When a person buys insurance for their car, the insurance will cover the damage that happened to the car owner and the car. The vehicle owner is, therefore, not responsible for any accidents caused by a friend, relative, or another driver while using the owner's vehicle. However, the driver's principal protection will come from the car owner's insurance.
Car Insurance Laws in Iowa
The Motor Vehicle Financial and Safety Responsibility Act of Iowa encourages all car owners to buy liability insurance. However, state laws do not specifically mandate drivers to have auto insurance.
What Does Car Insurance Cover in Iowa?
Car insurance in Iowa mostly covers only the car and the owner of the car. Bodily injury liability, personal injury liability, and accidents are not a part of auto insurance unless specifically mentioned. The owner must carry property damage and personal injury liability insurance in Iowa as supplementary insurance.
When a person lends their vehicle to someone and they get into an accident in Iowa, their bodily injury responsibility insurance will cover the borrower’s medical bills and those of other drivers and occupants.
Property destruction liability insurance will cover the cost if the other driver's automobile is damaged. The borrower's liability policy may provide supplemental coverage if the harm exceeds its coverage limits.
PIP and MedPay follow the driver. Therefore, the owner won't need to make use of them if somebody causes a crash while operating the vehicle. However, owners must use their collision insurance to cover vehicle damage. The additional services pay for the car's repairs regardless of driving, which counts as a claim against the insurance.
Act on Financial and Safety Responsibility for Motor Vehicles in Iowa
When it comes to financial accountability for losses resulting from an accident, such as car accident wounds, lost revenue, car destruction, and so on, Iowa adheres to a fault-based system.
You might be wondering if Iowa requires PIP coverage. If the driver has insurance coverage, the provider will cover these costs according to coverage limits. It is required by the Iowa Motor Vehicle Financial and Safety Responsibility Act for any motorist in an automobile accident. In addition, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation, driving and registration privileges will likely be suspended if financial obligation cannot be proven.
What Are the Alternatives to Buying Car Insurance in Iowa?
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, there are additional methods to comply with the Motor Vehicle Financial and Safety Responsibility Act besides acquiring insurance. These different alternatives to buying car insurance in Iowa include:
Filing a bond through driver & identification solutions
Obtaining a written release from any other parties responsible for the accident
Being entirely acquitted in a civil case
Drafting a settlement agreement, including a payment schedule for the other parties' damages
Submitting proof of full settlement of all losses
Signing a pledge to pay for the other defendants' injuries on an installment schedule
In the case of an accident, both the owner and the driver of the car (if they are two different people) are required to show their financial responsibility. Purchasing insurance is always a more sensible choice than betting that one will be able to escape blame completely or cover all losses in the case of an accident. If you've suffered injuries from such an accident, an auto accident attorney in Des Moines can help.
Non-establishment of Financial Responsibility
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, the car’s operator and the proprietor can have their licenses suspended for a year if they can't demonstrate their financial responsibility following a collision. The owner may also have the right to register their vehicle revoked.
Below are the only exemptions to the guidelines governing financial responsibility:
If the car was stolen and got involved in an accident.
No one else was hurt.
There was no property damage when the accident occurred.
The car did not hurt or damage any legally parked vehicle in the accident.
Conclusion
Lending the car to someone else is risky since the owner can find themselves needing to make an Iowa insurance payout. People may discuss the possibility of liability with a skilled attorney regarding car crashes. The insurance will pay for injuries or damage to the vehicle.
It is best to seek assistance from the Tom Fowler Law Firm, which has helped countless accident victims in similar cases.
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