Am I Covered to Drive Other Cars?

by Martin McRandal | 1 min read     January 8th, 2020
 

You might assume that your car insurance policy automatically covers you to drive other cars. But are you really covered? We help break down what to consider.

What is ‘Driving Other Cars’ Cover?

The purpose of car insurance is to cover driving of and damage to one specific car. ‘Driving other cars’ relates to cover of cars other than the insured car.

Am I Covered to Drive Other Cars?

A car insurance policy may include a ‘driving other cars’ cover extension as part of the standard cover, or there may be an additional charge to include this cover as an optional extra. Check with your insurer if you are unsure which is true for your policy.

Limits to Cover

If you do have ‘driving other cars’ cover the extent of cover may be different from what you expect. Typically, cover for ‘driving other cars’ is restricted as follows:

  • Only the policyholder is covered, but not any additional drivers (i.e. a named driver) on your policy
  • Your third party liability is covered only; not damage to the car you are driving

Your policy may include different restrictions. For example, Allianz’s ‘driving other cars’ cover does not apply to policyholders under the age of 25, driving another car that belongs to the policyholder or a car that belongs to the policyholders’ employer, or driving a car hired or leased to the policyholder. It’s best to check with your insurer to be sure of what exclusions may apply to your policy.

It’s important to remember that this benefit is intended for infrequent use. For example, driving a friend home who has fallen ill. For frequent use, becoming a named driver for the other car is the appropriate route to take.

 

 This guidance is for general information purposes only.

Allianz p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Standard acceptance criteria and policy conditions apply.

Learn more about Allianz Car Insurance.

Martin McRandal
Business owner, consultant, and expert witness. Former motor and property insurance underwriter.