What They Don't Teach You in High School

15 Question: Is it okay to let a friend borrow my car? Will my car be covered if my friend is in an accident? Answer: It’s not a good idea to let your friends borrow your car. Most standard policies will cover a friend who has borrowed your car; however, if a friend borrows your car on a regular basis, the insurance company most likely will not pay for the loss. Also, some policies exclude coverage when someone other than you drives your car. It may not be fascinating reading like your psychology 101 text, but it pays to read and research your policy to see how your insurance company responds when an accident happens. Question: What do I do if I am in an accident? Answer: You need to exchange personal and insurance information with the person or person(s) involved in the accident. Write down names, phone numbers (work and home), license numbers, driver’s license numbers, and insurance company names and policy numbers. Make sure you take down witness information as well. You may want to carry a cheap disposable camera in your glove compartment to take pictures of the accident scene and damage to the cars and other personal property. If there is bodily injury, call the police and ambulance if necessary. As soon as you can, call your insurance company and give them the details of the claim. You may want to see our brochure entitled, “So You’ve Had an Accident, What’s Next?” for more helpful advice.