Honestly, the fine print on permissive use is wild—sometimes it feels like you need a law degree just to lend your car for a Target run. I’ve seen claims where insurers covered, but only up to those bare-bones state minimums, and then the rest was out-of-pocket. Not fun. One client had a buddy rear-end someone in Duluth, and the insurer paid... but only after grilling everyone about whether it was “truly” permissive. If it’s more than a quick trip, I always say just add them. Peace of mind is worth the extra few bucks.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve never added anyone for a one-off drive and haven’t had issues (knock on wood). The paperwork and calls just to add someone for a quick errand feels like overkill.
Maybe it’s just me, but if my buddy is only borrowing the car for an afternoon, I figure permissive use is fine. If they’re basically moving in with my Civic, that’s another story...“If it’s more than a quick trip, I always say just add them.”
I get what you mean—honestly, for a quick run to the store or something, I’ve let friends take my car without jumping through hoops. That said, with pricier cars (and insurance that’s a bit more... picky), I’ve learned to double-check the fine print. Permissive use usually covers the basics, but if anything goes sideways, insurers can get weird about claims. Not saying you need to add everyone for a coffee run, but if it’s more than that, a quick call to your agent can save a headache later. Just my two cents from dealing with some “fun” paperwork after a fender bender...
Totally get where you’re coming from—permissive use does cover a lot, but I’ve seen claims go sideways when someone’s a “regular” driver and not listed. If it’s just a quick errand, it’s usually fine, but if your buddy’s borrowing it every weekend... yeah, your insurer might raise an eyebrow. Honestly, a two-minute call to clarify with your agent can save you hours of headaches later. Not thrilling, but better safe than sorting out paperwork after the fact.
If it’s just a quick errand, it’s usually fine, but if your buddy’s borrowing it every weekend... yeah, your insurer might raise an eyebrow.
- That’s the part that always trips me up. “Quick errand” is so vague. Like, what if it’s a couple hours every week? Or they’re driving to Duluth and back for a day trip?
- I’ve heard stories where someone thought they were covered, but then the insurance company said nope, too frequent, should’ve been listed.
- Honestly, I get the “better safe than paperwork” angle, but sometimes agents give different answers depending on who you talk to.
- Has anyone actually had a claim denied because of this? Or is it mostly just a theoretical risk?
- I’m all for calling the agent, but sometimes I wonder if they just default to “add them” to cover themselves.
Curious if anyone’s ever pushed back and gotten a straight answer on what counts as “regular use.” Seems like a gray area.
