Can you insure a car you don't own?

Why might I need to borrow a car that doesn’t belong to me?

• You might not own a car
• Your car might be elsewhere (e.g. it might be at the garage)
• You might want to borrow a bigger car (e.g. for moving house)
• You might be asked to drive someone else’s car

Can I insure a car I don’t own?

The short answer is, yes, you can insure a car that you don’t own – and there are different ways you can do this.

Even if someone else insures a car, you can have third-party protection through your own policy if you have driving other cars (DOC) cover. However, most people tend to choose a temporary car insurance policy or ask for their name to be added to the registered keeper’s existing policy for that car.

What’s the difference between registered keeper, owner and policyholder?

• The registered keeper is the main, primary user of the car, not necessarily the owner or the person who paid for the vehicle. Responsibilities of the registered keeper include making sure the vehicle is taxed, has an up-to-date MOT certificate and is roadworthy p. You can find out who the registered keeper is in the V5C registration document.
• The owner is the person who has purchased the car or a person who has been gifted the vehicle. This applies to company cars – where the company owns the car – or when parents buy a car for their children.
• The policyholder is whoever takes out insurance.

You can be any one of the above without being the others e.g. a parent could pay for and insure a car that’s registered in their child’s name. You can also own a car without being the registered keeper but it’s important to inform your insurance provider about this setup.

It’s possible to insure a car not registered in your name with the DVLA. Many providers, including Tempcover, offer insurance to people for driving cars owned by others. However, this coverage is not always comprehensive (Tempcover is) so you need to read your policy documents.

What is insurable interest?

Insurable interest is the legal principle that means you can only insure something if you’d genuinely lose out financially were it damaged, lost or stolen. This is the reason you can’t take out a policy on a stranger’s car but can on your own or on a vehicle you drive regularly (with permission).

Most insurers will assume the policyholder owns the car they’re insuring and will also accept a partner, family member or employer paying for cover on someone else’s behalf. Some insurers may ask more questions or decline cover if the policyholder isn’t the registered keeper.

How can I insure a car I don't own?

You don’t need to own a car or be its registered keeper to be insured to drive it. There are the following options:

• Named driver - This is where you’re added to the owner’s existing policy. It’s suitable for people who drive a car regularly but can affect the owner’s premium and no claims bonus.
• Driving Other Cars (DOC) cover - This is an option on some comprehensive annual policies. It tends to only offer third-party cover and rarely covers drivers under 25 due to the risk involved.
• Take out temporary car insurance - A stand-alone policy that can run from an hour up to several weeks (Tempcover policies range from 1 hour to 28 days). This is a useful solution for anyone who wants to borrow a vehicle or drives occasionally. Tempcover policies are comprehensive as standard and have no impact on existing policies.

Remember, before taking out any insurance you’ll need to ask for the owner’s permission first.

What is fronting?

You need to be careful not to fall into the trap of ‘fronting’, which is where someone insured on someone else’s car drives it more frequently than the person who is named as the main driver. This is classed as insurance fraud and is against the law. Sometimes, less experienced drivers engage in fronting to save costs. Due to rising cases, the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has issued warnings about the consequences of fronting. This is thought to be caused by record-high quotes being issued, particularly to young drivers.

Can you buy insurance for a car you don’t own?

Yes, unless you are added to someone else’s insurance policy, you can buy your own insurance to drive someone else’s car.

It works in a similar way to insuring your own car and involves taking out a policy with an insurance company. You’ll need to you would like to be insured to drive someone else’s vehicle. Your other option is to secure temporary car insurance.

How much will it cost to take out insurance when driving a car I don’t own?

There is no set answer, but factors that will be considered include:

• Your age
• Your address
• Your occupation
• Your driving history
• Your chosen level of cover (e.g. comprehensive or third-party)
• The vehicle you plan to drive (and how secure it is)
• Your claims history
• Your no claims bonus
• Your excess

What happens if I don’t have the right car insurance?

Legally, you must have motor insurance to drive in the UK. Beyond this, you need to have at least third-party cover, regardless of whether you own the car or not. Otherwise, you could face serious penalties.

If you’re caught driving without the correct insurance, the police could give you a fine and penalty points. However, if your case goes to court, you could get an unlimited fine or be disqualified from driving altogether.

These conditions apply whether you’re driving your own vehicle or someone else’s. It’s also illegal for someone to allow you to use their car unless you have the correct insurance in place.

Can you get insurance if you don’t own a car?

Yes, so long as you are legally able to drive, you can be insured on someone’s car with permission and as long as you meet the criteria of the insurance company. It doesn’t matter whether you own or have ever owned your own car.

How long can I be insured on a car I don’t own?

This comes down to how long the owner and registered keeper is happy for you to be insured on their car. Most car insurance policies are renewed annually, so this will likely prompt discussions on whether you should remain on someone’s policy or be removed.

When taking out temporary car insurance, you can select a length of time that suits you and the registered keeper. You can get policies on an hourly, daily, weekly and monthly basis.

I already have fully comprehensive cover, will this cover me?

If you own a car and have fully comprehensive cover, this isn’t enough to cover you when driving a car you don’t own. This is because the insurance covers the car, not the driver – and isn’t transferrable from vehicle to vehicle. For this reason, you’ll need to take out a separate policy to drive a car you don’t own.

Occasionally, comprehensive cover will include a ‘driving other cars’ (DOC) clause with third-party-only protection. However, not all comprehensive policies don’t include this. Bear in mind that if you regularly drive someone else’s car, it may be worth being insured on their car under their main policy.

How long does it take to be insured on someone else’s car?

Taking out temporary car insurance is designed to be quick and easy so you can be on your way as soon as possible. You can get a quote within a couple of minutes with Tempcover.

If you get added to someone else’s policy, you’ll need to provide them with your details such as:

• Your name
• Your date of birth
• Your occupation
• Any driving convictions
• Details of any accidents you’ve been in

To take out your own policy on someone else’s car, it may take a little longer – just as it would if you were taking out a policy for your own car.

Your temporary insurance policy will appear on AskMid, but sometimes not straight away due to the short-term nature of the product

Get temporary car insurance with Tempcover

The flexibility of temporary car insurance can be beneficial – it can open up options when you might otherwise be restricted.

At Tempcover, we’ve issued temporary car insurance to millions of customers over the past 20 years. We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot based on over 50,000 reviews!

To get started, simply get a quote online.