How much can a named driver actually drive?

abi-em-mum83

I recently passed my driving test and other half put me onto his insurance (where he is fully comp) as a named driver. He is saying I can only drive once in a while and not regularly, where I believed I would be allowed to drive maybe twice a week, on small journeys e.g supermarket or hospital appointments? He drives to and from work 5/6 days a week, and when we are together at weekends, but I assumed I could use it routinely, every week, rather than the odd occasion (to be honest its the main reason I spent a small fortune in driving lessons!)
Is this my control freak partners way of not giving me the keys to his precious car, or is he right, is there a limit to how much I can drive?

TSx

I would have said no - providing it is less than the main driver.

Quentin

He is pulling your leg.

There is no limit whatsoever. (If a named driver drives so much that they become the "main driver", then that is ok too, though the insurance company would need to be told of the new "main driver")

scheming_gypsy

abi-em-mum83 wrote: »

Is this my control freak partners way of not giving me the keys to his precious car, or is he right, is there a limit to how much I can drive?

yep, he doesn't want you crashing his car.

thegirlintheattic

He obviously doesn't want a newly-qualified driver wrecking his car. As long as you drive less than the main driver then you can drive it.

pvt

Whilst I accept that the normal convention is that the named driver should drive less often than the policy holder, I am not sure that applies when the named driver is a spouse. I think the OP can drive as much as she wants as named driver on her husband's policy.

bryanb

There is no realistic way to check anyway.

abi-em-mum83

Thanks everyone!
To be fair other half isnt that bad!lol. Its him that pushed me to do my lessons, and despite an absolute hate of being a passenger, when I first passed and had no confidence (learnt in a corsa, we own a big 7 seater!) he let me drive whenever we went anywhere. He then nudged me into going out alone which improved my confidence, hasnt accepted a penny off me for any petrol, and he pays all the insurance himself! Its not that he doesnt want me driving, he has just admitted he was unsure what the limits of the insurance was, and was worried that in an accident the insurance could use it against us! He actually (grudgingly) admitted tonight that Im a better driver then him!pmsl

lisyloo

I am not sure that applies when the named driver is a spouse. I think the OP can drive as much as she wants as named driver on her husband's policy

I am not sure about this at all.
Firstly the OP hasn't said their other half is a spouse. I'm not being pedantic, I believe there is a different wrt insurance.

I don't think you can drive so much you become the "main driver" without informing the insurer.
This is a material fact and need to be disclosed. That applies whether you are married or not.

abi-em-mum83

lisyloo wrote: »

I am not sure about this at all.
Firstly the OP hasn't said their other half is a spouse. I'm not being pedantic, I believe there is a different wrt insurance.

I don't think you can drive so much you become the "main driver" without informing the insurer.
This is a material fact and need to be disclosed. That applies whether you are married or not.

Other half is not my husband yet, not till 2013! And there is no danger of me driving anywhere as near as he does, I might have the car one full day, or a couple of trips in the week to the supermarket and kids swimming! Other half was just concerned that named driver was an irregular user of the car, instead of someone who uses it regularly but much less than the main driver!

mikey72

The usual area you have a problem with "main driver" is if someone is the main driver for more than 1 car.
eg your partner has a larger car he is main driver on, then he buys another smaller car, and is main driver on that as well, with you as a named driver, to keep the insurance costs down. Usually that see that as fronting.

If you have one car, and he uses it for work each day, and you don't, just shopping and evenings etc, that normally is ok.

I usually use my wifes car when she doesn't, as it's diesel, and cheaper to run than mine.