Can I drive someone else’s car with their permission with road risk insurance?
Driving other cars is not usually included in your standard car insurance, and some providers don’t offer this as an option. Even ‘Fully Comprehensive’ insurance may not include a Driving Other Cars (DOC) clause, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get it. Traders in the motor industry are eligible for Road Risk Insurance.
Can I Drive Someone Else’s Car On Any Insurance?
For most types of car insurance, when you take the policy out you name yourself as a driver of a particular car or group of cars. To drive someone else’s car, you can become a named driver on their vehicle insurance or get one of the following:
Temporary Car Insurance that names you as a short-term driver on their vehicle. This can be as short as 1 hour or as long as 28 days.
Road Risks Insurance, cover for those driving other cars for work.
A Driving Other Cars clause in your personal insurance. This usually only covers you for emergency situations and third-party damage or injury, not the car you are driving.
Another option is Any Driver Insurance, which the owner of the vehicle would need to apply for: this allows anyone with a valid license to drive the named vehicle.
What Are The Risks Of Driving Someone Else’s Car Without Insurance?
If you have an accident or are found by the police driving another car without proper insurance, the consequences could be serious.
All drivers in the UK must have at least third-party insurance so that any damage or injury to other people or their property can be paid for. The legal implications of driving someone else’s car without insurance are:
- 6 points on your driving licence
- A fixed-penalty fine of £300
- If the case goes to court, a judge could give you:
- An unlimited fine
- A driving ban
Even if it’s an emergency, you need a DOC clause in your insurance policy to avoid these penalties.
Road Risk Insurance: Who is it for?
For Motor traders, such as mechanics or car dealerships, Road Risk Insurance helps when someone needs to drive a car for business purposes. This is a type of insurance which comes under Motor Trade Insurance. Road risk insurance is a legal requirement in the UK for businesses that involve moving vehicles.
What Risks Does Road Risk Insurance Cover?
Roar Risk Insurance provides cover if the vehicle is damaged on the road, and can be third party only, third party, fire and theft, or comprehensive, just like a standard car insurance policy. The difference is that it specifies only the drivers, not the vehicle.
Road Risk Third-Party Only insurance will pay for compensation or repairs for other people in an accident, but not the vehicle you are driving.
Road Risk Third-Party, Fire and Theft policies cover damage to another person or their property as well as cover for vehicles in your care in the event of fire damage or theft.
Road Risk Comprehensive insurance covers all of the above as well as damage incurred in an accident which is your fault.
What Isn’t Covered?
It is common for Road Risk Insurance policies to exclude your personal vehicle. You must be able to prove to the insurers that you are running a motor trade business before you can purchase any motor trade insurance, to make sure you aren’t looking for a cheap way to drive any vehicle.
The type of vehicle you work with is important, as insurers may exclude some types of cars as being more expensive to repair, such as classic cars, camper vans or agricultural vehicles. If you need cover for particular types of vehicles, make sure you inform your insurer when you take out the policy.
Road Risk Insurance vs Combined Motor Trade Insurance
We’ve already covered the different types of Road Risk Insurance, but what about Combined Insurance for Motor Traders?
This is another level of cover again from comprehensive road risk insurance and is designed for sizeable and complex motor trade businesses. The policy combines Road Risk Insurance with cover for:
- Your business premises in the event of flood, fire and damage
- Vehicles in your possession, whether you’re selling them as stock or they belong to a customer
- General stock aside from vehicles
- Cash kept on site
- Tools at risk of theft
- Fixed Machinery on the business premises
- Business Interruption due to fire or flood.
Get Insured for Every Car You Drive
Third-Party Insurance is the minimum requirement for driving a car legally in the UK. Even in an emergency, driving someone else’s car without insurance can have long-lasting legal consequences, even if the owner gives permission. If you need insurance to drive someone else’s car, Contact Nash Warren to discuss the best options for your situation. We can get you temporary car insurance, motor trade road risk insurance or help you add a DOC clause to your existing policy.
