Borrowing a friend’s car and how to get insurance

The main reason everyone drives is for convenience. People need to be able to drive to get to different places without the hassle of organising public transport which may not suit their timetable.

Having access to a car allows you to get to wherever you need to go on your own time. For some people, due to where they live, they may not need a car as they may live in a big city or town where there may be slightly more convenient ways to get about. This may include taxis or ubers, regular buses, trains, undergrounds, trams, or maybe even having everything within walking distance.

Speaking of convenience, let’s talk about borrowing a friend’s car, and how to make sure you’re insured to drive it.

Why would you borrow a friend’s car?

So as mentioned using a car is basically for convenience, so what inconvenience would this save you?

First, on a long drive, you may want to share the driving load, over a long journey driving can get very tiring. Being tired while driving is not only frustrating and boring but can also be somewhat dangerous as it causes the driver to lose concentration.

So, this makes borrowing the car a good idea, if you and a friend are driving a long distance then it makes sense to split the journey. By taking half each, this allows for a rest stop and the other person to take all the concentration.

Second, to avoid paying for public transport. If you plan to go away somewhere not only does temporary car insurance save you from doing all of the driving, but it also can help eliminate the need for public transport or taxis.

For example, if you’re going away, and need to get to an airport, which can be very expensive, you and a friend could easily get insured on the same car, or borrow each other’s car and drive away. Getting Veygo’s temporary car insurance could save you money by not having to pay for public transport.

If you’re unable to drive, maybe with some kind of injury, or maybe your own car is in the garage and you need, or want to borrow someone else’s car.

Setting the scene, if you’ve gone to play some kind of sport and your friend has driven their car and they’ve somehow got injured and unable to drive, then you’re going to need to drive their car. You can get Veygo’s temporary car insurance from your phone, so you can drive their car legally.

A similar scenario can apply if your or your friend’s car breaks down, they may need to borrow a car, or you may need to borrow theirs. Again, you can get temporary insurance through the Veygo website and be insured on their car.

Does your own insurance cover you to drive a friend’s car?

Don’t assume it does. Some fully comprehensive policies include a driving other cars extension, but it’s less and less common as standard, and it comes with limits.

What is driving other cars (DOC) cover?

Driving other cars, or DOC, is an extension included in some car insurance policies. It lets you drive another person’s car, with their permission, under your own policy. But:

• It’s often only offered to drivers aged 25 or over, and some jobs, including many in the motor trade, may rule you out.
• It usually only gives third party cover, even if your own policy is fully comprehensive. If you crash your friend’s car, paying to repair it would be down to you.
• It’s usually meant for emergencies, not regular use.
• It often can’t be used to drive a car that belongs to your partner.

If you think you have DOC, check your policy documents or ask your insurer before you rely on it.

Your options for insuring a borrowed car

• Be added to their policy as a named driver. This usually makes most sense if you drive their car regularly. There may be an admin fee, and if you have an accident, it could affect the car owner’s No Claims Bonus. Read more about adding a driver to your car insurance.
• Get temporary car insurance in your own name. This suits occasional or one-off trips, because you pay only for the time you need.

Can I borrow a friend’s car with Veygo?

• You must be aged 17 to 75, and have a full, valid UK driving licence.
• You should have no more than 6 penalty points, depending on the conviction code.
• If you have had any fault claims or motoring convictions, this may affect your ability to get temporary cover.
• You need to get the car owner’s permission and agree to take responsibility for getting the right cover.

Is the car fit for borrowing?

• The car can be no more than 40 years old.
• Some types of car can’t be covered, so check the list of vehicles we cover before you get a quote.

Why share the car?

There are a few reasons why splitting car journeys, sharing cars, or lending cars may come in handy so let’s explore a few.

• Reduces fatigue on long journeys
• Could save you money, by sharing fuel costs in one car, only paying for cover while you need it and avoiding public transport fares.
• Convenience, as mentioned previously if there are any kind of injuries, breakdowns, or any other reason you can’t access your car but need to.

How to get covered

Check you meet the eligibility criteria above, make sure the car owner is happy for you to drive, then use the button below to get a quote for temporary car insurance.