Should I just give them my car insurance policy?
My daughter and her friend were returning from a road trip in another state (not Ohio). Both of them are Ohio residents and both are insured by the same insurance company. I am the parent and the policyholder.
During the drive, my daughter’s friend, who owns the car, became tired and asked my daughter to drive while she rested. They switched seats, with my daughter driving and her friend sitting in the front passenger seat.
While my daughter was driving, another vehicle hit them. According to the police report from that state, my daughter was not at fault. Her friend also confirmed that my daughter was not responsible for the accident. The other driver was uninsured.
My daughter’s friend’s car was totaled. She had full coverage, so she filed a claim against her own policy, and that claim was settled and paid.
Now, my daughter’s friend says she had chiropractic expenses and lost wages as a result of the accident, and she is seeking compensation.
She contacted me asking for my insurance policy number because, according to her, her lawyer needs it. I told her that she could have her lawyer contact my insurance agent directly to obtain the information. I was under the impression that this was something the insurance agent or attorney would handle, but I guess I was mistaken. My insurance agent has now emailed me saying that the attorney has called and left voicemails requesting my policy number so they can file a claim against my policy. My agent also said that because attorneys are involved, they will not get involved directly.
I have three cars on my auto insurance policy. Under each vehicle, there is a section for “Coverage When You’re At Fault,” which includes only liability coverage (bodily injury and property damage). However, all three vehicles also have “Coverage for You and Your Vehicle: Uninsured Motorists Insurance – Bodily Injury.”
As I mentioned, my daughter’s friend and I are both customers of the same insurance company.
My daughter did not suffer any injuries or symptoms that required medical attention.
My questions are:
Can my daughter’s friend, through her attorney, make a claim against my auto insurance policy even though my daughter was not found at fault for the accident? Could my daughter’s friend potentially receive compensation from my policy for chiropractic treatment and lost wages? If a claim is made against my policy, could it increase my insurance rates, even though my daughter was not at fault? Could this affect my daughter’s driving record or (our) insurance record in any way?
I’m trying to understand how this works before responding to the attorney or providing the policy number. Any insight from people familiar with auto insurance claims or Ohio insurance law would be greatly appreciated.