Haha, driver's ed wisdom coming in clutch... honestly tho, does anyone actually read their full policy before lending out their ride? I barely skimmed mine—wonder if I'd even understand it if I tried.
Honestly, you're not alone—I barely glanced at mine too until a friend got into a minor accident driving my car. Learned real quick that lending your ride isn't as casual as it seems. Turns out, some policies have weird clauses about who exactly is covered and under what conditions. Mine had this sneaky little line about occasional drivers vs regular users... who even knew that was a thing?
Anyway, after that mess, I actually sat down and read through the whole thing. Took me forever and yeah, some of it was confusing legalese, but it helped to highlight the key parts about liability and coverage limits. My advice? At least skim for sections about other drivers and liability—could save you some serious cash (and headaches) down the road.
Had a similar wake-up call myself a few years back. It's surprising how many people overlook the fine print until something actually happens. Another thing worth checking is whether your policy covers rental cars or borrowed vehicles—mine didn't, and I only found out when planning a road trip. Curious if anyone's ever opted for additional coverage specifically for lending their car out... seems like it might be worth considering.
Definitely agree on checking rental and borrowed vehicle coverage—it's a common oversight. Another thing many folks miss is the distinction between permissive use (occasional lending) and regular use by someone not listed on your policy. Some insurers get picky about this, and you might find yourself in a bind if they consider your friend a frequent borrower. Adding a named driver or temporary rider can sometimes be a simpler fix than separate coverage altogether... worth chatting with your agent about specifics.
Good points overall, but I'd caution against assuming a temporary rider or named driver addition is always simpler. Depending on the insurer, underwriting guidelines can make adding someone tricky—especially if they've had prior claims or violations. Definitely worth double-checking specifics first... policies vary widely.