Auto Insurance Claims: suspended license, rental contract, other vehicles

Question
I was driving a friends rental car and was in an accident, which i was at fault.  i recently was notified that my driver's license has been suspended pending payment to the person i hit ins company.  If my friend has insurance and he gave me permission to drive the car why is my license suspended.  I don't have insurance because i don't have a car.

Answer
Hi Barbara,

When a car is rented, the only people who can drive that car are the people who are specifically listed on the rental contract as drivers. If you had borrowed your friends own vehicle then you would have been covered because you can loan your own vehicle to anyone and they are covered. But, a rental car is different and coverage is limited only to those persons listed in the rental contract as drivers.

This is a very unfortunate situation. If you were found to be at fault for the collision,you will be responsible for paying for the damage to the rental car as well as the damage to any other vehicles you may have hit as well as any injuries that may have occurred. You should contact the companies involved to begin the process of negotiating a settlement or payment arrangements.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh