It’s nice to help your friends, but that doesn’t mean they’re entitled to everything you own. Lending them your lawn mower, pressure washer, or carpet cleaner is one thing. But some things should be off-limits. One of those things is your car.
When you lend your car, you lend your insurance. Do you want to shoulder responsibility if a friend borrows your ride and gets into an accident? Probably not.
Here are 15 reasons you shouldn’t lend your vehicle to anyone — not even a good friend.
Your Insurance Is on the Line
As was mentioned above, lending your car means lending your insurance. While you might want to help out someone close to you, is it worth the risk? Giving someone the keys to your car means you’re on the hook if there’s an accident. And that’s true regardless of who’s at fault.
You Might Not Really Know the Person Borrowing Your Car
Another reason you shouldn’t lend your car to anyone is you might not know the person well enough. Before handing someone the keys, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you sure the borrower has a driver’s license?
- Are you sure their driving license is valid and not under suspension?
- Can you be certain the borrower doesn’t use substances that may jeopardize their ability to drive safely?
- Do you know for certain that the borrower respects the rules of the road?
Don’t lend your vehicle if you’re unsure about the answers to the questions above. It’s not with the risk. Being friends with someone doesn’t mean you have to lend them all your possessions. Instead of handing someone your keys, offer them a ride or recommend they look elsewhere.
You Could Face Legal Action
Yet another reason to think twice before lending anyone your car is that you could face legal action. If you lend someone your car and they get into a fender bender, the borrower could sue you on the grounds that your vehicle was unsafe. No good deed goes unpunished, after all.
You Could Be Rideless if Your Car Requires Repairs
If your friend gets into an accident while driving your car, you might be without a vehicle. Depending on how quickly your insurance company operates, it might be some time before your car is fixed and ready for the road.
You Might Not Get It Back on Time
What if you lend someone your car, and they don’t bring it back as promised? That could be a great inconvenience. But things happen. You may have to change your plans if this occurs.
You Might End up Shouldering the Borrower’s Bad On-the-Road Reputation
If you lend your car to someone and they get traffic tickets and fines, your insurance rates could increase. Even if the borrower feels bad about that and pays you back, your insurance premiums may still be adversely impacted. Again, no good deed goes unpunished.
Your Insurer Might Balk at Paying for Damages
It’s worth repeating that lending your vehicle means lending your insurance. But here’s the thing: your insurance company won’t necessarily be as generous as you are.
So, if someone borrows your car and gets into an accident, the insurer might refuse to pay if the borrower is the at-fault party. The insurer is insuring you — not the person you lend your car to.
You Might Lose Your Car Altogether
If someone borrows your car and does something that gets your car impounded, you could lose access to the vehicle. And getting it released might involve paying an outrageous penalty.
You Might Lose Your Friend
Lending a car to a friend could end up straining the relationship. They might get into an accident, turn your insurance company against you, or inconvenience you. A simple “sorry” won’t shield you from the aftermath of a car accident that causes injuries and damage.
You Might Get Your Car in Worse Condition Than You Lent It
Do you hate it when people borrow your ride and make a mess? That’s one reason to think twice before handing someone your car keys. The borrower’s standard of cleanliness might not be up to par with yours, and they might return your car in shoddy shape.
You Might Find the Requests Keep On Coming
Do you want to be known as someone who’ll hand over the keys to their car — no questions asked? That’s probably not the reputation you want. You might choose to lend to a few people you trust implicitly, but that doesn’t mean you want every Tom, Dick, and Harry asking you.
You Might Get Your Car Back With a Nearly Empty Gas Tank
If you rent a car with a full tank of gas and bring it back to the car rental office nearly empty, you’ll get charged a premium to refill the tank. But you might have difficulty collecting a fee if you lend someone your vehicle with a full tank of gas and get the car back with scarcely any gas left.
You Might Find that the Borrower Allows Others to Drive Your Car
You might struggle to hand your keys over to even your closest friends. But it might be even more difficult to do so if you fear the borrower might allow others to drive your car.
You Need a Car on Hand at All Times
It’s a good idea to avoid lending your car if you need access to your vehicle at a moment’s notice. That could be the case if you do shift work or are on call around the clock for work duties. You don’t want to be left without a way to get to work.
You Might Be Reluctant if Your Car Has Issues
Is your vehicle finicky? You might be reluctant to let someone borrow your car if it has known problems. Lending it out could expose you to liabilities if the borrower gets into a mishap. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?
Lend Your Car at Your Own Risk
There are too many risks associated with lending a car — and it’s not worth the risk. If you can’t imagine declining a request from a friend or loved one, proceed cautiously. You don’t want a situation where you’re left full of regret.
