Honestly, I think insurance companies love to keep things vague just to cover their own backs. I’ve never had a claim denied personally, but I’ve heard stories from friends where the insurer tried to wriggle out of paying because the “permissive use” went on too long or wasn’t properly documented. It’s wild how fast they’ll turn on you if there’s a big claim involved, especially with pricier cars.
I get why people don’t want to deal with the hassle of adding someone for a couple days, but if it’s anything more than a quick errand, I’d rather be safe than sorry. The paperwork is annoying, but not as bad as fighting a denied claim after an accident.
Here’s what I’m wondering: has anyone actually had their rates jacked up just for adding a friend or family member temporarily? Or is that just another scare tactic agents use to keep us from bothering them with changes?
Here’s what I’m wondering: has anyone actually had their rates jacked up just for adding a friend or family member temporarily? Or is that just another scare tactic agents use to keep us from bothering them with changes?
I’ve added my brother for a week once (he was visiting from out of state), and my agent said it wouldn’t affect my rates unless he actually got into an accident. They did ask a bunch of questions, though, which felt like overkill. I think the “rate hike” thing is mostly a scare tactic unless the person you’re adding has a really bad record. Anyone else notice they get way more nervous if you mention the person’s under 25?
Yeah, the under-25 thing is wild. I tried adding my niece for a weekend (she’s 22), and my agent acted like I was handing her the keys to a monster truck rally. They wanted her entire driving history, plus her favorite color, practically. I get that young drivers are riskier, but it felt a bit much. Has anyone actually had a claim denied because they relied on permissive use instead of officially adding someone? That’s the part that makes me nervous.
Has anyone actually had a claim denied because they relied on permissive use instead of officially adding someone? That’s the part that makes me nervous.
I get what you mean about the agent—mine practically wanted a DNA sample when I asked about my cousin (he’s 23) borrowing my car for a day. But honestly, I’ve always just relied on permissive use and never had an issue. I’ve heard stories about claims getting messy, but never firsthand. Maybe it’s different if you’re driving something flashy or expensive? I do wonder if the insurance companies just use the “under 25” thing as an excuse to hike rates or make us jump through hoops.
I’ve actually worked a couple of claims where permissive use was on the table, and it’s rarely as clear-cut as people think. Usually, if the driver had permission and wasn’t a regular user of the car, coverage holds up—at least in MN. But I’ve seen one situation get messy: a guy lent his car to his roommate for “just the weekend,” but it turned out the roommate had borrowed it every other weekend for months. The insurer argued that was regular use, not occasional, so they tried to deny the claim. It ended up going through after a lot of back-and-forth, but it got pretty stressful.
I do wonder if the insurance companies just use the “under 25” thing as an excuse to hike rates or make us jump through hoops.
That’s not entirely wrong... Under 25 is a red flag because statistically, younger drivers have more accidents. But honestly, I think some companies are stricter about it than others. Has anyone actually had an agent push back hard when you mentioned someone under 25? Or is it mostly just higher premiums and paperwork?
