Q: If you back into someone in a parking lot with a car that you do not have insurance for are you held reliable for damage
I know this sounds like a simple question but what if have insurance for your own vehicle. can that insurance pay for the damages.
A:
It depends on many factors. On the one hand, you cannot own 4 cars, insure only one, and expect that you are covered for all four. The insurance company would cry "fraud." On the other hand, if the uninsured car belonged to someone else, and you do not drive it regularly, the damage to the OTHER car should be covered at 100% and the car you were driving, pursuant to your deductible (provided that you have collision coverage).
Generally, primary insurance coverage follows the car. So, if you are a permissive driver on a friend's car and the friend has insurance, YOU are covered under your friend's insurance. If you are injured in a car or hit by a car (whether as a pedestrian or cyclist), YOUR car insurance will cover you.
A: Yes you would be liable for the property damage to the other vehicle. I am assuming the gist of your question is insurance coverage. You stated that the vehicle you were operating that caused the damage to the other vehicle was uninsured. Nevertheless, liability would remain and thus you would be responsible.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.