Did you know? You may be able to drive someone else's car on your insurance.

Did you know? If you've got comprehensive insurance you may be able to drive someone else's car.

I'm cheaply insured to drive my little Smart car, but this weekend I drove my friend's Mercedes sports car on my policy at no extra cost. That's because many comprehensive policies include a 'third party all-cars' allowance letting you drive other cars on your own policy.

Rough Guidance: though check your policy as it may differ from the standard

  • Not all policies have this. So you need to call and check whether it's included in yours.
  • This is only third party cover. So if you crash into anything it won't cover the car you're driving. However if you crash into someone else it will pay out for their car or any injury to them.
  • It isn't designed as an every day policy. Insurers rightly caution against using this as an every day policy as the cover this as you have more limited cover. I would consider it primarily as a useful optional cover for times when you 'need it' rather than an every day type of cover. Most interestingly as you're covered for any car it is one way to get insurance to drive a much higher category car.
  • Can it be used as a cheap way to insure yourself for an expensive car? Technically, providing you don't own the car, there's usually nothing stopping you doing this on most policies, however insurers frown on it and if they find out will often try and make you pay to be added as a second driver on that insurance. I would caution against this as a policy, both because insurers are looking at blocking this cover (as so many people are doing it) and because the cover it providers is so limited as many are doing it.
  • When it doesn't apply. Most policies don't accept this as cover if i. you own the car ii. any other insurance covers you when driving it iii. the car is hired iv. your own car is no longer driveable/repairable
If you are looking to cut the cost of your insurance see Car Insurance Cost Cutting System for easier ways.

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Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
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Comments

  • AndrewSmith
    AndrewSmith Posts: 2,871 Forumite
    Hi Martin,

    Yes I have noticed this on my own policy. I drive and Insure a Citroen C8 fully comp, but drove my mate's DB7 legally 3rd party (somewhat carefully though I add).

    The only thing is that it is not acceptable as cover for any vehicle when you come to buy road tax. The insurance policy for road tax must have the vehicle registration on it that you are taxing. Tried it once, and failed.

    Andy
  • If you are driving(or last in charge of) someone elses vehicle and using your DOC (driving other Cars) extension and it is stolen, there can be no claim. The insurer of the car will ONLY cover theft if the owner (or other entitled driver) was in charge of the car at the time of the theft.
  • I think it may be rather difficult to refute that the owner of the vehicle was in charge at the the time of theft.
  • can be risky, do not depend on the fact you can drive on your policy as said, if you crash you are not insured, if you hurt anyone your not covered, and the car needs to be insured in the first place.
  • m00nie
    m00nie Posts: 2,314 Forumite
    can be risky, do not depend on the fact you can drive on your policy as said, if you crash you are not insured, if you hurt anyone your not covered, and the car needs to be insured in the first place.

    if you crash it is the car you are in you would not get paid for, the car you hit(if it was your fault, if theres then you claim off them anyway)

    does the car need to be insuired in the first place? i have drove a friends car(in an emergency i add) which they had no insurance for, i was stopped by the police,i produced his documents with MY insurance and all was passed
  • can be risky, do not depend on the fact you can drive on your policy as said, if you crash you are not insured, if you hurt anyone your not covered, and the car needs to be insured in the first place.

    Sorry Trigger Happy Mike, but you are incorrect in all statements !!

    Firstly you need to read your insurance certificate. Under the heading "Persons or classes of Persons entitled to drive" - it will show who is entitled to drive the insured vehicle, ie, Insured Only, Insured and Spouse, Named drivers etc immediately thereafter it will say words to the effect. "The policyholder is entitled to drive with the permission of the owner a Vehicle (or Car) not belonging to him and not hired to him under a hire purchase agreement". If you haven't got that wording, you haven't got the cover to drive another vehicle. You need to read this statement carefully, some insurers say ".....a vehicle" (meaning a car, a van or even a motor cycle - others merely say "Car")


    "If you crash you are not insured" - well you certainly ARE !! - the vehicle you are driving is not insured for damage agreed, but any person or property you collide with is entitled to claim off you for damage, loss or injury, and your own insurer will cover this claim.

    As for the car you are driving being covered by the owner, again, not true. See Moonies reply
  • Mumstheword
    Mumstheword Posts: 3,760
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    This is useful in genuine emergencies, but very dodgy to rely on on a regular basis, especially if you use this extension to get around paying for insurance on a higher rated car.

    The only cover is liability to a third party.

    in the event of an accident, the other driver would have to be deemed to be fully responsible for the accident, to enable you to claim for damage to the car you are driving from their policy. Any slight doubt about 'fault' would spell problems!

    I think it is wise, if borrowing a friend's pride and joy and using third party only insurance, to have a chat about who would be expected to pay up for any repairs should the need arise! (unless you are super rich and don't need to worry about that!!)
    *** Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly ***

    If I don't reply to you, I haven't looked back at the thread.....PM me :)
  • I did know that this was possible, but personally, I would be very worried driving someone else's car and only being covered for third party. Surely, Martin, you would not recommend this unless it was an emergency?

    I have added another person (permenantly) to my policy and not had to pay any extra. I have also added someone for just 2 weeks while they were with me on holiday, to share the driving. Again, no charge.

    All your money saving would be cancelled out if you had to pay thousands to your mate should you write off his car!

    Am I just too cautious?
  • exil
    exil Posts: 1,194 Forumite
    It's really to cover driving someone's car if they become ill/have had a little too much to drink, or borrowing their car if yours is temporarily off the road. If your pal has a Ferrari they'd be best adding to their insurance if you want to borrow it for a day.
  • sujman
    sujman Posts: 567
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    I have TPFT cover only and still allowed to drive any other car TP only (subject to the usual exclusions).

    But wasn't there something in the News some months ago saying that Insurance companies were starting to withdraw this normally automatic right from their policies? They stated that in the case of emergencies, the ins company would look "sympathetically" at any case were the car was driving without insurance...

    Who's willing to rely on insurance companies siding with the customer when they really need it????
This discussion has been closed.
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