Lent my car to my cousin, she got hit, now lawyers are involved — am I exposed?

Just want to add — make sure your cousin is documenting every medical visit, every prescription, every day she missed work. Even if her injuries seem 'minor' right now, soft tissue stuff can linger for months. Good documentation is what makes the difference between a fair settlement and getting lowballed. That helps her claim, which honestly probably takes pressure off any situation involving your policy too.

Stop waiting for your agent to give you clear answers — they represent the insurance company, not you. Get your own free consult with a PI lawyer, explain your side of it, and find out exactly where you stand. Takes an hour max and removes all this guesswork. You're clearly not at fault here, you just need someone to confirm that officially so you can stop losing sleep.

A couple of practical things: first, make sure you formally notify your insurer in writing that you're aware of the PI claim and cooperate fully — non-cooperation can actually void coverage in some policies. Second, pull your declarations page and read the 'permissive use' language carefully. Most standard auto policies extend some coverage to people you give permission to drive, which may actually work in your favor here.

I had almost the exact same panic when my brother borrowed my truck and got rear-ended. The owner-of-vehicle liability thing is real but it really depends on your state. In my case nothing came back on me personally because fault was clearly on the other driver. The key seemed to be that police report being airtight. Do you have a copy of yours?

Your agent being 'vague' about premium impact is a yellow flag for me. They know more than they're letting on. I'd get everything in writing — every conversation, every claim number. Adjusters are not your friends even when they sound like it, and vague answers now can turn into surprises at renewal time.

From the inside, when a PI attorney files a claim touching multiple policies, it can trigger a more formal review process. That doesn't automatically mean your rates go up — it means the file gets scrutinized more carefully. The at-fault driver's policy should be the primary target for your cousin's injury claim. Your policy would typically only come into play if those limits were exhausted. That said, any open claim on your policy gets noted, even if it resolves in your favor.