Insurance knowledge gaps: driving other people's cars in the UK

A record 160,000 uninsured vehicles were seized from UK roads last year - the highest figure in 17 years, according to the Motor Insurers' Bureau. An estimated 300,000 vehicles are driven without valid insurance every single day in the UK, costing the economy around £1 billion annually.

But Covertime's research suggests the problem runs deeper than deliberate law-breaking. Millions of drivers may be unknowingly exposed every time they get behind the wheel of a car they do not own - not because they are reckless, but because the rules around Driving Other Cars cover are poorly understood and rarely explained clearly.

When we asked 1,120 UK licenced drivers about DOC cover, the results were stark: fewer than one in four could correctly state both whether their own policy includes DOC cover and what it actually provides if it does.

Driving Other Cars cover is a provision included on some comprehensive motor insurance policies that allows the policyholder to drive a vehicle they do not own, with the owner's permission. It is not automatic. Many policies - particularly those held by younger or less experienced drivers - do not include DOC cover at all, and whether or not it is included varies significantly from insurer to insurer.

Even when a policy does include DOC cover, it provides third-party protection only. That means it pays out for damage to other vehicles and third parties in an accident, but it will not cover damage to the car you are borrowing. If you damage a friend's car while borrowing it, the repair bill falls to you personally - or to their insurer, which can affect their no-claims bonus and lead to a difficult situation.

Our research found that only 40% of drivers could correctly identify this critical limitation. The remaining 60% either thought DOC cover was comprehensive, or were unsure.

The simplest way to protect yourself and the car you are borrowing is to check your position before you get in, not after.

• Check your policy documents before getting in the car. DOC cover is not standard and varies significantly between insurers - do not assume it is there.
• Do not assume comprehensive insurance means you can drive any car. The word comprehensive refers to the level of protection on your own vehicle, not the vehicles you are allowed to drive.
• If your policy does include DOC cover, check what it actually provides. It will be third-party only. It will not cover damage to the car you are driving.
• If you are lending your car, check whether the borrower's own insurance covers them to drive it, or arrange temporary insurance for the borrower before handing over the keys.
• Consider temporary car insurance as the safest and simplest solution. A short-term policy is comprehensive, protects both you and the car owner, and can be arranged without affecting anyone's annual policy or no-claims record.