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Questions regarding a Motorcycle Accident and Insurance

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CCD2

Junior Member
Hello,

I owned a motorcycle that I lent to a friend over the summer. He had no vehicle and I was doing it as a favor because I also have a car and it wasn't a necessity for me.
In June he was involved in a fairly serious crash that involved a vehicle. The front of the vehicle (small suv) struck the left side of the motorcycle. The motorcycle was totaled, the suv had extreme damage in the front. My friend was beat up pretty bad, needed over 100 stitches, but somehow escaped serious injury. The accident was ruled his fault because a witness said he ran a red light. My friend claims the other people ran the red light, but at this point there is no real way to prove otherwise and I just choose not to have an opinion on the matter because nothing can be done.

When I first gave him the bike at the start of the summer I instructed him to get insurance on it. However, he never followed through with that. Therefore, I was not compensated for my bike. As upsetting as it was I made peace with it and decided to chalk it up to an expensive (bike was worth about $3500) life lesson. I should have followed through better to make sure he was covered or better yet not let someone borrow something like that - hindsight is better than foresight.

It's several months later now and I've received what looked like a collections letter in the mail. According to this letter I owe about $9,000 dollars for the damages to the other vehicle. It sounds a bit excessive that hitting a motorcycle could cause that much damage to a car, but I did see the car and it did have pretty excessive damage.
I called the number on the letter to get more information. I found out that they are not a collection agency but that they are a branch of the drivers insurance company designated for collections.

Am I obligated to pay this?

They told me this could not affect my credit score, but that it could possibly result in a suspension of my license or a lawsuit.

Any further information or details on this would be much appreciated. I've heard from a few people that if a motorcycle is fully paid for (it was) you are not obligated to have it insured or responsible. This could be completely false, I know nothing of law and am just sharing what I've heard.
This accident took place in Florida.
 


ecmst12

Senior Member
As the owner of the vehicle, it was your legal responsibility to make sure it was insured. So yes, both you and your friend are responsible for payment.
 

CCD2

Junior Member
As the owner of the vehicle, it was your legal responsibility to make sure it was insured. So yes, both you and your friend are responsible for payment.
So there is no way around it because it was ruled his fault? And is there anyway to go directly after him as the driver for the money or am I the only one responsible as the owner? They have not communicated to him in any capacity thus far. That is regrettable, I guess this is going to be a more expensive life lesson than I thought.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
to the insurance:
from what I read, insurance was not mandatory UNTIL this accident. If I understood things correctly, you would be required to obtain insurance if the bike remained licensed after the accident.

but that does not remove any liability. If it's your fault you owe. By extension being title holder, you too are liable.


to losing your license due to owing; maybe. I know states that is how it works.


and if you want to make claim against your friend, he would liable to you for not only your motorcycle but anything you paid to the other driver as well.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
You might be able to recover from your friend, he is liable to you, but you are BOTH liable to the owner of the other car.
 

CCD2

Junior Member
What steps can be taken to get them to file for this money against him as well? How does that work exactly trying to collect one fee from two different people?

I could consider suing him except for two reasons
1. He has very little to no finances
2. Could he in turn sue me for his injuries because I was the owner of the vehicle?

Really appreciate the help so far.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
What steps can be taken to get them to file for this money against him as well? How does that work exactly trying to collect one fee from two different people?

I could consider suing him except for two reasons
1. He has very little to no finances
2. Could he in turn sue me for his injuries because I was the owner of the vehicle?

Really appreciate the help so far.
They have no obligation to seek compensation from him.
 

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