that the state mandates that drivers carry: bodily injury liability. This is the coverage that can help cover the costs of the other driver’s medical bills and lost wages. Georgia says that drivers have to carry $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person and $50,000 of bodily injury liability per occurrence.)

Anyway, that means that the minimum limits of insurance in Georgia are $25,000/$50,000/$25,000. (The first number is the per person bodily injury liability limit, the second number is the per occurrence bodily injury liability limit, and the last number is the property damage liability limit.) Keep in mind that you might want to have higher limits of coverage – the state limits might not be high enough to cover the fallout from a serious accident.

What about my car?

When it comes to insurance coverages, things can get complicated.

You might wonder how your own car would get repaired in the event of an accident in which you’re at fault. Property damage liability can help repair the other driver’s car, but what about your own vehicle? You need your car to get yourself where you need to go.

The thing is that your property damage liability doesn’t cover your car – it’ll only take care of the other driver’s car. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. There’s a different coverage that can help – collision coverage.

Collision coverage can help you repair your car following an accident – or if you run into something like a fence. That’s how you can get your car back on the road after an accident, even if you’re technically at fault. So, if you’ve got collision coverage, you can hopefully get your car insurance take care of the repair bill (minus your deductible).

Okay, so you might now wonder this – are you required to have collision coverage? It’s a good question. If you have a lender and a car payment, they may require you to carry collision coverage and its buddy, comprehensive coverage. Anyways, it’s really important that you carry the necessary coverage, both as mandated by the state and by your lender. And, as we always say, it’s important to read your car insurance policy.

So, that’s the scoop on how property damage liability works. Like we said, it’s important to have the right car insurance. If you’re looking for Atlanta car insurance quotes, we can help. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us on LiveChat. Our team would be happy to get your some quotes for the auto insurance you need.

What does Atlanta comprehensive coverage do?

Atlanta comprehensive coverage

Atlanta comprehensive coverage

If you have a car to get around the bustling city of Atlanta or to cruise the suburban streets of the metro area, you’re going to need the right car insurance. (And let’s face it, Atlanta is a driving city.) There are a lot of coverages out there that you can consider for your vehicle, and for some reason, they have confusing names. One coverage to think about is Atlanta comprehensive coverage…but what is comprehensive coverage? We’ll explain.

What is comprehensive coverage?

Comprehensive coverage can protect your car against losses that are not being-in-a-wreck. For example, comprehensive coverage can cover…

  • Fire
  • Theft
  • Vandalism
  • Falling objects
  • Animal strikes

There are a lot of things that could happen to your poor car. It’s important to have a way to cover the costs of repairing your car should a comprehensive loss befall it. It’s not easy to casually drop a ton of money to repair a car, so that’s why Atlanta comprehensive coverage can help.

For example, what if a massive tree branch falls right on your car? It could cause a lot of damage to your car, but you can protect your bank account with your comprehensive coverage. That’s what it’s there for.

Pro tip: Make sure to read your policy so you know what losses are covered and which are not. Its’ really important to know the ins and outs of your insurance.

Do I need comprehensive coverage?

Another question that comes up a lot is this: do I need comprehensive coverage? The state of Georgia does not require comprehensive coverage. (What Georgia does require is $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 of bodily injury liability per occurrence, and $25,000 of property damage liability.)

However, if you have a car payment, your lender may require you to carry comprehensive coverage (and its best friend collision coverage – more on that in a moment.) It’s really important that you have all the coverage you’re required to have for your car, whether it’s the state requiring it or your lender.

What about the deductible?

Your comprehensive coverage likely comes with a deductible. The deductible is the amount you’ve agreed to pay if you have a claim. You pay for a chunk of the damage and the insurance company steps in to start helping to cover costs.

Let’s say that you have a $500 deductible. Then a tree branch falls on your car. (For the sake of the hypothetical, we’ll say that it’s going to be a covered loss.) The branch causes $1,750 of damage to your car. Yikes. You would pay your $500 deductible and the insurance company pays $1,250. (Which is better than you having to pay the whole $1,750, right?)

You need to put some thought into choosing your deductible. If you are able to set a higher deductible, you could save money on your premium. However, don’t set your deductible so high that you’d be hard-pressed to pay it in the event of a claim. You have to find your happy place in the deductible-premium balance.

What is collision coverage?

Collision coverage is the one that can help you repair or replace your car if you’re in an accident (or if you hit something like a fence). It works hand-in-hand with comprehensive coverage. And again, this coverage might be required by your lender if you have a car payment. It’s definitely something to consider.

So, that’s the scoop about comprehensive coverage and what it can do to help you with your car if there’s a loss other than a collision! It’s a handy thing to have. Anyways, if you’re looking for Atlanta car insurance, our team can help. Get started with quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us.

How to get Atlanta Progressive car insurance

Atlanta Progressive car insurance

Atlanta Progressive car insurance

You rely on your car. It’s kind of essential for your daily life, as it’s your means of getting places. And you love your car – and you do enjoy having money in your bank account. That’s why you want car insurance that’s going to be there for you. So you admit it – Flo got to you and now you want Atlanta Progressive car insurance. Maybe you’re moving to Atlanta, or maybe you’ve lived in the city for a while, but how does one get car insurance from Progressive, anyway? Like this!

Get Atlanta Progressive car insurance.

1. Get in touch with our team.

Here at Atlanta Insurance, we have a whole bunch of insurance agents who would be happy to help you get a car insurance quote from Progressive. We like to make insurance easy, so we have a few different ways you can get in touch with our team.

Online form: Go ahead and fill out our online form so we can get some of the details we need to get you a car insurance quote from Progressive. This just lets us get a bit of a head-start so we can jump right in.

Call us: If you prefer to talk on the phone, that’s fine with us. We’d be happy to have a quick conversation with you on the phone so we can assist you with your car insurance needs and help you get Atlanta car insurance from Progressive.

LiveChat: We’ve even got LiveChat, so you can message with one of our agents to let us know that you’re interested in getting a car insurance quote from Progressive. Messaging is fine by us.

Email or text: Maybe talking on the phone or using LiveChat isn’t ideal for you. That’s fine – just tell us that you’d rather email or text with us and we can make that happen.

Our goal is to make insurance easy. That starts with making communication convenient. Don’t hesitate to just let us know if you can’t talk on the phone. Simply tell us your preferred method of context and we can work with that.

2. Have a chat with one of our agents.

We’ll need to confirm some information from you so we can go forth and get that quote for Progressive car insurance in Atlanta, so one of our agents will reach out to talk with you through whatever method of communication works for you. We just want to make sure that we’re understanding your insurance situation. We want to help you get the right coverage. At any rate, we won’t take up much of your time – we know you’re busy.

3. We get that Atlanta Progressive car insurance quote for you.

The next step is us going out on a quest for your Atlanta Progressive car insurance quote. We’ll be quick as we can – we don’t want to keep you waiting. We’ll let you know when we’ve got your quote. And from there, we can move onto the next step!

4. We’ll go over the quote with you.

What happens next is our agent will take the time to go over the quote with you. We’ll answer any questions you might have about the quote – we want you to feel confident about the coverage you have for your vehicle, as this insurance policy is protecting you financially. Don’t be shy about asking any questions you may have, whether they’re big questions you may have, whether they’re big questions or small questions. (If you don’t have any questions right at that moment, don’t sweat it – you can reach out any time if you think of any queries!)

5. We’ll be here for insurance support.

After we give you your quote and all that, we’ll be here to help with any insurance needs that come up. We’ll answer questions and help resolve issues if they come up. We can help make adjustments to your coverage as needed. Anyways, what we’re trying to say is this – we won’t just poof into thin air when you need something. We’ll be here for insurance support!

So, that’s how you get a Progressive car insurance quote! Our team is here to help with your insurance needs, so just give us a shout if you need car insurance. Getting Atlanta car insurance from Progressive doesn’t have to be complicated when you work with our team! Take a second to fill out our online form and we’ll be on the case.

What does Atlanta collision coverage do?

Atlanta collision coverage

Atlanta collision coverage

There are a lot of different car insurance coverages out there. The thing is that you need to understand what each of these coverages does. They team up to protect you from different risks. One important coverage that covers your car is collision coverage.

What is collision coverage?

Collision coverage is the coverage that can help you repair or replace your car if you’re in an accident. Or if you hit something like a fence, telephone pole, or something else that’s solid and in the way.

You might wonder why this coverage is necessary – won’t your liability coverage repair your car? No. It probably won’t cover your car repairs if you’re at fault in an accident. It can help cover the other driver’s car repairs if you’re at fault (that’s the property damage section) and even the other driver’s medical bills (that’s the bodily injury section). But if you have damage to your car due to an accident in which you’re at fault, or if you hit a tree or something, you would not be covered by your liability insurance. However, your collision coverage could help you in these situations.

(At any rate, as always, it’s important to read your car insurance policy all the way through.)

What is the deductible?

Your collision coverage likely comes with a deductible. The deductible is the amount you agree to pay if you have a claim (you pay your chunk and the insurance company pays theirs). For example, let’s say that your deductible is $500. Then let’s say you have an accident that causes $1,500 of damage to your car. (For the sake of our hypothetical, we’ll say that it’s a covered loss and your insurance is going to help you.) You would pay $500 and your insurance company would pay $1,000.

Choose your deductible wisely. You don’t want to set it so high that it would be a big problem to pay if you have a claim. But keep in mind that if you’re financially comfortable setting a higher deductible, you could see a lower insurance premium. Just something to think about when you’re setting your deductible.

(Anyways, it’s not a bad idea to set aside some emergency money in case you have to pay your deductible due to a claim.)

Do I need collision coverage?

So, at this point, you might be wondering if collision coverage is required. Do you have to have it? Well, Georgia doesn’t require you to carry collision coverage. The state’s minimum limits of insurance are $25,000 of bodily injury liability insurance per person, $50,000 of bodily injury liability per occurrence, and $25,000 of property damage liability.

However, if you have a car payment, your lender may require you to carry both collision and comprehensive coverage. (They want to protect their investment in the vehicle.) It’s important that you have the appropriate coverage as required by both your lender and the state. Don’t think that no one will notice if you don’t have the right insurance for your car. You could run into some major trouble if you don’t.

What’s comprehensive coverage?

Earlier we mentioned yet another coverage you can consider for your vehicle – comprehensive coverage. This is the coverage that can help you repair or replace your car if there’s a loss that is not a wreck – for example, theft, fire, vandalism, falling objects, or hitting a deer. That’s the long-story-short version of what comprehensive coverage is. It’s basically collision coverage’s best friend.

So, that’s what collision coverage is. It can help you repair or replace following a wreck or if you hit something like a fence or a pole. It’s not technically required by the state of Georgia, but your lender may require you to carry this coverage on your vehicle if you have a car payment. Remember, make sure you have the necessary coverage for your car.

If you want some help with getting the Atlanta car insurance you need for your vehicle, let our team know. Message us on LiveChat or give us a call to get in touch. You can also fill out our online form if you prefer. We’re here to help with your Georgia auto insurance needs.

Do I really need to read my car insurance policy?

Read car insurance policy

Read car insurance policy

Getting the right car insurance policy can seem like a long, stressful process. By the time you’ve gotten everything squared away, reading over the terms and conditions can seem like an unnecessary waste of time. However, there can be some hefty consequences to skipping over this bit of helpful homework. Here are a few reasons you should read through your auto insurance policy, even after you’ve gone over it verbally with your agent.

Why should you read your car insurance policy?

1. Make sure you understand what’s covered.

Every year, people end up losing money or paying more out-of-pocket costs after an accident because they didn’t properly understand what their car insurance policy covered. Your auto insurance is there to protect you and your car in an emergency. However, your policy will only cover certain accidents and instances that are specifically outlined in your policy. So, reading up on your policy is a key part of truly understanding the certain sticky situations that your car insurance can help you out of.

2. Make sure everything is correct

This goes beyond just checking how your name is spelled or that your contact information is actually yours. (Although, you should make sure this information is correct.) You’ll want to read through your policy to make sure you’re actually getting the coverage you wanted and that you believe you’re paying for. Instead of going up the creek without a paddle, read through your policy to make sure that all of your coverages are there and take the opportunity to ask your agent any questions about what is and isn’t included in your car insurance.

3. Understand when you have to pay your premium

Your auto insurance premium is the amount you have to pay just to have insurance coverage. Many people assume that this is a monthly payment amount. However, different carriers offer different ranges of available payment options, including monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually (the last of which may help you get a discount on your car insurance). So, it’s important to read through your policy to know exactly when your car insurance payment is due. That way, you can prevent lapses in coverage and keep your insurance rates low.

4. Prepare to pay your deductible amount

Your car insurance deductible is the amount you’ve agreed to pay in repairs or damages before your policy starts paying in full. But that’s not the only thing you’ll need to know about your deductible. You’ll also need to keep in mind that:

  • Your deductible can affect your premium
  • Deductibles are different depending on your policy.
  • Your deductible on one type of coverage may be different than another.

Reading through your entire policy can help you prepare for what you may pay after an accident. That way, you can set aside enough money to cover your deductible for whatever type of coverage you use before you urgently have to use it.

5. Learn how much coverage you have and in what circumstances

Additionally, there’s a limit to what your insurance will cover – literally. Reading through your car insurance policy entirely can help you understand how much your insurance policy can help you cover and when. Different scenarios call for different coverages, and different coverage may have different amounts that you’re covered for. If you only have a brief overview of how much your insurance might cover in a general sense, then you risk not having enough coverage for a certain situation when you need it.

6. Know when your coverage starts and stops

Just because you’ve made the decision to get car insurance, chosen a carrier, and chosen a plan, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your car insurance is in effect. Each policy has what’s known as an effective date, and a driver isn’t covered under that policy until that date. This means that if you’re starting a new insurance plan or you’re in between plans and you drive before your new effective date, you won’t be covered until your policy actually says you are.

Reading your policy to find this date is the best way to prevent car insurance lapses or even just the charge of driving without insurance (which is illegal all over the nation).

7. Generally, just feel good about where you’re putting your money.

In any case, it’s just good to know why you’re spending your money and how it’s being spent. Car insurance may be a legal requirement, but if you don’t know much about it, the whole process can seem like a big waste. In fact, many people think car insurance to be a nuisance that only costs them more money the more they use it.

Reading your policy, on the other hand, can help you see all the neat things that your car insurance does help you with, whether it’s an accident or a crack in your windshield. It can help people understand that you’re investing in a great amount of help in your future and peace of mind.

Of course, you may not be able to recite your policy forwards and backwards after you read it. In fact, you may not be able to read it all in one go. Your auto insurance policy may be a long-winded document but taking it in though bite-sized pieces every so often can help you truly understand and feel protected in the policy you choose.

our agents can also help you feel confident in the coverage and rates you choose for your car insurance. We’re here to walk you through getting free, customized quotes on the auto insurance you need in the easiest way possible. To start your best insurance experience, call us today, fill out our online form, or LiveChat with a professional today.

What happens with car insurance if a friend borrows my car?

What if a friend borrows your car?

What if a friend borrows your car?

There may come a time when a good friend wishes to borrow your car. Maybe they’re a great friend and they’re a good, safe driver who’s responsible behind wheel. So, without too much hesitation, you decide to agree – your friend just needs a set of wheels for a little bit, and you trust them. You are, however, a little bit curious about the auto insurance situation. Will a friend who borrows your car be covered, and how? We’ll explain.

What happens if a friend borrows my car?

Typically, car insurance will follow the vehicle itself. And that means that your friend would be covered by your auto insurance if they’re borrowing your car. (For that reason, you’ll want to be careful when deciding who’s allowed to borrow your car!)

If your friend only needs to use your car from time to time, your friend likely is covered by your insurance. However, insurance rates aren’t only about your car – they’re also about the primary driver of the vehicle. So, should your friend start driving your car a lot or more than you do, you may want to add them to your policy – that can help you avoid headaches down the, err, road – pun intended.

At any rate, be careful who you lend your car to! You want to lend your vehicle to people who will treat it as if it were their own – ideally, even better than their own.

What if you borrow your friend’s car?

But then there’s the reverse situation – what if you borrow a car from your friend? Well, hopefully, all goes well and you return the car to your friend without a scratch on it. That would probably be best for all involved!

Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t go according to your plans. You might have every intention of returning the vehicle in good condition, and maybe even with a full tank of gas, but what if that plan is rudely thrown off-course?

So here’s a situation – what if you borrow a friend’s car, but you get into an accident? What happens? Well, their insurance would most likely kick in first. (Basically, it’s the reverse of what happened in the previous hypothetical we described where a friend borrowed your car.) So, it might be an awkward conversation with your friend, but yes – it’s likely that they’re going to see their insurance step up first. But – yes, there’s a but – if they don’t have high limits of insurance and the accident exhausts them, your insurance could be up next. Just something to keep in mind before you roll down the street in the borrowed vehicle.

So, in summary, if your friend borrows your car, your car insurance likely follows the car. (So, think hard before handing over your keys to someone!) And to reverse the situation, if you borrow a friend’s car and then get into an accident, their insurance will likely be up first to cover it. If their limits are exhausted, your insurance might step in next. So be prepared for that and maybe have a conversation before any cars are borrowed and driven away.

Speaking of insurance, you can get car insurance quotes by filling out our online form, giving us a call, or messaging us. Our insurance professionals would be happy to help with your insurance needs.