Permissive use
When the owner lets someone else drive a covered vehicle with permission, coverage may extend to them.
Plain definition
Permissive use means the named insured or owner allowed another driver to use the vehicle. Most personal auto policies cover permissive users as insureds for liability and physical damage, subject to exclusions, household driver rules, and business use limits.
Why it matters
Loaning a car to an unlisted regular driver or for ride-share delivery can void coverage even if occasional permissive use is fine.
Example
You let a friend drive your SUV for a weekend trip. A covered crash may be handled under your policy limits if use was permissive and not excluded.
Common misunderstanding
“Permissive” does not override named driver exclusions or undisclosed household drivers discovered at claim time.
Policy language always controls. This is educational content, not advice. See our disclaimer.