Does permissive use apply to my stepdaughter?

I’m wondering if my stepdaughter can be covered under permissive use. She lives with her mom full time and is on their car insurance. She only uses our car maybe twice a month to go to the store or Starbucks, no school or work, and doesn’t drive far, usually within 5 miles. I’m not sure if it’s worth paying extra for her to be added to our policy for such infrequent use.

Yes, permissive use would apply here, since she doesn’t live with you full-time and has her own insurance policy. Just keep in mind that if she has an accident, the claim would go through your insurance, not hers, so make sure she’s a safe driver!

All licensed household members typically need to be listed on your insurance policy. Even if they only drive the car once, it can be seen as a form of fraud if they aren’t listed. I suggest talking to USAA directly. Permissive use usually applies to people who don’t live with you.

@Niko
I plan to talk to them, but I was curious if anyone here has had any experience with this.

Shay said:
@Niko
I plan to talk to them, but I was curious if anyone here has had any experience with this.

Insurance policies vary, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.

@Niko
USAA doesn’t require all household members to be listed if they’re insured elsewhere.

Frost said:
@Niko
USAA doesn’t require all household members to be listed if they’re insured elsewhere.

That’s not true in most cases. Most of the time they do require it, as it could be seen as fraud if someone isn’t listed.

@Niko
That’s not true. My USAA agent said roommates don’t need to be listed if they’re insured on their own cars and don’t drive my car.

Jody said:
@Niko
That’s not true. My USAA agent said roommates don’t need to be listed if they’re insured on their own cars and don’t drive my car.

I’m pretty sure USAA does require this. I’ve had experience with roommates driving each other’s cars, and even significant others.

Is your stepdaughter a minor? If she is, she would need to be listed on the policy since minors are considered members of the household, even if they stay with the other parent most of the time. Using the car every other week is still considered regular enough use to be a risk on your policy. If she’s over 18, it might be a different situation. Insurance companies like USAA tend to be strict with young drivers since they’re a high risk. I totally get not wanting to pay extra, but if she’s in an accident, you’ll want your car covered. It’s a tough situation, but as a parent, I’d want to make sure she’s covered too.