What is any-driver car insurance?

Wouldn’t life be easier if anyone could drive your car? Especially if you have a revolving door of friends and family who come to stay. If that’s the case, you may need any-driver car insurance.

Written by

Rebecca Goodman

Insurance expert

Last Updated

22 AUGUST 2022

5 min read

What is any-driver insurance?

Any-driver insurance allows anyone to drive your car, provided they have your permission – but it’s also one of the most expensive policies around.

Does any-driver car insurance cover all drivers?

Not all motorists are eligible for cover on an any-driver insurance policy. Some providers might ask that drivers are over a certain age – for example, 21 or 25. If you want to arrange any-driver cover for younger drivers, you could struggle to find a policy and should expect to pay significantly more. There’s usually a better (and cheaper) option, such as adding a driver to a policy or a specific policy designed for young drivers.

What are the pros and cons of any-driver insurance?

Pros

Offers flexibility and the comfort of knowing anyone driving your vehicle will be insured
Businesses can insure a fleet of vehicles without having to name all the drivers or providing their details.

Cons

Typically very expensive – there are likely to be cheaper ways to insure a few drivers for a particular vehicle
It’s not suited to individuals – it’s better for businesses.

Who might need insurance to drive any car?

It’s expensive but sometimes any-driver car insurance is worth the expense, such as when it’s used for business purposes – for example, with fleet vehicles or driving schools.

If you own a business with haulage, delivery vehicles or a courier service, it’s potentially much more efficient to have an any-driver policy than to spend time sorting cover for every new employee. Similarly, rather than fuss around with multiple policies, driving schools will usually have a blanket any-driver policy for anyone aged 17 or over.

It may also be useful for a car owner who is elderly or has disabilities to allow carers to drive your vehicle – particularly if you don’t have the same carer all the time.

Please note that you can’t compare any-driver car insurance with us, but there are some alternatives that you might want to consider.

What are the alternatives to any-driver car insurance?

Although an any-driver insurance policy would make life easier, the reality is that most of us won’t need it. A more practical (and economical) solution is to add named drivers to your policy.

Most insurance providers will let you add three or four named drivers to your policy. These could include your partner or a son, daughter or relative who has recently learned to drive, for example. If someone is added as a named driver, it means they can occasionally use your car.

The main driver on a policy must be the person who drives the car most. Named drivers should not be the main drivers of the vehicle. If someone’s been added as a named driver to get a cheaper policy but is actually the car’s main driver, this is known as car insurance fronting, which is against the law.

If you don’t want to add somebody as a named driver to your policy, you could consider a short-term or temporary insurance policy. This gives another driver their own insurance to drive your car. It’s a good solution if someone needs to drive your car for a short while – say, if you have friends staying over or a child back from university for the holidays.

An added advantage to temporary car insurance is that it’s paid by the person who needs it. And if they need to make a claim it won't affect your no-claims discount.

There’s lots of flexibility when it comes to car insurance, both in terms of the type of policy and the cost. Obviously you want to find the best-priced policy but you’ll also need one that provides enough cover. It’s well worth putting in the effort to find the right policy for you – at the best price.

How much does any driver car insurance cost?

Any driver car insurance can be expensive, as your insurance provider can’t be sure who’s driving the car at any given time. Other drivers could range from the very experienced to novices, so the price of cover will reflect this.

Of course, there are many factors that can impact the price of insurance so there’s no set rule for all drivers or policies. The only way to find out what kind of price you might be paying is to run a quote and find out.

I have comprehensive car insurance. Can I drive any other car?

Probably not, although you’ll need to check your policy. DOC, or driving other cars, isn’t an automatic right, even if you have comprehensive insurance. So, before you jump into your friend’s car and volunteer to drive home, you’ll need to check your policy to see if you’re covered.

If your policy covers you for DOC, check what level of cover you have for other vehicles – it’s unlikely to be anything other than third-party cover. This means that if you were involved in an accident, for example, your vehicle wouldn’t be covered nor any injuries to you. DOC cover may also be restricted to emergencies only.

Is any-driver car insurance the same as any-car insurance?

No, it shouldn’t be confused with drive any-car policies. These allow an insured driver to get behind the wheel of someone else’s car, whereas any-driver policies allow another driver to drive your car. Although they sound similar, there are important differences here and getting the wrong type of insurance could cost you a lot more down the line if a claim is rejected.

How can I find a policy to suit me?

Not sure where to start or what to look for? Don’t worry. We’re here to help. We can help you choose the right type of car insurance for you and give you tips on how to reduce car insurance costs.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of any-driver car insurance?

Any-driver car insurance is perfect if your car doesn’t have a ‘main driver’. If other drivers take up just as much, or more time, behind the wheel than the owner, you can be confident that everyone’s legally covered.

I’m a young driver, can I arrange any-driver insurance for my car?

Young drivers trying to arrange any-driver insurance for their car might struggle to find an affordable deal. Even if you find a provider who’s willing to cover your friends and family, the premium will probably be very expensive.

How can I get cheaper any-driver car insurance?

Any-driver car insurance can be expensive. If you want to get a cheaper car insurance deal you can follow the usual tips and tricks, like paying in one go or increasing your excess, but premiums are still likely to be higher.