If you'd like to share your car with friends and family, adding a named driver on your insurance will give you peace of mind. Find out what a named driver is, and how and when to add one to your policy.
What is named driver insurance?
When you tell your insurer that you want to add another driver to your policy, this is called named driver insurance. It means you'll both be covered if anything happens.
It's sometimes referred to as additional driver insurance or second driver insurance.
What cover does a named driver have?
If you have comprehensive car insurance, then all drivers on your policy will have the same level of cover.
How do I add a named driver to my insurance?
Adding someone to your car insurance is simple. Just get in touch with your insurer and tell them the details of your additional driver(s).
Make sure to include any convictions and claims they may have or you could be committing insurance fraud.
How much does adding a driver to car insurance cost?
There isn't a set cost. When you contact your insurer to let them know you'll be adding a driver, they'll consider:
- How old the named driver is.
- The marital and employment status of the new driver.
- Their relationship to you, the policyholder.
- If they drive any other vehicles. Some insurers might give a discount if the additional driver uses another car as they'd be considered more experienced.
- What type of licence they have and how long they've had it.
- Any information about disabilities or other conditions reported to the DVLA.
- Any claims or convictions in their driving history.
There will probably be a small fee to pay to adjust your policy to include a named driver, but this should just be a one-off amount. The fee could consist of two parts, the premium increase and an admin fee.
Will a named driver affect any no claims discount I have?
Once you've added an additional driver to your policy, your no claims discount will still build up as normal.
If a named driver on your policy has an accident where they're at fault, it will likely affect your no claims discount. For although you weren't driving, you'll have to make a claim on your policy and your insurer will need to pay out.
If you take out your own car insurance policy after being a named driver on one of ours, we offer a named driver no claims discount.
Can named driver insurance lower my premiums?
Yes, if you're a student, young driver, or you've just recently passed your test and are quite new to driving. Naming a more experienced driver could lower the cost of your insurance.
Fronting
Be careful when adding named drivers to your policy that you don't end up fronting. It's a type of insurance fraud where drivers try to save on their insurance by having a car insured in a more experienced driver's name – most likely a parent or guardian – with a young driver as a 'named driver'.
Fronting could void your policy and lead to a prosecution for driving without insurance, and possibly even a fraud charge.
To avoid falling foul of fronting fraud make sure that the main driver named on the policy is the person who drives the car most. If it's not that clear-cut, get in touch with your insurer so they can advise you.
Adding a named driver vs temporary car insurance
If someone will be driving your car for just a few days, you could suggest they take out temporary car insurance. This could be useful if you're lending your car to a friend or have a guest coming to stay who might borrow it. It'll save you adding them to your policy and paying admin fees.
Short term insurance can run from 1 to 28 days, though some can extend to up to 90 days. You can get a quote online, and coverage starts almost as soon as you make your payment.
If someone has to drive your car in a hurry – and you don't have time to add them to your policy or they don't have time to buy temporary insurance – they could still be insured through driving other cars' insurance if they have a car insurance policy in their own name.
Intended to be used in emergency situations, many comprehensive insurance policies will cover you for driving someone else's car, but it only provides third party cover.
This shouldn't be used regularly and some drivers – such as those under 25 or those with driving convictions – are likely to be excluded from having this level of cover.
Get in touch if you're thinking of taking out car insurance with us, or adding a named driver if you're already a customer.
Author: The AA. Published 4 October 2019. Updated 30 July 2024.