What is going to happen if I rear-ended someone but have no insurance?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What is going to happen if I rear-ended someone but have no insurance?
I was driving my sister’s car and I looked down for literally a second to check on my dog in the passenger seat and when I looked back up all of a sudden there was a car in front of me and I hit my brakes but I still hit them a little bit. We both drove somewhere away from traffic and pulled over. We talked and she asked if I had insurance and I said I don’t know, this is my sisters car. She said she didn’t want to call the cops and she got my license information, phone number, and license plate number. She also took pictures. She said that she was going to call her insurance company. I didn’t get any of her info or take pictures or even look at her car. At that point, I had figured she came from the lane to the right of me and then got in front of me since I didn’t see her until all of a sudden. I asked her if I was in her blind spot and all she said was I don’t know, I didn’t see you. However, she didn’t tell me if she was changing lanes when it happened or anything. So I don’t know what happened. We both drove away and I talked to my sister and it turns out she doesn’t have insurance. I’m 17 years old.
Asked on April 14, 2018 under Accident Law, Texas
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
Your sister is liable for your accident because she is the registered owner of the vehicle you were driving.
If the party you hit has uninsured motorist coverage, she will file an uninsured motorist claim with her insurance company for the property damage (cost of repairs) to her car.
That insurance company will demand payment from your sister of the amount it paid on the claim. If your sister can't afford to pay she will be sued. If your sister is a minor, then the insurance company will sue your parents instead of your sister. If your parents can afford to pay for the amount the insurance company is claiming, that will end the matter; otherwise, they will be sued. If the insurance company reports your sister as an uninsured vehicle owner to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, your sister's driver's license may be suspended until she provides proof of insurance.
If the driver you hit does not have uninsured motorist coverage on her insurance policy, her only recourse will be to file a lawsuit for negligence against your sister if your sister is not a minor. Again, if your sister is a minor, the other driver will file the lawsuit for negligence against your parents.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.