If You're Fully Comprehensive Can You Drive Any Car?

The short answer is no. Having fully comprehensive car insurance doesn’t automatically cover you to drive any car. In fact, no insurance policy lets you jump behind the wheel of any car you want. 

This is because every car must have its own insurance policy. If you want to drive someone else’s vehicle, you need a different type of cover, such as driving other cars (DOC) cover, temporary insurance, or named driver insurance.

Before we explain what these different policies are, let’s quickly touch on fully comprehensive insurance.

What does comprehensive car insurance cover? 

Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of coverage you can get. In the past, it typically included DOC cover, which is why many people wrongly assume that it allows them to drive other vehicles. However, most insurance providers no longer offer DOC cover.

So, what cover do you get with comprehensive insurance? In general, most policies will cover the costs of:

• Accidental damage to your own car
• Third-party liability
• Personal injury
• Fire or flood damage
• Theft
• Vandalism

Comprehensive insurance covers you for most types of damage, making it preferable over third-party insurance and third-party, fire and theft (TPFT) insurance. However, it does have its limitations. It doesn’t cover things like everyday general wear and tear or mechanical failures. And, neither does it automatically allow you to drive any car. 

DOC cover allows you to drive someone else’s car — providing you have the owner’s permission to do so — without needing to be a named driver or purchase separate temporary car insurance. The vehicle you wish to drive must be covered by its own policy. 

Note that DOC cover is intended for emergency use (for example, if somebody you’re with needs to go to hospital). For this reason, it only offers third-party cover. So, if you’re involved in an accident while driving the car, you’re liable for the cost of repairs.

If you want DOC cover, here’s how you can get it.

Ask your insurer if they offer DOC cover

Most comprehensive policies won’t include DOC cover, but it’s worth contacting your provider to make sure. Some insurers may allow you to add DOC cover to your policy. You could also check your policy documents or certificate — there’s a chance you might already have it. 

Check whether you’re eligible for DOC cover

Not everyone can get DOC cover. Certain restrictions apply that may make you ineligible, for example:

• You must be 25 or older at the start date of the policy — those under 25 are ineligible for DOC cover.
• You must have a comprehensive car insurance policy — third-party and TPFT insurance don’t offer DOC coverage.
• The car you wish to drive must have its own existing policy.
• You can’t be in the motor trade.
• You need the policyholder’s permission before you can drive the car.

Be aware that having past insurance claims, points on your license, or criminal convictions may also affect DOC cover eligibility

Shop around for providers that offer DOC

If your current insurer doesn’t offer DOC cover, consider shopping around for one that does. It’s worth noting again that not many insurance providers offer DOC cover anymore, so it might take some digging. Make sure to compare car insurance policies and prices to make sure that you get the best deal.

If you’re not eligible for DOC cover or it isn’t quite right for you, there are other options that may be more suited to your needs. This includes temporary insurance, adding named drivers to your insurance, and any-driver insurance.

Temporary car insurance

Temporary car insurance, also known as short-term car insurance, gives you immediate, short-term cover to drive somebody else’s car. It’s offered on a flexible basis, so you can choose to be insured for as little as an hour, or as much as one month. 

It’s useful in all sorts of situations, such as:

• Learning to drive in a parent’s car.
• Sharing driving responsibilities if you’re going on a road trip.
• Driving another car in an emergency.
• Borrowing a friend's car temporarily.
• Using a family member’s car when you’re home from university.

What’s great about temporary cover is that it’s usually fully comprehensive. This means you’re covered for repairs should you be involved in an incident while driving the car. And, it doesn’t affect the policyholder’s no-claims bonus. 

Adding named drivers

If you want to drive someone else’s car on a regular or semi-regular basis, why not ask them to add you as a named driver on their existing policy?

Named drivers are covered for occasional use of the vehicle and have the same level of cover as the main driver. 
Adding a named driver tends to be beneficial for students and young drivers. They’re often subject to high insurance premiums as they’re perceived to be high-risk by insurers. They can be added to an older relative's car to allow them to drive the car occasionally.

Bear in mind that adding an at-risk driver can up the premium cost for the policyholders, while adding a low-risk driver may lower costs. Falsely declaring someone as the main driver to get cheaper premiums is an offence known as “fronting” — make sure to avoid this at all costs. 

Any-driver car insurance

Any-driver car insurance can be taken out on a car to allow anyone to drive the vehicle (with prior consent).

It’s primarily reserved for business purposes to allow multiple employees to drive the same vehicle without needing to take out separate insurance policies. Fleet vehicles, driving school vehicles, and delivery/courier service vehicles are typically covered by any-driver insurance.

Large families who share a vehicle might also opt for any-driver insurance if it’s more practical to do so.
However, this convenience comes at a cost. Any-driver car insurance is more expensive than the other options on the list, so it’s important to compare car insurance quotes and options to see if it’s financially feasible.

It’s illegal to drive a vehicle without insurance, whether it’s your own car or someone else’s. If you're caught driving someone else’s car without DOC, temporary, named driver, or any-driver insurance, then you’ll be charged with an IN10 driving offence.

An IN10 driving offence:

• Adds at least six penalty points to your driving licence for a length of four years.
• Incurs a fixed fine of £300, which can increase to an unlimited fine if the case goes to court.

Depending on the nature of the offence, the car may be seized and you could even face a driving ban. The policyholder’s insurance policy won’t cover the cost of damages or personal injury sustained while you were driving the vehicle. And, you’ll have to declare the offence when you apply for a new policy, reducing your chances of being accepted.

It’s not worth the risk. So, always make sure you have the correct insurance before you drive someone else's car.