At a glance
Family car insurance usually means covering multiple drivers or cars at the same address.
You can add named drivers to one policy, as long as the main driver does most of the driving.
If you have more than one car, a multi-car or linked policy could be cheaper.
We don’t yet compare family car insurance, but we can help you find individual car insurance quotes.
What is family car insurance?
You can’t get specific family car insurance policies. But the term ‘family car insurance’ is sometimes used to describe ways to cover multiple drivers or cars under a single policy. This could make car insurance for your family easier to manage – and sometimes cheaper.
How does family car insurance work?
One option is to add named drivers to a single policy. This can cover family members to drive the same car.
Another option is to take out a multi-car insurance policy. This lets you insure multiple cars for the same household under one policy.
What does family car insurance include?
When choosing family car insurance, whether it’s for one car or more, you’ll need the right level of cover.
Comprehensive is the highest level of protection you can get. As well as third-party liability, it can cover damage to your car and injuries to you and your passengers.
A comprehensive policy typically covers:
Third-party damage to other cars
Injury to others
Fire damage to your car
Repairs to your car
The cost of replacing your car if it’s stolen.
Don’t assume that comprehensive insurance is the most expensive type of cover. In fact, when comparing quotes, you might find it’s one of the cheapest types of car insurance for your family.
What family car insurance add-ons can I have?
You may be able to add the following to your policy at an extra cost, or some comprehensive policies might include them as standard:
Motor legal protection – covers legal costs if someone makes a claim against you.
Personal accident cover – offers a lump-sum payout if you’re seriously or fatally injured in a car accident.
Breakdown cover – provides roadside assistance if your car breaks down.
Courtesy car – gives you a replacement vehicle while yours is being repaired.
Windscreen insurance – can cover the cost of repairing or replacing chipped or cracked windscreens and sometimes windows too.
Driving in Europe – all UK car insurance includes the minimum third-party cover to drive in the EU for a limited time, but you may want to extend or upgrade your cover or add European breakdown cover.
Why choose family car insurance?
Family car insurance plans can be cheaper and more convenient, but they have pros and cons.
Pros of family car insurance
Less paperwork
You might save money
Especially convenient if you have kids at university.
Cons of family car insurance
Could be expensive if you have an inexperienced driver on your policy
Paying for a multi-car policy annually could mean a big bill
Everyone’s premium could go up if someone makes a claim.
Can I add family members to my existing car insurance policy?
Yes, you can. If you have car insurance in place, you can add a family member to your policy as a named driver. This allows the named driver to use the vehicle and enjoy the same cover as the main driver.
If you have teenage kids, this could help them avoid the expensive premiums learners and young drivers typically face. Although it’ll almost certainly raise your premiums, it could still be cheaper than getting two separate policies.
However, the person listed as the main driver must be the one who drives the car most. This doesn’t need to be the car’s owner, but it does need to be accurate.
Your insurance premium will be calculated on the assumption that the main driver will do most of the driving. Falsely naming someone as the main driver to lower the cost of your insurance premium is a form of insurance fraud called fronting.
If you’re found guilty of fronting, you could invalidate your policy. This could make it harder and more expensive to get insurance in the future. A criminal record is a possibility, too.
Will adding a named driver to my car insurance policy affect my no claims discount?
If a named driver has an accident and you need to claim, then yes, it could affect your no claims discount. You’re the policyholder, so even if you weren’t driving, you’ll still be the one making the claim.
Named drivers also don’t earn a no claims bonus of their own. This is something to bear in mind if you’re considering adding your children to your policy.
Types of family car insurance
If you’re covering several cars under a family car insurance policy, you can link different policies under your name or opt for one policy that covers additional cars.
Linked policies
Linked policies let you choose different cover levels for each vehicle, along with different benefits and add-ons.
For example, you could buy comprehensive insurance for your main family car and third-party, fire and theft insurance for a second car you don’t use as much.
The policies can start on different dates.
One policy for all your family cars
If you insure more than one car under the same policy, each car and driver typically has the same level of cover. But always check the terms to be sure.
Renewal dates will be the same, meaning less paperwork, but if you’re paying annually you could end up with a hefty bill each year.
Which family cars are the cheapest to insure?
How much you pay for your family car insurance could depend on several factors, including your car’s value, your driving record and the insurance provider you choose.
If you’re looking to buy a family car, consider size, safety, comfort and fuel economy. Also check which car insurance group the vehicle falls into.
All cars in the UK are categorised into groups between 1 and 50. Car insurance providers consider what insurance group your car is in when calculating your premiums.
The higher the group, the pricier your car insurance is likely to be. This is because cars in these groups tend to be top-of-the-range models that are expensive to buy, repair and replace.
Luckily, there’s a great choice of family cars in the lower insurance groups. Here’s our pick of the best family cars.
How much could I save with a family car insurance policy?
How much you can save will depend on your circumstances – the car you drive, where you live and how you use your car. If you’re insuring other family members on the same car, their age and driving record will also have an impact.
Compare and save
Comparing quotes is a great way to search for the cover your family needs at a competitive price.
Compare the Market doesn’t currently compare multi-car insurance, but we’re a great place to find and compare individual policies.
FAQs
When is it not a good idea to opt for family car insurance?
It might be cheaper to opt for separate policies if someone in your household has a poor driving record, previous conviction or is under 25.
Similarly, if you drive an economical little runabout in group 1 but the rest of your family are into high-performance, high-value sports cars, sharing might not be the best option for you.
One way to find out is to compare car insurance quotes with different insurance providers.
What’s short-term insurance?
A short-term or temporary car insurance policy covers a named driver for an agreed period – usually between one and 30 days, though you can get cover for as little as an hour.
Temporary insurance could be an option if your child comes home from uni for the holidays and wants to borrow the family car. Temporary cover is often comprehensive, and you may be able to add on extras like breakdown cover or driving abroad.
Can you get family car insurance if you’re unmarried?
If you’re living in the same house but aren’t married or in a civil partnership, you and your partner can still get family car insurance. Some policies might even let you sign up with friends who live at the same address.
Do we have to live at the same address?
Multi-car insurance normally only applies to cars and drivers at the same address, but you may find providers who’ll cover immediate family members who live away from home. That’s good news if you have kids heading off to university.
Find out about student car insurance.
Can linked policies have different insurance renewal dates?
Linked policies for family cars normally let you have different renewal dates for each policy. That way you don’t have to try to sync them to start on the same date.
Can I drive all the cars covered under a family car insurance policy?
You can only drive the cars for which you’re listed as a named driver.
Looking for something else?
With more than eight years’ experience in writing and sub-editing content, Karen started her career in fashion before making the move to insurance. She now specialises in producing clear, engaging content that helps people make better financial decisions.
Karen’s areas of expertise include insurance products, such as car insurance, travel insurance and life insurance, as well as utilities such as energy comparison.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Amy helps make sure you get the best value when choosing insurance. Thanks to more than four years’ experience at Compare the Market, she understands what people look for, working closely with insurance providers to offer you deals and services that are fair, easy to understand and right for your needs.
Our content is written by a Compare the Market expert, backed by data and enhanced by technology. Find out how we ensure accuracy and quality in our Editorial Guidelines.
