If you get into a car accident while you are test driving a vehicle, generally the dealership will be responsible for paying for the damages and will do so through its own insurer. However, in certain instances, the dealership may attempt to collect reimbursement for the deductible or for the whole amount of damage.
Liability for Car Accidents During Test Drives
As a general matter, the person who is responsible for paying for car accident damage is the one who causes the accident (although there may be different rules in 12 states, referred to as "no fault" states.) This could mean that if you are responsible for causing an accident in a vehicle you are test driving, the dealership may try to hold you liable. Generally, your own insurance policy would kick in at this time - just as it would if you got into an accident when driving a rental car - but a lot depends on the laws of your state and the terms of your policy.
The dealership may decide not to come after you to collect these damages, even if you are liable. Since dealers are insured against damage anyway, it may be faster and simpler for them to just make a claim with their own insurance.
Of course, if you were not negligent when driving the vehicle, then the dealership is generally not going to be able to come after you at all, even if they want to. Since you had permission to drive the vehicle and (in most cases) were out driving it with a representative from the dealership, there would be no grounds for the dealership to take any action against you.
Getting Legal Help for a Car Accident Test Driving
Any car accident case can create legal complexities, and this becomes even more true if the car you were driving was not your own. if you get into an accident while test driving a vehicle, you should consider speaking with a lawyer in your area to learn more about your rights and obligations.