Your car insurance includes cover for yourself, but what if someone else wants access to your wheels?
Do you and your partner need to share a car? Perhaps a friend has asked to borrow the car over a weekend, or your grown-up kids are visiting from university and want access to the family runaround.
Before you hand them the keys, it’s important to make sure the correct insurance is in place.
Named drivers
If someone is going to drive your car regularly, then it’s likely you’ll want them added as a named driver on your insurance. You can do this when taking out the insurance policy or by contacting your insurer. Many insurers also allow you to add (and remove) named drivers online or via an app.
Temporary drivers
Your insurer may also allow you to add a temporary driver for a fixed number of days. You might find there are limitations on the total number of insured days, so you should check with your insurer for more information.
This could be more suitable for unplanned or infrequent use of your car.
Certificate of Motor Insurance
A simple way to check who’s insured to drive your car is by looking at your Certificate of Motor Insurance.
Named and temporary drivers will be clearly listed. If they’re not, then don’t risk letting them drive your car without adequate cover.
What if it’s an emergency?
In an emergency, and if the other driver has DOC (Drive Other Cars) cover included on their own car insurance policy, then they can drive your car with your permission.
Likewise, if it’s an emergency and you need to drive someone else’s car, the same conditions will apply. You’ll need to have:
- DOC cover
- A valid driving licence
- The owner’s express permission to drive their car
- And the car must be insured, taxed, and hold a valid MOT.
You should never assume that Drive Other Cars cover is in place - this is a common misconception. If DOC is included, it’s often limited to third party cover.
DOC may also be subject to certain restrictions such as age, so always check the terms carefully.
Always be honest with your insurer
Keeping your insurer informed about any changes to your cover, including adding or removing drivers, is a key part of your insurance terms and conditions.
When it comes to adding drivers, you must be honest about the type of cover they need.
Falsely declaring yourself as the main driver on your car insurance (and then listing the main driver as a named driver) may lower the cost, but if an accident happens it could invalidate your insurance - leaving you without any cover at all.
False declarations like this are known as ‘fronting’ which is a form of insurance fraud.
What are the risks of driving without insurance?
Driving without adequate insurance is an offence in the UK, which Gov.uk warns could lead to a fixed penalty notice of up to £300 and six points on your licence. If any incident that occurs results in a court case, then the uninsured driver could even face a driving ban.
Remember, it’s important to always make sure that anyone driving your car has adequate insurance and a valid driving licence, or you could risk invalidating your cover.
If you have a Direct Line Car Insurance policy, you can check what options are available to you in your online account or app.
