Permissive Use & What It Means for You

permissive driver

At some point, you’ve probably given a friend or family member consent to drive your car without a second thought. But did you know that, in many cases and under certain policies, driving another individual’s car is not covered by insurance, even with their verbal consent?

Let’s start with a few key terms you need to know.

  • Permissive use refers to a situation in which one individual allows another individual to drive their car, usually on a consistent basis.
  • And a permissive driver refers to the individual who was given permission to drive the other individual’s car.

It might seem okay to let a friend, roommate, or relative drive your car, but in the eyes of insurance, this type of consent does not necessarily mean that you are covered in the event of an accident, and policies can vary from company to company.

In general, however, if the driver is a resident in your household or a relative, they should be listed on your policy as a driver. Permissive use typically refers to someone who has regular access to the insured vehicle, is related to the vehicle’s owner, or has driven the car in the past.

And what if you have a child who is away at school and isn’t driving a vehicle? Are you still required to pay the premium, even if they are not current residents? This all depends on your insurance company and your specific auto insurance policy.

Often times, policy holders are tempted to exclude drivers with points on their record or who have little driving experience from their policy in an attempt to avoid higher premiums, but the bottom line is this: Neglecting to list all residents, relatives, and consistent drivers of your vehicle on your policy could lead to some major consequences, especially in the event of an accident.

Again, the parameters of permissive use vary from company to company and policy to policy. To better understand the terms of your policy and how it defines permissive use, contact your friends at Latorre Insurance today.