Additional Driver Insurance
Adding an additional driver to your car insurance is a very common option and is most often utilised by families or people sharing a car. A driver can be added on a permanent or a temporary basis.
How Does Adding An Additional Driver To Your Insurance Policy Work?
Adding an additional driver to your licence is a relatively straightforward procedure as long as the driver to be added is in the age bracket of 25-70. You can add a driver with a learner permit or a full licence, but the conditions and the effect it has on your premium will change depending on which type of permit the additional driver holds.
Normally, it’s as simple as calling your insurance provider and requesting that the person be added. You’ll need the additional driver’s licence details and a full record of their driving history.
Types of Additional Driver Cover
All types of additional driver cover are based on the named driver’s age, experience, permit type and driving record. There are three covers to consider.
Permanent Additional Drivers
A permanent additional driver is a named individual who will have permission and cover to drive your car for the duration of the insurance policy. The cover received by the named driver will be on the same terms as the main driver’s cover. For example, if you have comprehensive cover, the permanent named driver will also have this level of cover.
Temporary Additional Drivers
Temporary additional drivers are added for specified timeframes, such as when the main driver can’t drive their own car or when a visitor to their home or a family member needs to use their car. Temporary additional drivers are usually added for around 30 days, and depending on the insurer, you may have to pay a premium on top of your normal insurance.
Open Driver
Open driving is an optional extra that provides a function similar to temporary or permanent additional driver cover, but it applies to anyone aged 25-70 with a full driving licence and usually no more than a stated number of penalty points (six points is a common limit). It allows you to give permission to anyone who fulfils those requirements the freedom to drive your car and be covered by your insurance policy. It will cost an additional premium on top of the standard driver’s insurance cost. If you share a car with several people (in a family, for example), it may be cost-effective.
Permanent vs Temporary Additional Driver Insurance
Making a choice between a permanent versus a temporary additional driver insurance add-on is usually determined by the function of the addition. If you have a short-term guest in your home who needs to use your car, a temporary addition is the most appropriate option. You can explore a full list of car insurance options from the hub.
If, however, you want to give a family member full use of your car so that they can build experience, for example, then a permanent additional driver policy works best. It is only permanent in that it lasts as long as your current insurance policy’s end date.
Requirements to Add an Additional Driver
To add an extra driver to your insurance you will provide enough information to enable the insurer to reassess the policy risk and potentially amend the premium. Most insurers allow this to occur either online or over the telephone with the provider.
The typical information required is:
Full legal name of the additional driver
Date of birth
Driving licence number and date of issue
Country and location where they passed their driving test
Details of any penalty points, convictions, or driving disqualifications
Claims history (if applicable)
Relevant medical conditions affecting driving
Relationship to the main policyholder
You will also be asked to confirm what date the additional driver should start being covered. The coverage can begin immediately or at some point in the future. Some providers allow temporary additional drivers for a specific time frame, whereas others may cover the additional driver for the remainder of the current policy term.
How Does Adding An Additional Driver Affect Your Premium?
In the case of most insurance providers, the addition of a named driver will increase your premium. Named drivers tend to be younger drivers and are building experience. However, a more experienced driver with a full licence may receive a lower rate as an additional driver than a new driver with a learner driver permit.
Can The Named Driver Build a No-Claims Bonus?
No. The named driver cannot normally build a no-claims bonus, as it is linked directly to the main driver or policyholder. However, a named additional driver can build socalled “named driving experience” by being an additional driver. Insurance companies may take this into account when calculating credit towards starting the driver’s own no-claims bonus under their own policy at a future date.
Which Insurers Allow You To Add a Named Driver in Ireland?
Most insurance providers in Ireland allow named drivers to be added as additional drivers on a main policy. These include Allianz Ireland, 123.ie, Out Insurance, Chill Insurance, Redclick Insurance, Zurich, An Post Insurance and Aviva.
Additional Driver FAQ
Yes. You can add a named driver at any point in your current policy. The start and end dates depend on the type of addition you make. A temporary addition lasts for around 30 days (depending on the provider’s rules), and a permanent addition lasts until the end of the main driver’s current policy. The addition begins on a date that you specify. It can be immediate or scheduled for a future date.
This is a relatively straightforward procedure that can be completed quickly, provided the named additional driver meets the insurer’s requirements. Many insurers allow you to add a driver online or through the company’s app, making the process very fast.
No. It is always illegal to drive another person’s car without insurance in Ireland. There are two ways that you can legally use another person’s vehicle: the first is if you are a named driver on the owner’s insurance policy, and the second is if you have your own insurance policy but with a “driving other cars” add-on. This will allow the holder third-party cover when driving other people’s cars with their permission.
There is generally no set limit to the number of drivers that can be named as additional drivers on a policy. As long as the licensing requirements are fulfilled, then, in theory, anyone can be added as a named driver. Multiple drivers will likely affect the premium you pay, as the number of drivers increases the likelihood of accidents. In all cases, the main policyholder must remain the primary driver. If an insurer suspects that the policyholder is fronting for a named driver, it is obliged to investigate. Fronting is the practice of adding a person as a named secondary driver while allowing them to be the main driver of a vehicle. Fronting is considered to be fraud.
Fronting is the term used to describe when a main policyholder adds named drivers to their car insurance policy but allows them to be the main driver of the vehicle. Fronting is considered fraud because it allows someone to appear fully covered by insurance when they are only a secondary driver. The main policyholder must be the main driver in all cases.
Open driving insurance is an optional extra you can add to your main policy, allowing anyone with a full clean driving licence to drive your car. The primary policyholder is responsible for the additional premium for the open driving add-on. A person driving your car in this scenario must be aged between 25 and 70, hold a full licence (this can be Irish, UK or EU) and have your permission to use your vehicle.
People driving your car under an open driver policy add-on don’t need to be named as additional drivers. The primary benefit is that you have the freedom to allow different people to operate your vehicle for short periods when you need it.
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