Liability: When will your insurance cover damages?

Questioner

Recently I borrowed someone's car. I discovered that the battery was flat and tried to charge the car with a battery charger. This went wrong. A garage found that 'short circuits had occurred in various control units, probably caused by over-starting' Through my liability insurance I tried to get the costs of the damage I caused reimbursed. However, the claim was rejected by my insurance. Explanation insurance: I had been given permission to borrow the car. At that time I was fully responsible for the car. This means that charging the battery and the damage that occurred as a result also falls under my responsibility and the costs for repairs cannot be reimbursed from my liability insurance. I was wondering if this is correct. When can you then make a claim on your liability insurance? Suppose I break someone’s phone after the owner has given me permission to use it. Or I damage someone’s home after the owner has given me permission to enter. These are similar situations. Do I have to pay for the damage myself? I didn’t take out that liability insurance for nothing!

Lawyer

The insurance has a point here unfortunately. This is about the point of 'own fault' for own actions. With these criteria, an insurance will not pay out for damages at all times. Unfortunately, I cannot inform you otherwise.

Lawyer

What specific article does the insurer rely on? Own fault damage is precisely the coverage of a liability insurance, but for other people's belongings and things. Things that one keeps under one's control, such as in this case the car, may be excluded. That is why you should carefully check the conditions.