Auto Insurance Forum

My car was hit by another car, causing me to hit three other cars. Does Kansas law require that my auto insurance pay for the damage done to the three cars that I hit or is the person who hit me responsible?

Curtis, Kansas

Dear Curtis,

Nicole Basso, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Insurance, says that if the driver who hit you is found 100 percent at fault, then he or she would be responsible for the damage to the other vehicles.

However, Kansas is a "modified comparative negligence state," meaning two people can both be found at fault in an accident to varying degrees. For example, you could be held partially responsible if you were 30 percent at fault in the accident, and the other driver was 70 percent at fault. If you were found to be 30 percent at fault, your auto insurance would pay for 30 percent of the damages to the other vehicles, while the other driver's insurance would pay the remaining 70 percent.

Your insurance company and the other driver's insurance company will determine who is at fault based on the police report, testimony from witnesses, and other facts related to the crash.

For more information, read What to do after an auto accident.

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