Is Someone on Your Auto Policy Who Shouldn’t Be?

Here’s something that catches a lot of people off guard:

If you have a licensed family member living in your home—even if they have their own car and their own insurance—they’re typically required to be listed on your auto policy. Why? Because of what insurance companies call implied access.

That means: if someone lives in your household, it’s assumed they have access to your vehicles, whether they use them or not. And when there’s access, there’s potential risk.

But what if they never drive your car?

You have an option: you can formally exclude them from your policy. That removes the extra charge and tells the insurance company they’re absolutely not allowed to drive your vehicles.

⚠️ Important: If someone is excluded, there is zero coverage if they ever drive your car.

No liability. No collision. No protection—no exceptions.

This is a firm boundary, so it’s worth reviewing carefully.

And what about permissive use?

Permissive use generally applies to people outside your household—like a friend or neighbor—who occasionally borrow your car with your permission.

But when it comes to licensed household members, insurance companies assume ongoing access to your vehicles. That’s why they require those individuals to either be rated drivers (which affects the premium) or formally excluded.

Once someone is excluded, they are not eligible for permissive use. That’s the tradeoff: excluding them can reduce your cost, but it also creates a hard line—no coverage whatsoever if they ever drive your vehicle, even with permission.

It’s definitely something to weigh carefully, and we’re happy to help walk through the pros and cons in more detail.

Not sure who’s listed on your policy—or if it still makes sense? Let’s take a look together and make sure everything’s working the way it should.

– George

Page Insurance

www.pageins.com | (Your Phone Number)

Helping you understand what’s covered—and what’s not.