{"id":187751,"date":"2019-04-30T15:37:48","date_gmt":"2019-04-30T14:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?p=187751"},"modified":"2024-04-09T10:25:58","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T09:25:58","slug":"named-driver-car-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/car-insurance\/named-driver-car-insurance","title":{"rendered":"Named driver car insurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to find an affordable way to insure your son or daughter to drive your car? Or perhaps you want to insure a friend or colleague who uses your car at weekends? In this guide, we explain what named driver car insurance is and when you might use it. Plus, we highlight the costs and downsides of putting an additional driver on your insurance policy.<\/p>

What is named driver car insurance?<\/h3>

Named driver car insurance isn\u2019t a separate type of policy. It\u2019s a term commonly used when the main driver officially adds someone to their car insurance policy as an additional driver.<\/p>

Also known as \u201cadditional driver\u201d insurance, you might make your son or daughter a named driver if they\u2019ve just learned to drive and need to use the car every now and then or if your colleague or friend uses your car or van occasionally.<\/p>

Basically, if someone else is using your vehicle from time to time, they won\u2019t automatically be covered by your motor insurance. So you\u2019ll need to add them as a named driver. With this, they\u2019ll get the same level of cover as you do as the main driver of your car.<\/p>

Can I save money by adding someone to my car insurance policy?<\/h3>

Well, that depends on who you\u2019re adding. Insurers are all about risk. If you\u2019re a low-risk driver \u2013 perhaps you\u2019re an experienced driver in your forties or fifties, with a clean driving record and no history of claims \u2013 your premiums will be lower as a result.<\/p>

If you then add a young, inexperienced driver to your policy, the insurer will see this as an increased risk of your car being involved in an accident. That\u2019s not their imagination \u2013 there are government statistics that back this up. This data shows that drivers aged 17-24 are more likely to be injured in an accident. Car insurance industry data also shows that drivers in this age group are more likely to make a claim.<\/p>

Claims cost insurers money, so if you add a young driver to your policy, this will be reflected in your premium.<\/p>

But the reverse also holds true. If you\u2019re a young driver looking to cut the cost of car insurance, you could do worse than add a more experienced driver as a named driver to your policy. Car insurers will like the fact that, at least some of the time, your car may be driven by a lower-risk driver.<\/p>

If you add someone to your policy who\u2019s a similar risk to you \u2013 perhaps a friend or partner of a similar age, with a similar driving record \u2013 you may find it doesn\u2019t affect your premium much.<\/p>

How much does named driver car insurance cost?<\/h3>

There\u2019s no clear-cut answer to this as it depends on who you add as a named driver and when you add them.<\/p>

Adding a named driver when you take out your annual policy could affect your premium. If the person you\u2019re adding is a trusted and experienced driver, it could take it down. Or, if you\u2019re adding a young or rookie driver, it could shoot your premium costs up.<\/p>

You can also add a named driver part way through the year. As well as potentially affecting your premium (so you might have to pay a top-up if you add a less experienced driver, for example), you might have to pay an administration fee to your insurer for making this change.<\/p>

Main driver vs named driver \u2013 what\u2019s the difference?<\/h3>

This may seem like insurance jargon, but it\u2019s actually crucial.<\/p>

The main driver on a car insurance policy has to be the person that uses the car the most \u2013 usually the owner of the car (though there are exceptions). While it\u2019s expected that named drivers will drive the car, at least occasionally, they shouldn\u2019t be the main users of the car.<\/p>

Why does it matter who is the main driver and who is the named driver?<\/h3>

If you are the driver that uses the car the most but put someone else down as the main driver and yourself as a named driver, you could be guilty of \u201cfronting\u201d.<\/p>

This is a form of insurance fraud that could invalidate your policy and could even lead to a criminal conviction. It\u2019s most commonly seen when parents put themselves as the main driver on a car when their son or daughter is the person using it most (or all of the time).<\/p>

People do it to cut costs since getting a main motor policy tends to be more expensive for younger, more inexperienced drivers.<\/p>

How can I add another driver to my car insurance policy?<\/h3>

If you\u2019re starting a new main motor insurance policy, then you can ask to add other drivers to it when you\u2019re applying. However, if you\u2019re looking to put a named driver on your current deal, then these are the basic steps to take.<\/p>