Am I covered to drive someone else's car in an emergency?

The best place to check if you have this level of cover is to look at your Certificate of Motor insurance. When you buy a policy with us, we'll email this to you and it can also be accessed within Your Account.

If your policy includes cover for driving other cars, it will be shown under section 5 of your Certificate of Motor Insurance.  This means 1st Central will provide third party only cover for any accident involving the car, while you're driving it. This covers any amounts you're legally liable to pay if someone else is injured or killed, or their property is damaged, but not any damage to the car you're driving.

The following conditions must be met for this cover to apply:

• You have permission from the owner of the car before using it. 

• You still have your car, and it is not damaged beyond economic repair, stolen or sold and it has a valid road fund licence and a valid MOT (if applicable). 

• The other car is not owned by you or your partner and is not a hire or rental car, or obtained by you or your partner under a hire-purchase or leasing agreement. 

• You are not covered by any other insurance to drive the other car. 

• You are not using this cover to remove the car if it has been seized by, or on behalf of, any government or public authority.

  • There is a valid policy in force for the other car. 

• You are using the other car for social domestic and pleasure purposes (excluding commuting). 

Cover also applies to any accident involving injury or damage caused by a trailer, vehicle or caravan towed by this car.