6. Your Policy May Have Exclusions You’ve Never Read
Every policy has exclusions, situations or circumstances where coverage simply does not apply. This can include things like using your personal vehicle for rideshare driving, certain modifications to your car, or specific types of off-road use. These exclusions are usually buried in the policy document rather than explained during the sales process. Reading the fine print, or asking your agent directly about your specific use of the vehicle, can prevent a nasty surprise later.
Common exclusions include using your vehicle for delivery or rideshare services without the appropriate endorsement, driving on unpaved or off-road terrain, and certain aftermarket modifications that were not disclosed when the policy was written.
Quick tip: If you use your car for any purpose beyond a standard daily commute, from occasional rideshare driving to towing a trailer, tell your insurer directly and ask whether your current policy actually covers that use.
Reading through your full policy document once, even if it takes an hour, is one of the most valuable things you can do as a policyholder, since it is the only place every exclusion is guaranteed to be listed in full.
It is also worth asking your agent for a plain language summary of the top five or six exclusions most relevant to your specific driving habits and lifestyle, since a general list of exclusions can be long, but only a handful usually apply to any one person’s actual situation.