Accident in Borrowed Vehicle
by Peter
I was recently helping a friend move. She borrowed a minivan from one of her friends and asked me to drive it full of her belongings to her new house. I backed the borrowed vehicle into something and damaged the rear bumper. I am a licensed and insured driver. Who is liable, me as the driver, or my friend who borrowed the car or both of us. Or, is the owner liable? Borrowing a Vehicle and InsuranceHi Peter Why not let common sense prevail? You were the driver who caused the damage, and your friend took responsibility for the car by borrowing it. So why don't the two of you split the cost and have it fixed? All that said, when someone lends their car out, they take liability for the driver they lend the car to. Her insurance would pay the claim. But there is a wrinkle there too, if she gave your friend permission, but not you, she could potentially push the liability onto your friend and maybe you. This could get messy and ruin friendships all the way around. Why not keep it simple and find a way to split the cost of repairs between each of you. I am guessing the damages will not be much higher than the deductible on insurance. -- By the way, are your rates too high? Check here: Other Pages of Interest car insurance in Ontario Canada Car Insurance Canada Car Insurance Quote Canada Auto Insurance Questions Or Ask another question at Ontario Auto Insurance Questions and Answers Note: Keep in mind that insurance licensing, legislation, and policies often vary by province and most certainly by country. Canada Insurance Source is a free information source. So use this site to gain a general understanding of insurance with your own area and situation in mind. This insurance information is general in nature and the policy wordings always take precedence. It is possible that there are errors and omissions in this website and www.canada-insurance-source.com, or its authors, take no responsibility. Make sure you review the "please read" page. |