Illinois Auto Insurance: Tree Damage And Liability

If someone crashes into your tree, the liability and expenses will depend on who was driving and whether they were at fault. If the driver is a member of your household, your insurance policy may be liable. If you loaned your car to a friend, your auto liability insurance will typically cover the driver, but you may have to fight it out with them to reclaim any out-of-pocket expenses. If the driver is a minor, their parents may be held responsible. If the driver is an employee, the victim will likely look to your business's auto insurance policy for recovery.

If you hit a tree, collision coverage will cover damage to your vehicle

If you hit a tree with your car, collision coverage will cover the damage to your vehicle. This is, of course, assuming that you have collision coverage as part of your auto insurance policy. In Illinois, collision coverage is not required by law, but your lender may require it for a financed vehicle.

Collision coverage will pay for damage caused by an accident with another car or a fixed object, such as a tree. If you have collision coverage, your insurance company will likely send an adjuster to examine the damage and determine the cost to repair or replace your vehicle. They may then cut you a check to cover the cost of repairs, minus your deductible, or ask you to take your car to a designated shop for repairs. If the cost to repair your vehicle is more than the car's actual cash value, your insurer will likely deem the car a "total loss" and payout the car's actual cash value, minus your deductible.

It is important to note that there are some exclusions to collision coverage. For example, if your insurer can prove that you hit the tree on purpose, your claim may be denied as intentional damage is often excluded from coverage. Similarly, if you were racing your vehicle and swerved into a tree, or if you were using your vehicle for commercial purposes, such as delivery work, your claim will likely be denied.

In addition to collision coverage, there are other types of auto insurance that can provide financial protection in the event of an accident. For example, liability coverage will pay for bodily injury to another person or property damage you cause due to the negligent operation of a vehicle. This may include medical expenses incurred by someone else in the accident as well as damage to another person's car or property, such as fences, buildings, or trees. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM) and underinsured motorist bodily injury insurance (UIM) are also available to protect you in the event of a hit-and-run or an accident with an at-fault driver who has insufficient insurance.

Your liability insurance will cover injuries or property damage to another person

In Illinois, liability insurance covers injuries or property damage to another person caused by the policyholder or anyone driving the insured vehicle with their permission. This coverage is mandatory for all vehicle owners in the state and helps protect them from financial losses resulting from auto accidents.

The liability coverage in an auto insurance policy is typically divided into two types: bodily injury (BI) and property damage (PD). BI liability coverage pays for the costs associated with the injury or death of another person involved in an accident, such as pedestrians, passengers in another car, or your own passengers who are not members of your household. Illinois law sets a minimum requirement of $25,000 per person and $50,000 total per accident for BI liability coverage.

On the other hand, PD liability coverage pays for the damage caused to another person's property, including their vehicle, fences, buildings, utility poles, signs, and trees. The minimum requirement for PD liability coverage in Illinois is $20,000 per accident.

It is important to note that the state-mandated minimum coverage limits may not be sufficient to protect you from lawsuits in the event of a major accident. Therefore, it is advisable to consider purchasing higher coverage limits to ensure adequate protection.

In addition to the liability coverage, Illinois law also requires automobile insurance policies to include uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) bodily injury coverage. UM coverage protects you in the event of an accident caused by a hit-and-run driver or a driver without auto liability insurance. Meanwhile, UIM coverage kicks in when the at-fault driver's insurance is insufficient to compensate you for your injuries.

If you loan your car to a friend or family member, and they cause an accident, your auto insurance will typically serve as the primary insurance. This is because auto liability insurance generally follows the vehicle, and any permissible driver is covered under the policy. However, it is important to carefully review your policy to understand the specific coverage and permissible driver requirements.

If you loan your car to a friend, your insurance could be liable

Your auto insurance would act as primary coverage in the event of an accident. The driver's insurance would only be used if the cost of damages exceeded your policy limits. If your friend doesn't have insurance, they could be sued for any costs that your policy doesn't cover. You might also be sued, as your car was involved.

In Illinois, all vehicle owners are required to carry a minimum amount of auto liability insurance. This includes bodily injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, as well as property damage liability of $25,000 per accident. However, the total expenses involved in a vehicle accident can quickly exceed these limits. If your insurance coverage is insufficient, any injury or property damage victim could file a claim against your personal assets.

To protect yourself, it's important to carefully consider whether to lend your car to someone else. Make sure the driver has a valid license and understands their responsibilities on the road. It's also a good idea to review your insurance policy and consider purchasing additional coverage or increasing your policy limits.

If your employee causes an accident, your business insurance will be liable

If an employee causes an accident, the employer may be held legally responsible for the resulting injuries and property damage. This is known as vicarious liability, which gives the accident victim the right to sue the employer for damages instead of the employee. The insurance then protects the employee from getting involved in a lawsuit.

Vicarious liability applies when the employee is acting within the scope of their employment, and the employer benefits from the employee's actions. For example, if an employee is driving from business site to business site as required by their job and gets into an accident, the employer will likely be liable for any injuries or damages caused.

However, if the employee deviates from their work duties to run a personal errand and gets into an accident during that time, the employer is typically not liable, and the employee's own insurance policy may be responsible.

It is important to note that employers may have coverage for employees who use their cars for business purposes, but this is not always automatic. Employees should check with their employer to ensure they have the necessary coverage before using their vehicles for work-related tasks.

Additionally, if an employee is injured while driving on the job, their medical bills and lost wages should be covered by workers' compensation insurance, which is a form of no-fault insurance that provides coverage regardless of who is at fault in the accident.

If your child crashes, you may be liable

In Illinois, parents can be held responsible for their child's willful or malicious acts that damage someone's property or cause injury to another person. This may apply to a car accident, although most collisions are caused by negligent behavior. Parents can also be held liable for their child's negligent or reckless driving. If your child was driving your car or the family vehicle while doing something for you, you could be held responsible for any accident they cause. However, you may not be liable if your child was driving for themselves.

If your child crashes, your auto insurance policy will be where the victim turns to for recovery. In Illinois, auto liability insurance generally follows the vehicle, which means any permissible driver is covered under the policy. If your child is on your insurance policy, the victim of the crash will seek compensation from your insurance company.

It's important to note that Illinois law requires all vehicle owners to have minimum amounts of auto liability insurance. The minimum coverages are:

• $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person and $50,000 per accident
• $20,000 for property damage per accident

However, these minimums may not be enough to fully protect you from lawsuits. If your child causes a crash that results in significant injuries or property damage, your insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all the expenses. In this case, the injury or property damage victim could file a claim in civil court to come after your personal assets.

Frequently asked questions