Friend Borrowing Car - Insurance Question

[jen3kids]

My dd left her car here when she went away to university.  We are keeping it because yds will get his license in early March and then it will be his car.  So, the car is sitting, not being used for the next 5 months.

 

Ods has a friend (age 21) who is going to college in the next town over and is taking an Uber most days there and back.   I wonder about letting him use dd's car until yds get his license.  

 

Any thoughts on this?  DH says that while it's a nice gesture, it might be an insurance nightmare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Amy in NH]

I'd call and ask my insurance company about the pros and cons.

[Andromeda]

Definitely call the insurance company.

 

My neighbor recently let her son's girlfriend drive her (neighbor's) nearly new vehicle while she was away for about a week. The son does not have his license yet. 

 

The girlfriend dented one side of the vehicle about two days in, and then continued to drive it and got into another accident, snapping the passenger side mirror and getting another large dent. All this time her own ( much smaller) car sat on our street. My neighbor was understandably livid when she came back. I am not sure if the girlfriend contributed to the repair of the mirror and the passenger side, but the car was at a body shop for nearly two weeks. The first dent has not been fixed yet. It looks pretty bad, too.

 

 

 

[Journey]

The insurance follows the car not the driver so you most likely will be covered, that's how it works in my state and I sell insurance, but if anything happens (at fault accidents) it will go on your car insurance and you will ultimately be responsible for anything that comes after (being sued etc).  I wouldn't do it that's for sure.

[Stibalfamily]

I was hit by a someones borrowing a their friends car and it was a mess with the insurance company. It was all eventually straightened out though. Personally, if you care what happens to this car, I wouldn't. I would assume she would need to get insurance on it since she would be the primary driver unless you added her to your policy as a driver.

[regentrude]

The insurance is with the car, so the driver would be insured through your insurance.

You need to have a conversation with the intended driver whether she is able and willing to cover the deductible if she causes any accident. Liability insurance is mandatory, but if the car does not have full collision coverage itself, I would not do it, since it is unlikely a college student could replace the vehicle if she damaged it. Also discuss what will happen if you insurance rate goes up because of a claim she caused.

I personally would not feel comfortable with the arrangement.

[Lanny]

Other than the obvious legal problems, insurance issues, etc., which you need to thoroughly understand and be prepared to pay for, it is NOT good for a car to be in storage. Especially, it is not good for a car to be in storage, without being prepared for storage.

 

That includes such things as driving the car for about 20 miles to get it warmed up and then immediately, draining the oil and changing the filer and adding new oil. That will include getting the car up off the ground. That will include doing something to the Shock Absorbers, so they are not bearing the weight.  That may include changing the Brake Fluid and the Transmission fluid.

 

A car that is in storage will deteriorate faster than a car that is in (near) daily use and IMO will be  more problematic and dangerous than a car that has been in (near) daily use.

 

I would think long and hard before loaning a car to someone for one day, let alone for months.

 

Begin with your insurance company and see what they have to say about the ramifications of this. Then, think about the other issues.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Lanny

[Ailaena]

We had FIL's car while they lived in Vegas in their name with their insurance. I was in my first accident ever in that car (my fault) and there were zero issues regarding insurance.

 

The only problem I would have with somebody borrowing my car is if they could not pay to fix/replace it if I didn't have full coverage. I mean, assuming I trust them to also not sell drugs or park illigally, or all those things that would cause said cat to be impounded.

[QueenCat]

Our insurance company told me that if the person is regularly driving the car, their name needs to be on the policy. If it's a once in the blue moon thing, they do not. We asked because my dad was flying in. We wanted to let him use our extra car. That was fine per insurance, no need to add him as it was just for a few days.

[Bambam]

Call your insurance company and figure out what they say.

Then think about what will happen if friend has an accident with car and totals it. What if friend is hurt? What if friend is at fault and hurts others? Will that accident increase your insurance rates? Will you still be friends afterwards? (Assume worst case scenario) 

[J-rap]

Our insurance company told me that if the person is regularly driving the car, their name needs to be on the policy. If it's a once in the blue moon thing, they do not. We asked because my dad was flying in. We wanted to let him use our extra car. That was fine per insurance, no need to add him as it was just for a few days.

 

I'm not positive, but I think if you do add someone else's name to your policy -- even if it's just for a few months -- they have to be sharing your address.  At least that's how it works with our insurance company.

[QueenCat]

I'm not positive, but I think if you do add someone else's name to your policy -- even if it's just for a few months -- they have to be sharing your address.  At least that's how it works with our insurance company.

 

That wasn't what ours required but it is very important to remember that different states have different requirements for insurers to follow.

[MommyLiberty5013]

Insurance varies across state and international lines. Some here have said insurance follows the car, whereas I've also heard of insurance following a driver. This is solely a question for your insurance.

 

In general I'd be in a "no" position to allow someone that much use of my vehicle. You won't be able to control where they go besides school. Parties? Stop overs elsewhere. All this equals more possible liability.

[mamaraby]

Insurance varies across state and international lines. Some here have said insurance follows the car, whereas I've also heard of insurance following a driver. This is solely a question for your insurance.

 

In general I'd be in a "no" position to allow someone that much use of my vehicle. You won't be able to control where they go besides school. Parties? Stop overs elsewhere. All this equals more possible liability.

Some coverages follow the car while others follow the driver/passenger/pedestrian/biker. I could drive someone else's car as a permissable driver and be covered if I was in an accident by their insurance and I could likely also make a med pay claim under my own policy if I was injured. If I'm hit by a car while riding a bike or as a pedestrian, my med pay coverage would cover any bills related to my injuries while I could also make a bodily injury claim on the other driver's policy or my UIM coverage if they are not insured.

 

But, you're right, it varies by state and it will be subject to your policy language so best contact your agent/insurance company and find out the specifics for your policy.