Some people might assume that, because they have comprehensive car insurance, they’re covered to drive other cars as well. But that may not be the case. We’ve looked at what DOC insurance means and how you can get the best cover for your needs.<\/p>
Drive other cars insurance, or DOC insurance as it’s sometimes known, is the option to drive someone else’s car without being a named driver on their policy, and still meet at least the minimum legal requirement for insurance cover on UK roads (third party only<\/a>).<\/p> That depends on the cover you have and what provider you’ve taken this out through.<\/p> Some include this type of cover with third party only insurance, and some even offer comprehensive cover as standard. However, in many cases, DOC cover is an optional extra that requires an additional premium.<\/p> DOC insurance used to be a standard element of comprehensive car insurance<\/a> policies, with drivers getting third party cover to drive other vehicles. However, this isn’t true of all policies these days.<\/p> For those providers that still offer this type of cover, it will likely only be available as standard with a comprehensive policy. Other insurers will allow you to add DOC insurance to your comprehensive policy (it’s not usually available with lower levels of cover).<\/p> This depends on the insurer. Most would offer third party cover only, though in some cases you would be able to extend this to comprehensive cover for an extra premium.<\/p> Some providers offer comprehensive cover when driving other cars, but this is rare.<\/p> In some cases, there might be extra restrictions on DOC insurance cover, like the age of the driver and the length of time the policy can last for. Check your policy details carefully to make sure you know exactly what is and isn’t covered.<\/p> You can check your policy documents or speak to your insurer directly.<\/p> Never assume this is included in the cover \u2013 always make sure before you get behind the wheel to avoid ending up driving uninsured.<\/p> Eligibility criteria will vary by insurer, but these are some of the typical requirements:<\/p> Adding a named driver means that a specific other person can drive your car, or you can drive theirs if they add you as a named driver on their policy. This is good for couples and family members, as you get fully comprehensive cover to drive the car whenever you need to.<\/p> Driving other cars insurance means you can drive any other car, not just one where you are a named driver on the policy. This is best for emergencies, for example, if you need to drive a friend or family member to the hospital. In most cases, you will only get third party cover with DOC insurance, which is the minimum level legally required to drive on UK roads.<\/p> If you cannot get drive other cars insurance, either because you don’t meet the eligibility criteria or because your insurer doesn’t offer it, you still have some other options. These include:<\/p>Can I drive another car on my insurance?<\/h3>
Can I drive another car on comprehensive insurance?<\/h3>
What level of cover will I have if I’m insured to drive other cars?<\/h3>
How do I find out if I have driving other cars insurance on my policy?<\/h3>
What do I need to do to be eligible for DOC?<\/h3>
How is driving other cars different to adding a named driver?<\/h3>
What can I do if I don’t have DOC insurance?<\/h3>
Frequently asked questions<\/h3>
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