Can I drive someone else’s car on my own insurance?

Some insurance policies let you drive a car other than your own; we explain all

All cars on the road must legally be insured, with six penalty points and a £300 waiting in the wings if you are caught without cover.

But while it is generally assumed that all comprehensive insurance policies allow you to drive any other car with the owner’s permission, in many instances that is not the case, and you risk committing a fairly serious offence if you do so.

What is DOC (Driving Other Cars) cover?

Third party insurance will only pay out for damage sustained to other people’s cars in an accident, and is the legal minimum level of cover you must have if you are driving a car.

Comprehensive insurance will also cover your vehicle for loss or damage, but another benefit of comprehensive cover is that in some instances it will provide third-party insurance to drive someone else’s car, assuming you have their permission.

But, there’s a but: not all comprehensive policies provide this benefit, which is known as ‘Driving Other Cars’ (DOC).

Tom Banks, a motor insurance expert at Go.Compare says, “Some people assume having comprehensive car insurance means they’re covered for any car – but that’s not the case. Only six out of the 295 [1] comprehensive car insurance policies on Defaqto include cover for driving other cars as standard.”

You’ll need to look out for this clause when taking out a new insurance policy (it is usually displayed fairly prominently in comparison sites), or you can ring up and ask the provider whether it is included in the policy before you take it out.

Can I add DOC cover to my insurance policy?

You may be able to, but it may also be that this would require cancelling your existing policy and taking out another. Even if you can update your policy, there is likely to be an administration charge on top of the additional cost DOC is likely to add to your premium. It may therefore be more prudent to investigate other methods of insurance if you need to drive another car. Do also note that DOC cover tends only to be available to people aged over 25.

If I don’t have DOC cover, how can I drive another car?

According to insurance experts at Go.Compare, to drive someone else’s car you need to have one or more of the following:

• Temporary car insurance on the vehicle you want to drive
• Be a named driver on someone else’s car insurance

Your existing insurer may well be able to sell you temp cover, and this may well be cheaper than changing your existing policy. Temp cover is also available from dedicated third-party firms, from as short a period as one day, to up to a month.

Another option that’s well worth exploring is getting yourself added to the insurance policy of whoever the car belongs to. It’s certainly worth comparing the cost of doing this, against the cost of temp cover or changing your existing policy.

Go.Compare explains: What are named drivers?

Named drivers are other people who can legally drive your car.

This could be someone like a family member, partner, or friend. They don’t need to live at the same address as you and in most cases, just need a full driving licence. But some insurers might require them to be over a certain age or have a specific number of years experience.

This is one of the easiest ways of making sure others can drive your car or that you can drive theirs in an emergency.

Adding named drivers will probably impact the cost of your policy. It could increase the cost if you add a younger, inexperienced driver, or lower the cost if you add an older, experienced driver.

The main driver has to be the person who owns and uses the car the most and any named drivers must be those who might use the car occasionally or in an emergency.

What’s the punishment for driving another car uninsured?

As mentioned above, you can expect six penalty points on your licence, meaning you will lose your licence if you have had it for less than two years. There will also be a fine, and in some circumstances the car you are driving could be confiscated.

Do also note that you should not use DOC cover if you are regularly driving a car other than your own: it’s intended for occasional emergency use, plus if anything happens when you are driving you will not receive any money from the insurance company for damage sustained to the car.

FAQs

Can I drive any car with comprehensive insurance?

No, having comprehensive insurance does not automatically allow you to drive any car. You need to check your policy details, as some policies may include a “Driving Other Cars (DOC)” clause, but many do not. Always confirm with your insurer before driving another vehicle.

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[1] Last checked 2 July 2024. Six policies had limits and exclusions, which all differed.

This article is written and reviewed in collaboration with Go.Compare, a comparison site for insurance policies, financial products, energy tariffs and more. Go.Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Carwow’s relationship with Go.Compare is that of a business partnership, no ownership or control rights exists between us.