Do I Need Car Insurance If I Borrow a Car in the UK? (2025 Guide

Published 02.10.2025

Here, insurance doesn’t follow the driver as it does in many countries; it follows the vehicle. That simple fact means if you borrow someone else’s car, you’re not automatically insured to drive it.

The rules are strict: every car, van or motorbike used or parked on public roads must be insured at all times. Driving without valid insurance is a criminal offence, even if you’re just making a short journey. So, before borrowing a friend’s or family member’s car, it’s worth understanding what the law requires, what your options are, and how short-term cover can make the process simple and legal.

How UK Car Insurance Works

UK car insurance is based on the vehicle, not the individual. The person who owns or keeps the car holds a policy that covers that vehicle, and the policy sets out exactly who is allowed to drive it.

If you’re not named on that policy — or covered by your own valid insurance — then you are not insured, even if the car itself has a policy in place. The law makes no distinction between “just borrowing” and “owning”. Every driver on a public road must have valid cover that specifically applies to them.

Driving without insurance is a criminal offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988. Police officers use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems to check vehicles against the national Motor Insurance Database in real time. If your name isn’t associated with that vehicle’s insurance record, the car can be seized on the spot.

For newcomers or expats used to different systems abroad, this can be confusing. In some countries, a driver’s personal insurance travels with them — so long as they have permission to drive the car. In the UK, that’s not the case. Here, you either need to be a named driver on the policy or take out your own short-term insurance.

Why the “Driving Other Cars” Clause No Longer Helps

There was a time when many comprehensive car insurance policies included a Driving Other Cars (DOC) clause. This allowed the main policyholder to drive another vehicle, often with third-party cover.

Those days are largely gone. Modern insurers have restricted or removed the clause altogether, especially for drivers under 25 or anyone without a long, claim-free record. Even when it does appear, DOC usually provides only third-party cover — which means you’re insured for damage you cause to others, but not for damage to the car you’re borrowing.

In short, relying on DOC is no longer a safe or reliable way to borrow a car. It might once have been seen as a convenient loophole; today, it’s an exception that applies to very few drivers.

Borrowing a Car as a Newcomer or Expat

Expats and new residents are among the people most likely to need to borrow a car. You may not have had time to buy your own vehicle, or you might be staying with relatives and occasionally using theirs. You may also find that getting a full annual insurance policy is difficult without a UK address or local driving history.

That’s where temporary or short-term insurance comes in. It’s designed for exactly these situations — where you need legitimate, short-duration cover that doesn’t interfere with someone else’s policy.

Providers such as Tempcover offer fully comprehensive short-term insurance that can be arranged online in a few minutes. You select how long you need it — from one hour up to 28 days — and the policy starts immediately. It’s recognised by UK law, appears on the Motor Insurance Database, and protects both you and the car’s owner from any potential liability.

What Happens If You Drive Without Insurance

The UK’s enforcement system is unforgiving. If you’re caught driving without insurance — even unknowingly — you face:

• A fixed penalty of £300

• Six penalty points on your licence

• Vehicle seizure and potential destruction

• Higher insurance premiums in future

For expats and visitors, this can create long-term complications, especially if you intend to stay and eventually hold a UK licence. A single uninsured offence remains on record and can affect your ability to obtain affordable insurance later.

How Temporary Car Insurance Works

Temporary car insurance, also known as short-term cover, is a standalone policy separate from any existing annual insurance. It’s fully comprehensive, so it protects both the car and the driver.

You can choose a cover period as short as one hour or as long as a month. Once the policy expires, it ends automatically — no cancellations, renewals or hidden fees.

For example, if you’re staying with family for a week and want to use their car, you can take out a seven-day temporary policy in your own name. You’ll be legally insured for that period without affecting their insurance or risking their no-claims bonus.

Because temporary cover is a distinct policy, any claim made during your use is handled entirely through your insurer — not the vehicle owner’s. That separation protects everyone involved.

Eligibility and Licence Requirements

Most temporary insurance providers, including Tempcover, cover drivers who:

• Are aged 18 to 78

• Hold a valid full UK, EU, or recognised international licence

• Have permission from the vehicle owner

• Will drive a car registered, taxed, and MOT-certified in the UK

For new arrivals, this flexibility is valuable. If your international licence is valid in the UK, you can drive for up to 12 months from the date you became a resident. During that time, short-term cover allows you to drive safely while you decide whether to exchange your licence or apply for a UK one.

How Much Does Temporary Car Insurance Cost?

Costs depend on the length of cover, your age, location, and driving record, but typically range from £15–£25 per day. Hourly and weekly options are also available.

You might pay more if you’re a younger or newly licensed driver, or if you’re borrowing a high-value car. However, compared with being added as a named driver — which can raise the owner’s annual premium — temporary cover is often the more affordable and transparent option.

Protecting the Car Owner

If you’re the person lending a vehicle, temporary insurance also benefits you. Allowing someone to drive your car without proper insurance can make you partly liable if an accident occurs. Your own policy could be invalidated, or you could lose your no-claims discount.

By asking the borrower to take out a short-term policy, you create a clean separation. Any claims they make fall under their own temporary insurance. Your main policy, your premium, and your no-claims record remain untouched.

It’s also good practice to keep a copy of their temporary insurance certificate — digital or printed — just in case.

When Adding a Named Driver Makes More Sense

For longer stays or regular use, being added as a named driver may be the more practical choice. This typically suits family members who share one vehicle year-round or partners who take turns driving the same car.

Named driver policies, however, come with responsibilities: the main policyholder remains the primary user, and any accident involving the named driver affects the owner’s insurance record.

Temporary cover remains best for occasional use — weekends, short visits, or one-off travel.

Alternatives for Cars That Aren’t in Use

If you own a car you’re not driving, it still needs to be insured unless you officially declare it off the road through a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN). This tells the DVLA that the car won’t be used or parked on public roads.

Once a car is SORNed, it doesn’t need insurance or tax — but it must stay on private property, such as a driveway or garage. Taking a SORNed vehicle onto the road without insurance is still illegal.

The Simplicity of Modern, On-Demand Cover

Insurance once meant paperwork and waiting periods. Now, platforms like Tempcover make it effortless. You can:

1. Visit Tempcover.com

2. Enter your licence and vehicle details

3. Choose your duration — from an hour to a month

4. Pay online and receive your digital certificate instantly

You’ll appear on the Motor Insurance Database within minutes, which means you can drive legally straight away.

It’s insurance built for how people actually live — flexible, digital, and immediate.

Why It Matters

For expats settling into British life, borrowing a car often feels like a practical shortcut while you adjust to new routines. Yet it’s one of those areas where local rules differ quietly but completely from elsewhere.

Understanding how UK insurance works — and taking a few minutes to secure temporary cover — prevents far bigger complications later. It’s the difference between a convenient drive and a criminal offence.

The UK’s system may feel strict, but it’s also clear: every driver must be insured, and every car must be covered. Once you know the rules, they’re easy to follow.

Borrow, But Do It Properly

Yes — you need car insurance if you borrow a car in the UK. Unless you’re listed as a named driver, you must take out your own cover before driving. Temporary car insurance makes this quick, legal, and straightforward.

Whether you’ve just arrived in Britain, are staying with family, or simply need a car for a weekend, short-term cover from Tempcover ensures you’re protected — and so is the person lending you their car.

It’s a simple safeguard that turns a favour into a worry-free drive.