Insurance explained

Driving other cars (DOC) cover explained

Reviewed by the Apex broking team · Last reviewed 2026-10-19

Driving other cars (DOC) cover is a motor policy extension that lets the named policyholder drive a vehicle they do not own, usually on a third party only basis. It matters because drivers often assume they are covered when DOC has been restricted or removed, leaving them uninsured.

Part of: Fleet insurance

In short

DOC cover lets the named policyholder drive another car with the owner's permission. In the UK it is usually third party only, so it meets the Road Traffic Act 1988 minimum but does not pay for damage to the borrowed car. Many personal policies now restrict or remove it, and it commonly excludes named drivers, hired or leased vehicles and cars owned by the policyholder. On company and fleet policies it may extend to named directors and employees. Your certificate of insurance says whether DOC applies. Driving without valid cover is an offence under section 143.

What DOC cover is and how it works

Driving other cars cover is an extension to a motor policy, not a policy in its own right. It lets the person named on the policy drive a vehicle that is not insured under their own policy, usually a private car, with the owner's permission. Insurers often call it a DOC extension.

The key features, which vary by insurer and are always subject to the policy terms, are:

Third party only. DOC commonly covers your liability to other people for injury and damage to their property. It usually does not pay for damage to the car you are driving, even if your own policy is comprehensive. See third party only and comprehensive cover.
Named policyholder only. It typically extends to the policyholder (or, on a company policy, to named directors or employees), not to named drivers.
Not owned by or hired to you. Wordings commonly exclude cars owned by, registered to, hired to or leased to you, and sometimes to your spouse, partner or employer.
The car must be insured in its own right. Many policies require the vehicle to have its own valid insurance.
Emergency use, not regular use. DOC is designed for occasional driving. It is not a way to insure a second car you use every day.

Your certificate of motor insurance is the document that says who may drive and whether DOC applies. Check it, not just the policy summary, because many personal policies now restrict DOC to older drivers or remove it altogether.

The legal basis: Road Traffic Act 1988

Under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a person must not use a motor vehicle on a road or other public place unless there is an insurance policy in force covering their use of it, and must not cause or permit anyone else to do so. Breaking this is an offence. GOV.UK confirms that third party insurance is the legal minimum, and that police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points for driving a vehicle you are not insured to drive. A court can impose an unlimited fine and disqualify you.

Section 145 sets what a compulsory policy must cover: liability for death or bodily injury, and damage to property, caused by use of the vehicle on a road or other public place in Great Britain. Cover for property damage need not exceed £1,200,000 for any one accident. That is why DOC, which is designed to meet the compulsory requirement, is usually third party only.

Two other parts matter for businesses:

Employee defence. Section 143(3) gives an employee a defence if they prove the vehicle was not theirs or hired or loaned to them, they were using it in the course of employment, and they neither knew nor had reason to believe it was uninsured. It protects the driver from conviction; it does not insure anyone.
Cause or permit. A company or manager that lets an uninsured employee drive can commit the offence too. Under section 151, an insurer may have to pay a third party's judgment even where the driver was not insured by the policy, and can then recover from the driver or from whoever caused or permitted the use.

The Motor Insurers' Bureau's role

The Motor Insurers' Bureau has existed since 1946 and is funded by the motor insurance industry through a compulsory levy. According to MIB, it compensates victims of uninsured and hit-and-run drivers, meeting the principle that anyone injured by a motor vehicle must be able to claim compensation. It also works with insurers on the centralised record of insured vehicles, the Motor Insurance Database.

The MIB is a safety net for victims, not cover for the driver. If you rely on DOC that turns out not to apply, you are an uninsured driver. Victims may be compensated through the insurer or under the Uninsured Drivers' Agreement, and you may face recovery action as well as prosecution.

Personal, company car, fleet and motor trade policies

How DOC applies depends heavily on the type of policy. The table shows the common position, subject to the policy terms.

Policy	Usual DOC position	Common restrictions
Personal car	Often restricted or removed; where given, usually third party only	Policyholder only, minimum age, private cars only, excludes hired or employer cars
Company car (single vehicle)	May extend to named directors or employees	Named persons only; class of use must match
Fleet	Commonly available for named directors and senior employees	Limited to named people; may not extend to vans or hired vehicles
Motor trade road risks	Cover is usually for vehicles in the insured's custody for trade purposes	Driver age, named drivers, purpose of use
Commercial vehicle	DOC commonly not included	Check carefully before driving another vehicle

Class of use matters as much as DOC. Insurers commonly describe use as social, domestic and pleasure; commuting; and business use, sometimes split into classes 1, 2 and 3 by who drives and how much. DOC normally follows the class of use on your own certificate, so a director whose policy covers social use only may not be covered driving a colleague's car to a client meeting.

What it means in practice

These scenarios are illustrative only.

Director borrows a colleague's car: a director's own car is in the garage, so they borrow a colleague's car for a site visit. If the director's certificate allows DOC with business use, they usually have third party cover. Damage to the colleague's car is likely to fall on the colleague's own policy, if it allows other drivers, or on the director.
Employee drives a hire car: an employee collects a hire car on business. DOC commonly excludes hired vehicles, so cover should come from the hire agreement or the company's fleet policy.
Motor trade test drive: a garage employee drives a customer's car. This is a motor trade risk, not DOC, and depends on the road risks policy. See our road risks gap scenario.

DOC misunderstandings and what to check

"Comprehensive means I can drive any car fully covered." Usually wrong. DOC is commonly third party only, if it exists at all.
"Named drivers have DOC." Usually only the policyholder or named company persons do.
"The owner's insurance will cover me." Only if their policy allows other drivers, such as an any driver policy.

Before relying on DOC, check:

Your certificate: does it permit driving other vehicles, and for whom?
The class of use and any age limits.
Whether the vehicle is owned by, hired to or leased to you or your employer.
Whether the other vehicle must have its own insurance.
For businesses, whether your compulsory motor insurance and fleet arrangements cover how staff actually drive. See also our overview of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Sources

Frequently asked

What is driving other cars cover?

Driving other cars (DOC) cover is an extension on some motor policies that lets the named policyholder drive a car they do not own, with the owner's permission. In the UK it is usually third party only, so it meets the legal minimum but does not pay for damage to the car being driven.

Does comprehensive insurance let me drive other cars?

Not necessarily. Many comprehensive policies now restrict or remove DOC, and where it is included it is commonly third party only. Check your certificate of motor insurance, which states whether you may drive other vehicles, and check the age limits and class of use.

Can employees drive company or colleagues' cars on DOC?

Only if their own certificate allows it. DOC usually applies to the policyholder, or to named directors and employees on a company or fleet policy. Section 143(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 gives employees a defence in limited cases, but it does not provide any insurance.

Is DOC cover valid for hire cars or vans?

Usually not. DOC wordings commonly exclude vehicles hired, leased or owned by you, and many limit cover to private cars. For hire vehicles, cover normally comes from the hire agreement or a business fleet policy. Always check the wording before driving.

What happens if I drive another car without valid insurance?

You commit an offence under section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. GOV.UK says police can issue a £300 fixed penalty and 6 penalty points, and a court can impose an unlimited fine and disqualify you. Victims may be compensated through the MIB, or by an insurer that can then recover the payment from you under section 151.

Talk to a broker

Tell us about your business and a broker will come back to you with options. Or call 0117 325 0027.

Get a quote Start a commercial enquiry

Apex Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales, company number 07014570. This page is general information, not advice on your individual circumstances, and it does not guarantee that cover will be available or on what terms.