Yeah, I get what you mean. “Occasional” is so vague it almost feels like a trap. I’ve heard stories where someone thought they were covered, but the insurance company disagreed after an accident. Honestly, I’d rather just add my friend if they’re driving more than once in a while. Not worth the risk, especially if you’re new to driving or have any marks on your record.
Honestly, I lean toward adding them too, especially if they’re driving more than just once in a blue moon. Insurance companies love those gray areas, and “occasional” is about as gray as it gets. I get wanting to save a few bucks, but one accident could wipe out any savings fast. I had a buddy who thought he was covered under permissive use, but his claim got denied because the insurer said it was “regular use.” Not worth the gamble in my book.
I get being cautious, but I’m still on the fence about adding people unless they’re driving my car a lot. Like, if it’s just a one-off thing—someone needs a quick ride or helps out in a pinch—I’d probably just stick with permissive use. But yeah, if it’s turning into a regular thing, that “occasional” label gets sketchy real fast.
What I keep wondering is how insurance companies actually define “regular use.” Is it once a week? Twice a month? They never make that clear. It feels like they can just decide after the fact if they want to deny a claim. That makes me nervous, but at the same time, adding someone to my policy isn’t cheap either.
Has anyone actually gotten a straight answer from their insurer about where the line is? Or is it just one of those things where you don’t know until something goes wrong?
Letting Friends Drive Your Car In MN: Better To Add Them Or Rely On Permissive Use?
That “regular use” thing is such a gray area, right? I’ve asked my agent about it before (I have a coupe that’s my baby, so I’m extra paranoid), and honestly, the answer was basically “it depends.” Not super helpful. They said if someone’s borrowing your car more than just here and there—like, say, every weekend or a few times a month—it starts to look like regular use in their eyes. But there’s no actual number they’ll commit to.
My worry is exactly what you mentioned: if something happens, will they suddenly decide your friend was driving “too often” and deny the claim? It feels like one of those things where you only find out when it’s too late. And yeah, adding someone to a luxury policy isn’t cheap... not to mention if their record isn’t spotless.
I wish insurers would just spell it out. Until then, I’m probably erring on the side of caution—if someone’s driving my car more than once in a blue moon, they’re getting added. Not worth risking it over technicalities.
Honestly, the whole “it depends” answer from agents drives me nuts too. I get why they’re vague, but it doesn’t help when you just want to do the right thing. Has anyone here actually had a claim denied for this kind of “regular use” situation? Or is it more of a scare tactic from insurance companies? I’ve let friends drive my car on road trips a handful of times, but now I’m wondering if even that could be risky...
