Named driver car insurance
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Everything you need to know about named driver car insurance
There’s a whole host of reasons you might want to add a named driver to your car insurance. Maybe your son or daughter is learning to drive? Perhaps your friend or partner needs to use your car occasionally?
Whatever the reason, it’s good to know that other people can use your car. And, should anything happen, to know that you have cover.
What is named driver insurance?
Named driver insurance, also called additional driver insurance, is the cover someone gets when they’re added to your car insurance policy. It means you’ve told your insurance provider that someone other than you might drive your car.
Can I save money by adding someone to my car insurance?
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.
The average car insurance premium for 17-24 year-olds is £1,063†
But if you share your car with an experienced driver, you could lower the cost of your car insurance by adding that driver to your policy.
That’s because you’re likely to be spending less time driving the car, which means your chances of having an accident and making a claim are reduced.
Just be sure that whoever is identified as the main driver is the person who drives the car most often. Otherwise they could be guilty of car insurance fronting.
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, then sends the information to your insurance provider. If you can show that you’re a safe driver, you could get a discount on your premium.
†50% of young drivers between 17-24 years old could achieve a quote of up to £1063 for their car insurance based on Compare the Market data in June 2021.
Can I add a young driver to my policy?
If you’re an experienced driver, you might want to add a young driver to your policy. For example, you might be a parent whose kids are learning to drive, or 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.
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What kind of cover will the named driver have?
That depends on what type of policy you choose. If you have comprehensive insurance, your named driver will almost always have comprehensive cover, too. Check the policy details to make sure you have the level of cover that you both need.
Your named driver should also be covered for any extras you add to your policy, for example:
How does my no claims bonus work if I add a driver to my car insurance?
Your no claims bonus (otherwise known as no claims discount) should still build up as normal, providing neither of you have an accident.
But if you or your named driver has an accident, it’s likely to affect your bonus. That’s because, regardless of who’s driving, you’ll be making a claim and your insurance provider may need to pay out.
Policies hardly ever allow your named driver to build up a no-claims discount of their own. This is worth bearing in mind if you’re adding a young driver to your insurance, as they won’t typically receive a no-claims discount until they take out a policy in their own name.
However, your insurance provider may offer the young driver a discount to take up a policy with them, based on their driving history in your car.
How do I add a driver to my insurance?
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, date of birth and occupation. You’ll also need to provide details of any driving convictions and accidents they’ve been involved in.
If you’re taking out a new car insurance policy, you can add the named driver from the start.
How much will it cost to add a named driver to my policy?
You may have to pay an admin fee for adding a named driver to your car insurance. Usually, it works out cheaper to add a named driver at the start of a new policy, rather than adding them to an existing one. That’s because you won’t be charged an admin fee for making changes to your new policy.
The cost of second driver insurance depends on a number of things, including the person’s driving history and how long they’ve had their licence.
Other factors that can affect the price you’ll pay for your car insurance include:
- the named driver’s age and job title
- their relationship to the policyholder
- whether they have any medical conditions or disabilities reported to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
- claims history and any past driving convictions
What is fronting?
Fronting is if you claim to be the car’s main driver, but the additional driver uses it more often. Often a more experienced driver (usually a parent) falsely insures the car in their own name, but a younger, less experienced, driver (their child) is actually the main driver.
If you give your insurance provider false information to reduce the cost of your premiums, your policy could be invalidated. What’s more, car insurance fronting is fraud and you could be prosecuted.
How can I be sure I’m not fronting?
Just make sure the person who drives the car most is named as the main driver on the policy. If it’s genuinely a 50/50 split, talk to your insurance provider.
What if I only want to add a named driver for a short time?
If you only want to add a named driver temporarily, for example, you have friends visiting from abroad and you offer to lend them your car, it might be cheaper to get short-term car insurance rather than changing your own policy.
Depending on the insurance provider you choose, short-term car insurance cover can range from just one hour, up to 84 days.
Why compare named driver insurance with Compare the Market?
We independently compare named driver car insurance deals from a wide range of trusted UK car insurance providers.
We’ll show you policies based on price, level of cover, add-ons or payment terms, helping you compare policies based on your needs.
How much does named driver car insurance cost?
The average car insurance premium with an additional driver is £664.06^^
^^Average premium of £664.06 is based on the average P1-5 prices (5 cheapest prices) for enquiries with a clickthrough. Based on Compare the Market data from 1 October 2020 to 1 January 2021.
Start a quoteWhat do I need to get a quote?
To get a car insurance quote, you’ll need to give us some simple details, including:
- your car – its registration, make, model and age
- where you keep your car overnight
- average annual mileage
- whether you have a no-claims discount
- your driving history
- your age, address, and type of job you do
- details of any additional drivers you want to add to the policy
Once you’ve chosen the level of cover you want, we’ll send you a list of suitable quotes to compare.
Dan Hutson
From the Motor team
What our expert says
“Adding an experienced, older driver to your policy could help reduce the cost of your car insurance. There are other ways to bring the cost down, including choosing a modest car with a smaller engine, installing security features and paying annually instead of monthly, if you can afford to.
“Shopping around to find a cheaper deal is also a great way to save money on your car insurance.”
Why use Compare the Market?
| Get a quote in 5 minutes** | We compare prices for 139*** car insurance products | 50% of consumers could save up to £267**** |
**On average it can take less than 5 minutes to complete a car insurance quote through Compare the Market, based on data in November 2020.
***Correct as of June 2021.
****Based on Online independent research by Consumer Intelligence during May 2021. 50% of customers could achieve this saving on their car insurance through Compare the Market.
