Car insurance has made the burden of car ownership a lot easier for many people to bear. When you're involved in an accident, being insured prevents you from being stuck with a huge bill that would cripple your finances.

However, there is always the question of what would happen if someone else was driving your car at the time of the accident. When the owner of the car isn't the one driving at the time of the accident, this can affect how the claim is made.

Insurance Is Mainly for the Car Not the Driver

When you take out an auto insurance policy, the policy isn't for you but for the car. This is why you'll need separate policies if you own two cars. This means that even if someone else was at the wheel at the time of the accident, your car will still be covered by your policy in most cases.

If the other driver is, however, responsible for the accident, the driver of your car at the time should hire a personal injury attorney, such as those at Goble & Yow PLLC.

However, if the person who was driving has their own insurance policy, it can be used to cover any bills that are leftover.

What If the Driver Was Excluded from Your Policy?

In some states, you can exclude a particular driver from your insurance policy. When the driver who's involved in the accident was specifically excluded from your insurance policy, your insurance company will not pay up.

The essence of excluding someone from a car insurance policy is to save money. If you have family members who have a poor driving record, this will have an effect on your premiums. However, there are states where you can't exclude individuals from your policy as this can create uninsured drivers.

Are There Other Exceptions?

Your insurance company can also refuse to pay up if the driver was intoxicated or unlicensed at the time of the accident. If you're the one who lent them the car when they were in such a state, the liability will likely fall on you.

A car owner may also claim that the driver in question took their car without their permission. However, unless the car was stolen, you'll probably be stuck with the bill. This is because it is generally difficult to prove whether or not permission was actually granted. A close friend or family member will likely be excluded from this rule.