Woman Crashes Cousin’s Car, Refuses to Pay for Repairs Despite it Being Her Fault, Causing the Whole Family to Get Involved

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Nov 29, 2024 4:00 PM EST

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. When lending someone something as significant and expensive as your car, one has to know the consequences. It seems like a simple gesture to lend a close friend or family member your car for the day. I mean, isn't that what friends and family are for? It's only a one time thing, that's the worst that could happen? But some people get unlucky with that one time favor. I know that when I had a car, I would rather drive it in any other possible circumstance than let someone else drive it. I didn't even let my boyfriend drive it during roadtrips. Call me possessive, but at least I wouldn't ever end up in the situation from the Reddit story. 

This brings us to the Reddit thread. In this story, the original poster (OP) is a woman who lent her cousin her car for a few hours, or so she thought. Her world comes crashing down when her cousin calls her in a panic, revealing that she had crashed it. Now the insult to injury: she refuses to pay for the repairs. 

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  • 01
    r/AITAH 18 hr. ago Foreign_Time_2664 AITAH for refusing to pay for my cousin's car repairs after she borrowed my car and crashed it?
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 02
    Today, my cousin asked to borrow my car because hers was in the shop, and she needed to run some errands. I hesitated at first but eventually agreed, thinking it was just for a few hours and nothing could go wrong.
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 03
    A few hours later, I got a call from her, panicked and in tears. She had rear-ended another car at a stoplight, and my car was pretty badly damaged. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the front bumper and hood were smashed.
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 04
    When I got to the scene, she admitted she was texting while driving. I was upset but tried to stay calm since we were in public and I didn't want to make things worse.
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 05
    Now comes the issue: I expected her to take responsibility for the repairs since she was at fault. However, when I brought it up, she said she didn't have the money and told me to claim it on my insurance instead. The problem is, my deductible is pretty high, and filing a claim will increase my premiums. I
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 06
    explained this to her, but she insisted she couldn't afford it and said it was on me because I had agreed to lend her the car.
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 07
    She then said I was being unreasonable and that family should always help each other. I told her that borrowing a car comes with the basic responsibility of driving safely, and texting while driving was 100% on her.
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 08
    Things escalated when other family members got involved. Some are telling me I should just let it go and pay for the repairs to avoid conflict, while others agree that she's at fault and should figure out how to handle the expenses.
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 09
    Now I'm stuck in the middle, with my car still damaged and no resolution in sight. So, AITAH for standing my ground and expecting her to take responsibility?
    via u/Foreign_Time_2664
  • 10
    sparklinghone... • 18h ago • You're not in the wrong for standing your ground; she was at fault for texting while driving, and it's unreasonable for her to expect you to cover the costs.
    via u/sparklinghone
  • 11
    InevitableYout... • 18h ago Absolutely not. She borrowed your car, chose to text and crash it, and now expects you to pay? That's entitlement on steroids. Next time, tell her to borrow some common sense instead.
    via u/InevitableYout
  • 12
    NagaApi8888 • 18h ago Top 1% Commenter NTAH. First get it in writing that she was texting whilst driving. Be clever about how you trick her into admitting it. Second, tell her she pays or you go to police and small claims court. Third, tell those
    via u/NagaApi8888
  • 13
    saying to keep the peace that you are gratefully accepting their contributions to paying for the repairs so that they can help keep the peace.
    via u/NagaApi8888
  • 14
    RantyMcThro... • 18h ago • Top 1% Commenter NTA. Womp womp. If she didn't have the money she shouldn't have texted while driving. She endangered herself and everyone else on the road. Work out a payment plan with her if possible.
    via u/RantyMcThro
  • 15
    Beginning-Sa... • 17h ago • ΝΤΑ. You learned an important and expensive lesson. Don't let nobody, and I mean nobody, drive yo sh. As for the money, tell the cousins, aunties, and the rest of the fools who think you should
    via u/Beginning-Sa
  • 16
    let it go to pass the collection plate and cough up some of their hard earned money. You know what you gonna hear? Crickets. From here on out, if someone wants a car, they better go to enterprise... they'll pick you up.
    via u/Beginning-Sa
  • 17
    redditreaderw... • 18h ago • Top 1% Commenter NTA, tell her to pay up or you'll have to inform the police that she was texting and driving.
    via u/redditreaderw
  • 18
    Nefariousness... 19h ago • NTA - she is trying to play the family card in order to stick you with the cost of her mistake. You helped her in the way family should, by letting her borrow your car. Then she decided to text and drive, and she has to take responsibility for that.
    via u/Nefariousness
  • 19
    What if she had hit a child while texting? Would that also be on you, because you agreed to let her borrow the car? All those people who tell you to let it go in order to avoid conflict can feel free to chip in and help her pay your costs... after all, family should help each other, right? /s
    via u/Nefariousness
  • 20
    WealthOk9637 • 19h ago • See if her insurance will cover the cost. When I was debating whether to add someone who was an occasional driver to my policy, my insurance company said it wasn't necessary because if the other driver had insurance.
    via u/WealthOk9637
  • 21
    any claims on my vehicle could be made through their policy. Check if that is true, that's what I was told. Other than that, yeah your cousin s ks, but ultimately you are responsible for your vehicle and who you choose to lend it to. Do not
    via u/WealthOk9637
  • 22
    lend it to anyone without thinking what will happen if there is an accident.
    via u/WealthOk9637
  • 23
    ΝΤΑ 15h ago Edited 15h ago • "Family should always help each other"
    via u/Competitive_News_385
  • 24
    You did, by lending her your car. Now she needs to help you by paying for the damage she caused with her negligence. Simple as that. And those telling you to "let it go and pay for it yourself to avoid conflict" can just shut up. They're acting like this is no big deal and she broke
    via u/Competitive_News_385
  • 25
    something inconsequential when she crashed your car. This situation was of her own making and she'll never learn any kind of proper responsibility if you let her get away with it. You may consider negotiating some kind of payment plan... but absolutely DO NOT let her
    via u/Competitive_News_385
  • 26
    get away without paying for it.
    via u/Competitive_News_385

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