Question
What is the name of your state? Michigan
My mother-in-law is helping out a family member by allowing him to store some of his items in her shed (i.e. mechanic's tools, power tools, etc.) and also using her driveway (in her backyard) to store his boat. My wife is concerned that some damage is caused to his property, or some of his property is stolen, that he may attempt to file a claim against her homeowner's insurance policy.
She is a widow on a fixed income, and cannot afford for her insurance rates to go up because of a claim.
1) If some of his items are lost or damaged, does he have the right to file a claim against her or her insurance company?
2) Is there a waiver she can have him sign that will waive his right to file a claim against her or her homeowner's insurance policy?
3) Can she be held personally liable if he files a claim, and the insurance company rejects it?
Thanks for any help,
Dave
Answer
She needs to call her insurance agent. If the relative’s property is considered to be in your M-I-L’s care, custody, and control, there could very well be issues in case of a loss. You need to trust your instincts – if you think there is a chance something will go wrong, it will.