September 16, 2023
It’s a very common question, can I drive any car if I’ve got my own fully comp motor insurance policy? Most would assume that they can do so. But such an assumption could be dangerous. Read on to learn why driving someone else’s car without checking you’re actually insured could mean you are driving illegally.
Am I allowed to drive someone else’s car on my own fully comprehensive motor insurance policy?
The answer to this question is, probably not.
In the past, driving other cars (known in the insurance industry as ‘DOC’), was an inclusive feature of fully comprehensive car insurance policies.
DOC would give the policy holder third party cover to drive someone else’s car, providing they had the permission of the owner.
However, things have changed. These days, DOC is not usually included in the majority of policies, even the fully comp ones. This makes it vital to check your insurance policy or contact your insurance provider or broker if you are planning on driving another’s car, even if that car belongs to your spouse or partner.
The problem for insurers with allowing anyone to drive a vehicle is that they cannot be sure who is driving, and so they won’t be aware of their driving history or experience. This makes it a challenge to calculate the risk of a claim.
Is there no cover at all for driving someone else’s car?
If you have motor insurance that does provide cover for driving cars other than those stated on your policy, it will more than likely only be for emergencies only. Even then, it will only be third party cover.
This means that if you are involved in an accident with another car and it’s your fault, any damage to the car you are driving will not be covered. You won’t be covered if the car is stolen or damaged by fire whilst in your care either.
It may be possible to have an enhanced level of DOC cover, but it’s vital to check your policy documents to ensure that’s the case. It’s also important to be aware that where DOC cover is available, it will usually only apply to drivers over the age of 25, without criminal convictions, and without a history of car insurance claims.
Some insurers will also refuse to provide DOC cover for those in high risk occupations. These may include commercial drivers, late night workers such as chefs and bar staff, and hairdressers, to name just a few.
Is there any way to get cover to drive another car?
There are two main ways to legally obtain insurance cover to drive someone else’s car:
1. Add your name to the main driver’s policy – “Named Driver”
Adding your name to the main driver’s existing policy will give you the same level of cover as the main driver. The main driver is the person who drives the car most of the time. As a named driver, you should only drive the car occasionally.
‘Fronting’ – where a more experienced driver insures a car in their name, but a younger or less experienced driver uses the car more often – is illegal, and could render a motor insurance policy invalid in the event of a claim.
It’s also important to be aware that named drivers don’t usually have the ability to build up their own no-claims history on that policy.
2. Short term or temporary insurance
If you only need to use someone else’s car for a short period of time – say an hour up to 28 days – then you could arrange a short term or temporary motor insurance policy.
Such policies are useful when, for example, the main driver is unwell or incapacitated and cannot drive, so a friend or family member takes over the driving for a short period. Or when a daughter or son is back home from university for the holidays and wishes to make use of the family car.
Why it’s important never to assume you have DOC cover
Assuming you are insured to drive someone else’s car when in fact that’s not the case could mean you are driving without insurance, for which the penalties are severe. Fines, penalty points and disqualification from driving are all very real possibilities.
Need a motor insurance quote?
At Robert Gerrard, we offer helpful expertise and tailored motor insurance solutions to suit an array of needs, including private and fleet cover, together with specialist cover for high value, modified, performance, prestige and collectors’ models.
You are welcome to contact us for a motor insurance quotation, which we guarantee will always be fully tailored to your specific requirements.
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It’s a very common question, can I drive any car if I’ve got my own fully comp motor insurance policy? Most would assume that they can do so. But such an assumption could be dangerous. Read on to learn why driving someone else’s car without checking you’re actually insured could mean you are driving illegally.
Am I allowed to drive someone else’s car on my own fully comprehensive motor insurance policy?
The answer to this question is, probably not.
In the past, driving other cars (known in the insurance industry as ‘DOC’), was an inclusive feature of fully comprehensive car insurance policies.
DOC would give the policy holder third party cover to drive someone else’s car, providing they had the permission of the owner.
However, things have changed. These days, DOC is not usually included in the majority of policies, even the fully comp ones. This makes it vital to check your insurance policy or contact your insurance provider or broker if you are planning on driving another’s car, even if that car belongs to your spouse or partner.
The problem for insurers with allowing anyone to drive a vehicle is that they cannot be sure who is driving, and so they won’t be aware of their driving history or experience. This makes it a challenge to calculate the risk of a claim.
Is there no cover at all for driving someone else’s car?
If you have motor insurance that does provide cover for driving cars other than those stated on your policy, it will more than likely only be for emergencies only. Even then, it will only be third party cover.
This means that if you are involved in an accident with another car and it’s your fault, any damage to the car you are driving will not be covered. You won’t be covered if the car is stolen or damaged by fire whilst in your care either.
It may be possible to have an enhanced level of DOC cover, but it’s vital to check your policy documents to ensure that’s the case. It’s also important to be aware that where DOC cover is available, it will usually only apply to drivers over the age of 25, without criminal convictions, and without a history of car insurance claims.
Some insurers will also refuse to provide DOC cover for those in high risk occupations. These may include commercial drivers, late night workers such as chefs and bar staff, and hairdressers, to name just a few.
Is there any way to get cover to drive another car?
There are two main ways to legally obtain insurance cover to drive someone else’s car:
1. Add your name to the main driver’s policy – “Named Driver”
Adding your name to the main driver’s existing policy will give you the same level of cover as the main driver. The main driver is the person who drives the car most of the time. As a named driver, you should only drive the car occasionally.
‘Fronting’ – where a more experienced driver insures a car in their name, but a younger or less experienced driver uses the car more often – is illegal, and could render a motor insurance policy invalid in the event of a claim.
It’s also important to be aware that named drivers don’t usually have the ability to build up their own no-claims history on that policy.
2. Short term or temporary insurance
If you only need to use someone else’s car for a short period of time – say an hour up to 28 days – then you could arrange a short term or temporary motor insurance policy.
Such policies are useful when, for example, the main driver is unwell or incapacitated and cannot drive, so a friend or family member takes over the driving for a short period. Or when a daughter or son is back home from university for the holidays and wishes to make use of the family car.
Why it’s important never to assume you have DOC cover
Assuming you are insured to drive someone else’s car when in fact that’s not the case could mean you are driving without insurance, for which the penalties are severe. Fines, penalty points and disqualification from driving are all very real possibilities.
Need a motor insurance quote?
At Robert Gerrard, we offer helpful expertise and tailored motor insurance solutions to suit an array of needs, including private and fleet cover, together with specialist cover for high value, modified, performance, prestige and collectors’ models.
You are welcome to contact us for a motor insurance quotation, which we guarantee will always be fully tailored to your specific requirements.