Can Other People Drive My Car If I Have A Young Drivers’ Car Insurance Policy?
Caeva O'Callaghan | February 1st, 2023
There may come a time where you need someone to drive your car – but are they covered under your insurance?
No. Drivers under the age of 25 cannot get an extension on their insurance policy which lets other people drive their car.
Don’t assume that comprehensive car insurance means you’re covered if someone else drives your car, or that you’re okay to drive someone else’s. If you do get behind the wheel without checking that you’re insured, you could be driving illegally.
Check this article for answers to the following queries:
- Can I add someone else to my young drivers’ policy?
- Will my insurance cover me if I drive someone else’s car?
- Can someone else drive my car?
It depends if you’re over 25 or not, as the rules change for young drivers when they reach this age, no matter how long they’ve been driving.
Can I add someone else to my young drivers’ policy?
No. If you are under 25 with your own car insurance policy, you cannot add other drivers to your policy.
Insurers see under-25s as the riskiest group, and insurance companies will take fewer risks with this age group than with others.
If you’re going to university or travelling and won’t be needing your car, you can ask someone to take out their own temporary car insurance. This could be useful if you’re worried about leaving your car inactive for a period of time and need someone to look after it.
If you’re over 25, even if you haven’t been driving long, you should be able to drive anyone else’s car who gives you permission. This is because standard car insurance policies sold in Ireland usually include a section called Driving Other People’s Cars.
When you drive someone else’s car, it will be your own insurance policy which covers you in the event of an accident. This means the kind of cover you’ll have will depend on your policy, not the owner of the car’s. You should check your policy before you drive, as not all car insurance policies include this section.
Will my insurance cover me if I drive someone else’s car?
If you are over 25 and have Driving Other People’s Cars cover, you do not need to be a named driver on the other car owner’s policy. This is useful for emergencies, as adding someone as a named driver can be a lengthy process and may incur some admin fees.
But it’s vital to remember that Driving Other Cars should only be used for the very occasional or emergency use of another vehicle which is not owned by you – and it only applies where you have the owner’s permission to drive their car. You can’t just use it to pop to the shops whenever you like.
If sharing the car with its owner becomes a regular occurrence, it may have implications for this type of cover. It’s worth becoming a named driver on the policy, or else your claim may be rejected.
Can someone else drive my car?
If it’s an emergency, yes – as long as they are over 25. But the Driving Other People’s Car section of that person’s policy will only include third party cover. Third Party Only (TPO) cover is the minimum insurance Irish law requires you have to be able to drive in Ireland.
Third party car insurance covers damage to others as a result of an accident that is your fault. Damage to the car you’re driving is not covered by third party car insurance. Nor does it cover you if the car is stolen.
With third party only coverage, the insurance company will cover the damage done to the other car. However, the car you were driving will not be covered, so you’ll have to pay for repairs out of pocket.
If you aren’t sure what level of cover you have, talk to our insurance agents and they can check your policy. If your insurance is up for renewal and you are checking the market for a new policy, our trained insurance experts can help you find the right cover for your needs.
You can contact us on on 0818 224433 or 042 935905 Mon-Fri between from 8.30am and 5.30pm.