Originally Posted by
wipekitty
IMO, this is entirely reasonable. If something goes wrong, it can be very bad - even if you are not at fault. I've had this happen twice: both driving my grandmother's car, with her in it, and letting a friend borrow my car. I was not at fault, nor was my friend, but both cases turned into a hot mess with the insurance companies.
There is also the matter of insurance, and IME, it's much easier to get a policy when you have your own vehicle than to try and get a non-owner policy. (Obviously, I do not know what your insurance situation is, or your local/state laws.
)I personally will not drive a vehicle without the legally required insurance; since I do not own a vehicle or have insurance, this prohibits me from borrowing cars as well.
The insurance is on the vehicles in Oregon. So, technically, it should be covered with insurance.
I do, on occasion, drive with my mother in her car, for example helping with long trips, and consider that fair game with what should be covered by insurance. In the not too distant future, the insurance company should want me to drive her.
But, you're right, it could get messy if I was say borrowing the pickup on a regular basis, but didn't have insurance of my own, or my name on the policy.
And, you're right, say a secondary vehicle is driven 5,000 miles a year, and I'm found driving it. The question would be how much of that 5,000 miles is mine, and how much is Mom's.
About 2 years ago when I was quite sick, I borrowed Mom's pickup for the afternoon. Then a couple of days later, she found a small, relatively recent dent that nobody was aware of. I'm quite certain that it was nothing that I did, but nonetheless, it was somewhat disturbing for all.