Named Driver Car Insurance

What is named driver car insurance?

In car insurance, there are multiple policies designed to match different needs. Named driver car insurance is one of them, and this type of insurance is best for those car owners who want to allow others to drive their car. According to insurance terms, only those people are allowed to drive the car whose name is mentioned in the insurance policy.

If any other driver drives the car whose name is not listed in the car insurance policy, and by chance, the car gets into an accident, then the car owner can not claim the damages and will be responsible for these damages. Mostly those car owners can benefit from this policy who share their car with their family members, relatives and friends.

Furthermore, it is better to read the insurance terms clearly before choosing named driver car insurance. This is because some policies may contain additional restrictions, such as age or experience, for named drivers.

How to add someone to your car insurance?

We can add the named driver to our car insurance policy by contacting the insurance company and informing them about the addition of the named driver to the policy. You should add someone to the policy after checking the eligibility of the driver, which is mentioned in the insurance policy.

Most car owners add their family members, such as spouses or close friends, to their policies as well. However, adding a new or inexperienced driver can cause a high insurance premium for the car owner. Before adding a named driver to your policy, the insurance company needs some details for the named driver, such as their:

• Complete Name
• Date of Birth
• License Number of Driver
• Driving History

How much does it cost to add a named driver to your car insurance policy?

The cost of adding a named driver to your car insurance policy depends on many factors. These factors are driver age, driving experience, relationship to the policyholder holder and driving history. Here is a brief description of some of these factors and how they impact the cost.

Admin Fee

Many insurance companies charge an admin fee for changes in insurance policy. If you want to add a named driver, then you’ll have to pay administration charges to update your policy terms.

Risk Profile

Some insurers make changes in insurance premiums, which depend on the risk profile of the added driver. When we add a well-experienced driver to our car insurance policy then it might decrease the insurance premium. On the other hand, adding an experienced or new driver or a high-risk driver could increase the insurance premium.

Number of Named Drivers

The cost of adding a named driver to an insurance policy is also dependent on how many drivers you want to add to the policy. Normally, adding one extra driver to the car insurance policy will cost less as compared to adding four named drivers to your car insurance policy.

Furthermore, this cost may also change depending on the insurance company and the driver you name for your policy.

Type of Vehicle

Additionally, the type of car will also affect the cost of adding a named driver to the car insurance policy. For high-end performance-oriented vehicles, adding a named driver to your policy typically costs more than for other vehicles. However, for less expensive vehicles, the cost of adding a named driver to the car insurance policy is comparatively low.

Location

The location of the car will also affect the cost of adding a named driver. This may include factors such as where you mostly park the car, like in a street or garage or in an area where theft risk is higher. If the location of your car is a low-risk area, then adding a named driver will cost less. However,  it will cost more if the location of your vehicle is a high-risk area.

Discounts

The cost of insurance is also based on the discounts you’ll be eligible for if you add family members as named drivers. Some insurance companies provide better rates or discounts if the named driver is a close friend, family member or spouse.

Car Usage

In addition to the above factors, the cost of adding a named driver also depends on how often the named driver uses the car. If the named driver uses the car occasionally, then the insurance company will charge a minimal amount. However, if he uses the car regularly, then the insurance company will charge a higher amount for the named driver.

Can I save money by adding named drivers to my car insurance?

Saving money by adding a named driver is possible, but it depends on certain factors such as the experience of the driver you want to add to your policy, their age, driving history, etc.

Most of the insurance companies calculate their premium based on the risk factor. If the profile of a named driver is assumed high risk, then the insurance company will charge a high premium. However, if the named driver profile is considered low-risk, the insurance company will charge a low premium.

The price also depends on the history of driving, such as past accidents or convictions. The clean driving history of the named driver aids in lowering the cost of insurance for adding a named driver.

Avoid the Risk of Fronting

Sometimes people add an experienced named driver, such as an elderly friend or parent, to reduce the insurance premium cost. However, if the experienced named driver uses the car just for some time, and instead the young/inexperienced person uses the car regularly, then this would be fronting.

You should avoid fronting because this is a fraud, and if it is discovered, then the insurance company may cancel the insurance policy.

Can I add others to my car insurance for the short term?

Yes, you can add others to your car insurance policy for a short period of time. It mostly depends on the insurance company’s terms and conditions. Many car insurance companies allow you to add a temporary or short-term driver.

In most cases, the temporary driver could be a close friend visiting your town or city, or they could be a family member who uses the car from home to college, school, or somewhere else. A temporary driver who helps us in emergency-like situations can also be added as a short-term driver.

In most cases, insurance companies allow short-term drivers to use the car anywhere. Its duration also depends on the terms and conditions of the insurance company.

How to add a temporary Driver to your car insurance?

If you want to add a temporary driver to a car insurance policy for a short period, then you need to engage with the insurance company. Usually, the car insurance company may demand the following documents from a temporary driver.

• Full Name
• Date of birth
• Driver’s License number
• Driving History

In most cases, insurance companies add temporary drivers to a car insurance policy online, and it does not require visiting in person. Some insurance companies have certain conditions to add a temporary or short-term driver, such as the temporary driver must have a valid driving license.

Furthermore, it may be required that the temporary driver must have a good driving history and meet the insurance company’s standards set for named drivers.

There could be certain other policies, like some insurance companies may set a condition that the temporary driver must live in the same area. In such scenarios, adding your family members as named drivers will be most suitable.

What is the effect of adding a temporary driver to your policy?

Remember that adding a driver, even if he is a short-term driver, may affect the price of insurance premiums. It is applicable in cases where a temporary driver has a high-risk profile and a bad driving history. You should read the insurance policy terms and conditions, such as rules and regulations, clearly before adding a temporary, short-term, or named driver to your car insurance.

Can a young driver be added to my car insurance as a named driver?

You can add a young driver to a car insurance policy as a named driver, but it mostly depends on the terms and conditions of the car insurance company. In most cases, many parents add their children to the car insurance policy as a named driver without taking out a new car insurance policy for their adult children.

Adding a young driver to a car insurance policy as a named driver has some benefits and drawbacks, too. So, it is always recommended to read the policy details related to applicable terms and conditions clearly before adding a young driver to your insurance policy.

Adding Drivers < 25 Years to Policy

Typically, people aged lower than 25 years are considered young drivers. This age group is considered the most risky drivers by insurance companies because they are mostly inexperienced. If we check the history of accidents, young drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, so insuring them separately is very costly and expensive. Therefore, adding a young driver as a named driver to the existing insurance policy will make it affordable and less expensive.

Adding Young Children to Policy

Sometimes parents add young children as the main driver in their car insurance policy. However, if the car is mostly driven by a named driver instead of the main driver, it will be considered as fronting, which has its own legal considerations. Fronting has some serious consequences, such as cancellation of the insurance policy, and it also has criminal charges as well; therefore, it is important that the main driver who is listed in the insurance policy must use the car frequently rather than the named driver.

How to add a young driver to your car insurance policy?

The procedure of adding a young driver to your car insurance policy is the same as we discussed earlier. You need to provide their details, like the name of the young driver, date of birth, driving history, and the driving license. You can contact the insurance company to add the young named driver over the telephone or in person. Some insurance companies allow you to add a young named driver online. Adding a young driver to a car insurance policy is a possible, practical, and economical option as well.

How to get a car insurance quotation?

Getting an insurance quotation is a very important step before purchasing the insurance policy. Quotation gives you an idea of how much the insurance premium will be and the estimated cost of the insurance policy based on the vehicle details you want to insure, driving history and personal details.

1. First of all, you should collect the most important details, such as the car you want to insure, the area where you usually drive, the type of car coverage, the people’s details you want to add as a named driver, etc.
2. The next step is to get multiple car insurance quotations from different insurance companies by visiting the websites of insurers offering services in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, you can visit insurance companies’ websites to navigate and read the coverage terms and conditions.
3. After getting insurance quotations from different insurance providers, you should compare the prices and services and choose the service which best suits your needs.
4. It’s important to consider the budget too, as if a policy is not affordable in the long run, then you won’t be able to continue it. Car insurance is a legal requirement that you must have to continue driving on UK roads.

By following all the above steps, you can get the most economical insurance policy for your car.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a named driver?

A named driver is a person who uses your car a few times, other than the main driver. He can be your family member or close friend. To add a named driver to your policy, you need to mention your intent and the details of the driver to the insurance company.

Does adding a Named Driver to a car policy affect the insurance premium?

Yes, adding a named driver can increase your premium, but mostly it depends on the named driver’s experience, age and driving history. The details of named drivers are analysed to figure out the additional cost you need to pay to continue your car insurance.

What is fronting in car insurance?

When the named driver uses the car more frequently instead of the main driver, it is called fronting. Fronting is fraud and illegal. You should avoid fronting because it has some serious consequences, such as criminal charges and cancellation of the insurance policy.

Can a named driver use the other cars?

No, a named driver can not use the other cars you have. A named driver is only allowed to drive a car in which their name is listed in the insurance policy. If they want to use another car, they must insure it separately in a different car insurance policy.

Can I remove the named driver from the policy?

Yes, you can add or remove a named driver at any time, but it may impact the premium for your car insurance policy. In most cases, many insurance companies may charge administrative fees for the removal of the named driver.

Why is it more expensive to add young drivers as named drivers?

Adding a young driver to your car insurance policy also has some disadvantages, such as increased insurance premiums because the young driver is less experienced and bad driving history. So, they are mostly considered a high-risk profile. Some of the insurance companies may impose some restrictions on young named drivers, like the time of driving and the places where they can or cannot drive.

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