Situations often come up where you may need to borrow your friend or family member’s car to run an errand or get somewhere. When you borrow your sister’s car, do you know if you’re covered if you get into an accident? It’s not a common thing to discuss when you take the car keys but it’s important to know about for both you and the person who owns the car you’re borrowing.
When it comes to Dinuba car insurance as well as auto insurance in Reedley, Orosi, and other cities in California, there are a few things you should consider before borrowing your friend’s car.
If you are just borrowing your family member's car once in a month or every so often to run an errand, most likely if you borrow your sister’s car, your sister’s auto insurance policy would cover you when you’re driving her car. An auto policy will state who it covers as an “insured person”. If your sister gave you permission to drive the car and you fall within the definition of an “insured person”, then you would be covered by her car insurance.
When you borrow and drive a car for a long period of time, say for a few weeks, an auto insurance company can consider that “regular use”. In this situation, you should be added to your friend’s car insurance policy so that you can continue borrowing the car and be covered in case of an accident. Once you’re done borrowing the car, you can have your friend remove you from the policy. Just remember that if you borrow the car again for a long period of time, you will have to be added back on.
Depending on what you’re using the vehicle for, you may need a separate insurance policy altogether. If you are using the car to deliver pizza or for your landscaping business, you will need to buy a commercial auto or business insurance policy. A commercial auto policy has specific coverage for cars that are for business use. Typically, your personal auto insurance policy will not cover you if you are using your vehicle for your business.
The best way to ensure you have the right coverage is to talk with one of our Dinuba insurance agents at 559-591-7556. You can also stop by our office from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday at 326 East Tulare St. in Dinuba, California. Steven R. Nelson Insurance Agency works with trusted insurance companies that offer multi-policy discounts if you bundle your auto and home insurance together. Call us for a free insurance quote now.
