All this talk about insurance has me wondering.

We have a lannonstone wall along the driveway of one of our rentals. There is a 3 car garage, and an apron outside the garage with room for 3 cars to park. Depending on the size of the vehicles, all can exit the driveway without either unit having to ask someone from another to move their vehicles to come and go. The apron decreases to a single lane as one backs out of the driveway.

Two women live in this building. One of them can't seem to back her vehicle out of the driveway without hitting the wall. It's been 3 years now. She has been afraid to park in the garage for fear of damaging it and her vehicle. Both tenants have SUV's.

Recently I got a note from the tenant who cuts the lawn (uses her own lawnmower) asking us to come fix the wall, as it was hit a few times, by the other tenant. When cutting the lawn, she twisted her ankle on a loose piece of lannonstone. The bottom 3 layers of lannonstone are cemented in, the top couple layers are various sizes and pieces, thinner than the bottom ones, configured to fit into each other. The stone wall mimics the lannonstone look on the building. Together it's a nice look, until someone hits it. We are asked to come fix the wall because some of the lannonstone is heavy enough that these women can't put it back together. We don't mind fixing it from time to time as it doesn't get hit all the time; hitting it doesn't always cause it to fall.

Any experience with whose insurance whose liability would/should the injury described above be? The person who cuts the lawn has her grandson over sometimes. If he decided to take a walk along the wall and hurt himself, would that be our liability? Some past tenants have been upset that they hit the wall and taken it out on us. Honestly, I'm not a good driver, but am able to park the very closest to the wall and back out without a problem, ever. Both do park in the garage, not in the driveway; if any manuevering is necessary, there is plenty of room to do so in the apron part of the driveway before it turns into a single lane.

What say you oh wise ones?

There's very few ways to stop bad drivers. Cautioning them is usually of no use. If you can tell who does it, charge them for the wall damage (but of course they will deny it). Maybe get rid of whoever is hitting the wall all the time but that does not mean you will get a better tenant.

About the insurance, if anyone gets hurt you can bet you will be named (because you're the rich, deep pockets landlord/owner). You can put wording in the lease, put up signs not to play or hit the wall, etc, but that will not matter. They will still name you in the suit.

If you can prove that a specific tenants actions resulted in damage to your rental property, you can file a claim against a renters policy.

The issue becomes can you absolutely prove who did it?

If you can't, the tenant policy might file against your policy.