Named driver insurance

Named driver insurance lets you add someone to your car insurance policy as an additional driver.

It means you’ve told your insurance provider that someone other than you might drive your car.

Having a named driver can be especially handy if you want to help a young driver save money, as premiums can be steep for teenage drivers who have just passed their test. Just be careful to avoid fronting.

Provide us with a few details about you, your car, and your named driver to compare quotes and search for a great deal on car insurance.

Yes, you can add a driver to your policy to save money while staying within the law.

If you’re a student, or a young or inexperienced driver, insurance providers consider you high risk. This means your premium is likely to be far more expensive.

Adding a named driver to a your policy is one of the best ways you could save money on your car insurance.

According to our data, young drivers who add a named driver to their policy typically pay £1,138, while those who don't pay £1,576.³

This is because insurance providers may consider the vehicle less of a risk if someone with years of experience and a clean driving record is also driving it.

Just make sure that you, as the main driver, use the car more than the named driver does, otherwise you may be breaking the law.

If you’re looking to cut down the cost of your car insurance, you might also want to consider a telematics policy.

A ‘black box’ is fitted to your car and monitors your driving, sending the information to your insurance provider. Our data shows that 69% of young drivers could save money with a telematics policy.⁴

If you can show that you’re a safe driver, you could get a discount on your premium.

Can I add a young driver to my policy?

If you’re an experienced driver, you might need to add a young driver to your policy.

For example, you might be a parent adding a driver to your car insurance who hasn’t got a car of their own. Or maybe they’ve just passed their test but can’t afford their own insurance.

Just be aware that your premium will probably go up, as you’re adding a higher-risk driver to your policy.

There are a few rules to consider when adding a named driver to a policy:

• To drive someone else's car, you usually need to become a named driver on their policy.

• A named driver cannot be the ‘main’ driver.

• The main driver must be the one who drives the car the most.

• You must have at least third-party car insurance to drive legally in the UK. This is the legal minimum. It covers injuries to other road users and damage to their property. Third-party insurance won’t cover damage to your own car.

• The named driver doesn’t need their own insurance to drive your car. But they must take out their own policy to drive their own car.

Car insurance fronting is when a named driver uses the car more than the main driver on a policy. It’s a type of car insurance fraud and is illegal.

Fronting can often happen when an older, more experienced driver claims to be the main driver when, in fact, they’re not.

A parent, for example, may do this to help their child get a cheaper car insurance premium.

If your insurance provider finds out you’re guilty of fronting, they could invalidate your car insurance policy.

So, technically, you’d be driving without insurance, which could lead to a criminal conviction. You could get a fine, six points on your licence and even be disqualified from driving.

How can I be sure I’m not fronting?

The best way to be sure you’re not fronting is to be totally honest. The main driver on a car insurance policy must be the person who drives the car the most.

If you share the driving equally, speak to your insurance provider. It'll be able to advise you, and ensure you’re properly covered and not at risk of breaking the law.

Adding someone to your car insurance is quite simple. If you have an existing car insurance policy, you’ll need to contact your insurance provider and give them the details of the additional driver, including:

• Their name and address

• Their age

• Their occupation

• Any medical conditions that could impact their ability to drive

• Any driving convictions and accidents they’ve been involved in.

What if I only want to add a driver to my insurance for a short time?

You may be thinking of adding a driver to your car insurance temporarily – if, for example, you have friends visiting from abroad and you offer to lend them your car.

In this case it might be cheaper to get short-term car insurance rather than change your own policy.

Depending on the insurance provider you choose, temporary car insurance cover can range from just one hour up to 28 days.