Is the car owner liable if an accident occurs when lending the car to a friend?
2 Answers
If the car owner lends the car to a friend and an accident occurs, the owner is not liable under the following conditions: 1. The borrower has a valid driver's license that has not been revoked or expired; 2. The driver's license category matches the type of vehicle being driven; 3. The borrower was not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of borrowing the car; 4. In cases of leasing or borrowing where the owner and user of the vehicle are not the same person, if the accident is caused by the vehicle, the user of the vehicle is responsible for compensation. The car owner may be liable for compensation in the following situations: 1. Lending the car to someone who is drunk; 2. Lending a faulty vehicle; 3. Lending to someone without a driver's license. If the car owner is not at fault, they are not required to bear compensation liability. If the driver flees the scene after borrowing the vehicle, the insurance company will cover the compensation within the policy limits, and any shortfall will be covered by the social assistance fund for road traffic accidents. If the car owner cannot prove the liability of the driver, they will need to bear the corresponding compensation liability.
I've seen this happen quite a few times, and it's really a headache. Generally speaking, when lending your car to a friend who then gets into an accident, the owner's liability depends on the specific circumstances. If you knew your friend was an unreliable driver—for instance, if they were drunk or didn't have a license—and you still lent them the car, you might not be able to avoid liability because this counts as the owner's negligence. However, most of the time, if your friend was driving normally and had insurance, the primary responsibility for the accident lies with the driver. The owner's insurance can usually cover part of the losses, provided the friend has a valid license and a clean insurance record. From my experience, it's best to ask more about your friend's driving habits before lending your car to confirm they won't act recklessly. If an accident does occur, don't rush to blame yourself—contact your insurance company and professionals immediately to handle the situation. Protecting your assets is crucial, so don't take unnecessary risks just out of personal connections.