Transcript:
Hi, I’m Indiana personal injury attorney David Holub.
This video was prompted by a caller hit by a driver who was in a borrowed rental car.
It appeared likely that there was no insurance covering the at-fault driver and that the vehicle was driven without permission.
Typically, if you are hit by someone driving a car who is at fault for the accident. That person will be liable for the resulting damages.
In most cases, the at-fault driver will have insurance. Then the responsibility to pay falls on the insurance company insuring the vehicle of the at-fault driver. That same scenario applies to rental cars.
But, suppose the person renting the car doesn’t have personal vehicle insurance. The rental company will offer the renter coverage as part of the rental agreement in such a case. Some rental companies will actually require that the renter buy coverage. But typically, it is basic low-limits coverage.
But, what if the rental car coverage is limited to a specific driver?
And, what if the person driving the rental car when it smashed into you is an excluded driver?
This unfortunate scenario happens way too often.
Perhaps the excluded driver has a policy on a vehicle that was not involved in the crash. In such a case, if you purchased uninsured motorist coverage, your own policy would provide benefits.
If no such coverage was purchased, you and your attorney will focus on finding any possible coverage that would apply to the excluded driver. It may be a long shot, but sometimes people purchase policies that will extend coverage to them no matter what vehicle they drive, including rental cars.
I hope you found this information helpful. If you are a victim of someone’s carelessness, please call (219) 736-9700 with your questions. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at DavidHolubLaw.com. We also invite you to subscribe to our weekly podcast: Personal Injury Primer, where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss personal injury law topics.
If you were injured and need to file a claim for compensatory damages, fill out this contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.