My wife and I helped a friend of our daughter purchase a car several months back. He is a minor. The agreement was that we would help him purchase the car, transfer the title directly to his Mother and she would pay the insurance premiums. Since that time his Mom has informed us that she no longer wants to pay the premiums. Would we be better off to pay the premiums ourself and leave the car in her name or ask her to transfer the car back to our name and pick up the insurance on it? If she chooses not to transfer the car back to us, do we have any legal recourse?

I'm confused. The title is in Mom's name, so isn't the insurance also in Mom's name? Hey, kids, if she doesn't want to pay the insurance and junior decides to total the car, if your name isn't on it, guess whose up $hit creek? It's not you! I wouldn't worry about it (if your name isn't on it) and let this be a lesson about co-signing or otherwise burdening yourself with an unsure deal. If your name is somewhere on the car, though, you may have some legal right -- in that if his mom refuses to pay the insurance, and there was no real written deal stating that said plan was to be set forth, you could sue for full ownership of the car.