What Does Driving Other Cars Really Cover?

If you need to drive a car that isn’t yours, you might be confident that your current car insurance will cover you. Lots of people believe that their comprehensive insurance policy includes a section on ‘Driving Other Cars’ that gives them cover when they drive any other vehicle. However, this is not included as often as it used to be, and is not as all-encompassing as you might believe it to be. So, what does it cover, and what are the alternatives if you need to drive someone else’s car?

What is ‘Driving Other Cars’?

Driving Other Cars is the popular term for a part of an insurance policy that insures someone to drive a vehicle other than their own. Some insurance policies contain a specific section that describes how the insured party is insured if they use someone else’s vehicle. This used to be a standard part of many comprehensive insurance policies. However, it is nowhere near as common in policy wordings as it used to be. Equally, the terms of insurance mentioned in this section of a policy wording used to be much more generous that they are likely to be today.

Is Driving Other Cars Universal

Driving Other Cars used to be a section included as standard on almost all fully comprehensive insurance policies. This is now generally untrue. Some insurance policies may contain a section on Driving Other Cars, but you should check whether this is the case before you attempt to use your insurance to drive another vehicle.

Can I Drive a Van with Driving Other Cars?

Lots of people need to drive a van occasionally. This might be for work, to move house or to change place of work. Those people might assume that if they have Driving Other Cars included in their insurance, they are able to use this to drive a van. However, even if your insurance does permit you to drive another car, it is not guaranteed or even likely to permit you to drive a van. Check whether your insurance covers vans, or if it only covers cars.

Is Driving Other Cars for Everyone?

Not everyone has driving other cars as part of their insurance cover. You should check whether your car insurance covers you, and if it does not you should look for alternative provision if you need to drive another vehicle. For many people, Temporary Car or Temporary Van insurance represents the best option.  Temporary Insurance is perfect for if you only occasionally need to use another car, or you are borrowing a van for a specific purpose.

What does Temporary Car Insurance Cover?

Temporary Car Insurance is a fully comprehensive insurance policy that lasts for a pre-decided length of time. With GoShorty, this can be for between 1 hour and 28days. Relying on your insurance covering you for driving other cars is a risk. Temporary Insurance from GoShorty covers you, and protects the no claims bonus of the car’s owner. As a cost-effective solution, Short Term Car Insurance allows you to be safe and securely insured, even if you only need that insurance for a short period of time.