Accident claim w/potential flaky insured

[djs]

The friend's policy would also be surcharged because the policy paid for the damage on behalf of "an insured."

It would be on the friend's CLUE report so changing insurance companies isn't likely to help.

Again, as an agent who has written thousands of auto policies, this isn't correct. Yes, its on the CLUE report, but that by itself doesn't matter. The agent simply explains it was a different driver (may need documentation sometimes). Accidents are rated to drivers, not cars.

It does make it messy when you have a series of these things, same as when a person with an accident moves out of household onto their own policy. The original policy (household) still shows the incident, but the surcharge is moved to the new household.

 

[InsCommentary]

I would have filed with my own insurer and let them handle dealing with the negligent party. While auto insurance usually "follows the car," Progressive's policy likely extends liability coverage to owned and nonowned autos. Their issue could be whether their insurance is primary or excess to any other coverage that may be provided on the auto. That should not affect whether there is coverage, but you're possibly caught in an issue that really has nothing to do with you.