Can I drive someone else’s car?

Just because you have comprehensive car insurance doesn’t mean you can drive any car. If you don’t double-check you’re covered, you could be driving a car illegally.

Some comprehensive insurance policies have a certain level of cover when it comes to driving other cars (DOC). 

To give you an idea, with our comprehensive insurance, you’ll be covered for third party only. This is the minimum level to drive legally in the UK. So, we’d pay compensation to someone you injure or for damage you cause to other people’s vehicles, or property in an accident. But we wouldn’t cover you for any loss of, or damage to, the vehicle you’re driving.

DOC covers you to drive other vehicles without being registered as a named driver. However, when you have DOC cover, there’s usually a criteria you need to meet, these can vary from provider to provider. If you took out cover with us* you would need to meet these requirements:

• The vehicle policyholders needs to be aged 25 or over at inception or renewal
• You have permission from the owner to use and drive their vehicle
• Your insurance certificate shows you can drive other cars
• You’re only planning to drive the car in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man 
• You don’t own or have hired the car you want to drive (this includes any finance agreement)
• Your own car is still in your possession and has not been declared a total loss

*DOC is only available if you have comprehensive cover, and is limited to third-party cover only.

Named drivers do not have DOC cover and should only drive the vehicle they are listed on as a named driver.

It’s important to verify their coverage before they drive, as driving without proper cover could result in ineligibility to make a claim in case of an accident.

The best place to start is to check the level of coverage on your policy and, if necessary, add the driver to the policy to ensure they are properly insured.

Temporary car insurance

If you know you'll need to use the car occasionally, then you may want to consider our temporary car insurance. With coverage options from as little as an hour, you can get cruising straight away. With our temporary car insurance, you will receive comprehensive as standard. This means you’re covered for loss, theft, or damage, and if you need to make a claim, your no-claims discount won’t be affected on your main car.

Terms and exclusions apply.