When completing your insurance quote form, the call centre agent will ask you to designate a driver of the car, that is the person who most drives it (usually the same person in whose name the car is registered). While most insurers will cover the car even if the designated driver was not driving the car at the time of an accident or other peril, it’s best to make sure what their policy is on this.

If the regular or named driver gives other drivers permission to drive the car, the insurer will cover him or her. The problem with naming drivers, however, is that they might be a higher risk client than you. If you name your child as a driver of the vehicle, the risk increases. ??Some direct insurers will not require you to name all the regular drivers of the car and be satisfied with your accession to them driving the car. In this case the risk doesn’t change.

If they do require names to be given, they will use this information to evaluate your overall risk. The notion that your risk of peril is greater when allowing more people to drive your car underscores the principal not to let all and sundry to drive your vehicle. Even if you don’t pay more on your premiums, your risk will increase as there is more chance of something going wrong.