Borrow a friend’s or relative’s car with your own fully comprehensive policy, so their insurance stays exactly as it is.
Most of us have borrowed a car at some point, and most of us have wondered whether we were actually insured. Covrly gives you insurance to drive someone else’s car in your own name, for as long as you need it. If anything goes wrong, the claim is on your policy, not theirs.
Your policy is standalone, so a claim won’t affect the owner’s annual insurance or no claims.
The owner doesn’t need to add you as a named driver or change their policy mid-term.
Borrow the car for an hour, a weekend or a few weeks, and insure yourself for exactly that.
Yes. In the UK, you must be insured to drive the specific car you’re in. The owner’s policy only covers you if you’re named on it or it allows any driver, and ‘any driver’ cover is uncommon on personal policies.
Your own annual policy probably won’t help either. ‘Driving other cars’ cover used to be common, but many policies no longer include it. Where it is included, it’s often third party only, may come with extra conditions and is frequently restricted by age. Your certificate of insurance will say whether you’re covered to drive other vehicles.
Getting this wrong has real consequences. Driving without insurance can mean a £300 fixed penalty and 6 points, or an unlimited fine and disqualification if it goes to court. The car can also be seized, which is not how you want to return a borrowed car.
Yes, and borrowing is one of the main reasons people use Covrly. With the owner’s permission, you take out a standalone, fully comprehensive policy on their car for anything from an hour to 30 days.
You’ll need the car’s registration and some details about yourself. The car must be UK-registered, and eligibility and underwriting criteria apply to both you and the vehicle. Your documents arrive by email straight away and your details are added to the Motor Insurance Database.
Typical reasons people borrow a car:
The usual alternative to temporary cover is being added as a named driver on the owner’s policy. That can work for regular arrangements, but there’s a catch: if you have an accident, the claim goes on their policy. That can reduce their No Claims Discount and push up their premium at renewal.
With a Covrly policy, the owner’s annual insurance isn’t involved at all. You claim on your own policy, any excess is handled under its terms, and their record stays as it was.
It’s still worth agreeing the basics with the owner first: when the car will be back, who pays for fuel and what happens if you need to claim. A two-minute chat now saves a lot of awkwardness later.
A few situations catch people out, so it’s worth being clear about them:
If you find you’re borrowing the same car most weeks, it may be time for a longer-term arrangement, such as being added properly to the owner’s policy or insuring a car of your own.
The basic rule doesn’t change, whoever owns the car: you need cover. But the right length of policy might. Borrowing a partner’s car for a weekend is a classic short job, while using a parent’s car for a month over the summer may suit a longer temporary policy.
Age and experience play a big part in what you’ll pay. If you’re young or newly qualified, our pages for young drivers and new drivers explain what to expect and how to keep costs sensible.
Yes. You must be insured to drive the specific car you’re using. Unless you’re named on the owner’s policy or have confirmed cover elsewhere, you’ll need your own policy, such as temporary cover.
Yes, with the owner’s permission. You take out a standalone policy in your own name for anything from 1 hour to 30 days, subject to eligibility criteria for you and the car.
Possibly, but don’t assume it. Many policies no longer include driving other cars cover, and where they do it’s often third party only. Check your certificate of insurance to be sure.
Not if you’re on your own temporary policy. Any claim is made on your policy, so the owner’s No Claims Discount isn’t affected. If you were a named driver on their policy instead, a claim would go on their record.
Yes. You should only take out a policy on a car you have the owner’s permission to drive.
Yes. A single Covrly policy can last up to 30 days. If you need the car for longer, arrange new cover before the first policy ends, subject to eligibility.