My cousin took my truck without asking, got into an accident — am I on the hook for everything?

Ugh, I'm so sorry. Something similar happened to me — not a family member, but someone I trusted took my car without permission and caused an accident. The first thing I did was call my own insurer and report it as an unauthorized use. I was terrified they'd deny coverage, but they walked me through it. Just be completely honest with them upfront that you did NOT give permission. That detail matters a lot.

Please be really careful how you word things when you call your insurance company. They are recording everything and their adjusters are trained to find reasons to reduce or deny a payout. Do NOT casually say things like 'oh he stays with me sometimes' or 'he's around a lot' — that could be used to argue he was a household resident driver who should have been on your policy. Stick to the facts: you did not give permission, he took the keys without asking, end of story.

Former claims adjuster here. The 'permissive use' question is going to be central to everything. Most auto policies extend coverage to someone driving with the owner's permission — but if there was genuinely no permission given, that changes things. The problem is it's your word vs. circumstances, and if your cousin has stayed with you for weeks and had regular access to your keys, the insurer may try to argue implied permission. Document everything now — texts, anything that shows he took the truck without telling you.

A couple of practical things: First, file a police report if you haven't already, specifically noting the vehicle was taken without your consent. That creates an official record that helps you. Second, the other driver in that other car — their injuries and property damage are going to be the primary claim here. Your liability coverage is what protects you if your insurer decides the truck was operating under your policy. The suspended license complicates your cousin's situation legally but doesn't automatically void your coverage. Definitely consult an attorney before giving any recorded statements to anyone.

Not legal advice, but I'd strongly suggest talking to a personal injury attorney before you have any recorded conversations with your own insurance company or the other driver's insurer. Most offer free consultations. The interaction between unauthorized use, permissive use doctrines, and liability coverage varies a lot by state, and you don't want to accidentally say something that limits your protections. The other driver absolutely deserves to be made whole — and figuring out the right path to that is exactly what an attorney can help with.

I just want to flag — make sure you actually find out if the other driver was injured. Rear-end collisions at intersections, even ones that don't look dramatic, can cause whiplash and soft tissue injuries that don't show up for a day or two. If they were hurt and end up unrepresented, they might not even know to document things properly. I'm not saying that's your responsibility to manage, but it's worth knowing so you're not blindsided weeks later.

Call your insurance company today. Report the unauthorized use. Get a police report if there isn't one. Stop talking to your cousin about the details until you've spoken to a lawyer. That's the whole to-do list for right now. Everything else can wait 24 hours.