You’ve got the tickets, the car is full and there’s a long drive ahead. Getting to the away game might feel straightforward. But what happens on the way home if the driver is tired and somebody else needs to take over?
That’s something to sort before you set off. Having the owner’s permission to drive their car doesn’t mean you’re insured to drive it. Everyone who might take the wheel needs appropriate cover.
If you’ve been looking for away game road trip insurance, the right option depends on who needs to drive and how long they need the car. For a trip spread across two or three days, weekend car insurance may help an eligible driver get temporary cover for the journey.
Can you share the driving to an away game?
Yes, you can share the driving on a long journey, but everyone who takes a turn behind the wheel needs suitable insurance for the car.
The car owner being insured doesn’t mean the friends travelling with them are also covered. Permission isn’t enough either. If your friend might drive part of the journey, make sure they have appropriate cover before you leave.
It’s worth agreeing who may drive before the trip starts. If only one person is insured, they should be the only person driving.
If someone else might take over, check if they’re eligible for temporary cover before setting off. This means you won’t be trying to sort out insurance at a motorway service station because the original driver is too tired to continue.
How does weekend car insurance work for an away trip?
Weekend car insurance is short-term cover arranged for a limited period. Temporary car insurance for a weekend can be useful when a friend needs to drive somebody else’s car during an away trip that runs across two or three days.
With our temporary car insurance, eligible drivers can arrange cover for a defined period, subject to policy terms. This gives your group another insured driver when needed.
The start and end times matter. If you’re travelling on Friday evening and returning on Sunday, the policy needs to include every point when the temporary driver may use the car.
The same applies if you’re staying overnight after the match. Although weekend car insurance is a useful way to describe it, the actual dates and times determine when the driver is covered.
If your trip runs across two or three days, choose cover that includes the full weekend and make sure the return journey falls within the policy period.
What is 48 hour car insurance?
48 hour car insurance is a common way to describe temporary cover lasting around two days. It could suit an overnight away trip or a journey that starts on Saturday and finishes on Sunday.
It doesn’t mean every weekend policy lasts exactly 48 hours. What matters is the actual start and end time of your cover.
If there’s a chance you’ll be driving home the following day, make sure that journey falls within the policy period. You need enough cover for the full time you may need to drive.
What is temporary additional driver insurance?
If you’re wondering, “Can I insure a friend to drive my car for the weekend?”, one option is for them to arrange their own temporary insurance on the car, subject to eligibility.
You may also come across terms such as borrowed car insurance or temporary driver cover when looking for short-term insurance. What matters is checking what the policy covers and making sure it’s suitable for the person who’ll be driving.
Another option may be adding your friend as a named driver to your existing annual policy, depending on what that policy allows. If they only need to drive for one away weekend, separate temporary cover may be worth considering. For regular use, a longer-term arrangement may make more sense.
When borrowing a car for a few days, make sure the insurance covers the full period the other person may need to drive.
Temporary insurance vs named driver: which suits an away game?
If you’re deciding between temporary insurance vs named driver cover, think about how often the other person will use the car.
Temporary insurance is structured around a specific short period. A named driver is added to an annual policy and may make more sense when someone drives the car regularly.
The main difference comes down to how often the other person drives:
| Situation | Option to consider |
|---|---|
| A friend is driving for one away-game weekend | Temporary insurance |
| A friend is only driving one leg of the journey | Temporary insurance |
| A friend regularly drives the car throughout the season | A named-driver arrangement may be more suitable |
| Someone is actually the main user of the car | The annual policy needs to reflect the real main-driver arrangement |
| You’re unsure what an existing policy allows | Check the policy before driving |
Neither option is automatically better. The right arrangement depends on how often the person will drive the car and how long they need cover for.
If someone will only drive occasionally, temporary insurance may suit that short-term need. If they’ll be behind the wheel regularly throughout the season, it may be time to consider a longer-term arrangement.
Does comprehensive insurance mean your friend can drive your car?
Not necessarily. Having comprehensive insurance on one car doesn’t mean a driver is insured to get behind the wheel of somebody else’s.
Some annual policies may include Driving Other Cars (DOC). This is a policy feature that may allow you to drive another vehicle under specific conditions.
DOC can come with restrictions, so the driver needs to check their own policy documents rather than assume they have it. The owner giving permission doesn’t create insurance cover either.
If there’s any doubt about who is insured, sort it before anyone gets behind the wheel.
Plan the drive home before kick-off
It’s worth deciding who will drive each part of the journey before you leave. That’s especially important if you have a long drive home after the match.
Plan breaks into longer journeys too. The Highway Code recommends taking a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving.
Having a second properly insured driver gives you another option if the first driver becomes tired. That person also needs to be fit to drive.
If someone has been drinking, they shouldn’t take over the driving simply because they’re insured. It’s illegal to drive over the drink-drive limit or when alcohol makes you unfit to drive, even if you have valid insurance. Coffee, food and fresh air won’t sober someone up or make them safe to drive.
If nobody is both fit and insured to drive, you’ll need another plan for getting home. Sorting this out in advance means you’re not making an important decision when everyone just wants to get back.
Away-day driving checklist
Before you leave, make sure everyone knows the plan.
- Who owns the car?
- Who might drive during the trip?
- Does every potential driver have a valid GB driving license and suitable insurance?
- When does each temporary policy start and finish?
- Will the cover still be valid for the journey home?
- Does every driver have the owner’s permission?
- Who is planning to drive after the match?
- Is everyone fit to drive? Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal.
- Where will you stop for breaks on a long journey?
- Does each driver know how to use the car’s lights, wipers and main controls?
- Do you have enough fuel or charge for the journey?
- Have you checked the traffic and weather conditions?
What if the away day turns into a full weekend?
Plans can change. You might stay overnight, have a later journey home than expected or decide to make another stop before returning.
If you arranged cover for a single day, check when the policy ends rather than assuming it will still be valid if your plans change. Your insurance needs to cover the full period when the temporary driver may use the car.
If you already know the trip will run across two or three days, weekend or multi-day temporary cover may be more appropriate. Choose the policy length around the actual journey rather than assuming one day will be enough.
Ready for your next away day?
Sharing the driving can make a long away trip easier, but it pays to sort out who can drive before you leave. Everyone who might take the wheel needs appropriate insurance.
Temporary cover may suit a one-off weekend. If the same friend regularly drives your car, a named-driver arrangement may make more sense.
Remember to plan the journey home too. Build in breaks and make sure whoever is taking the wheel is fit to drive.
Sharing the drive to your next away game? Get a temporary car insurance quote with us before you set off.
FAQs
Can my mate drive my car back from a football match?
Yes, as long as they have your permission as well as a valid GB driving license and insurance to drive the car. Don’t assume your own insurance covers them.
If they might need to take over on the way home, arrange suitable cover before you leave.
Can I insure my friend on my car just for the weekend?
Temporary car insurance may allow an eligible friend to arrange short-term cover to drive your car for the weekend.
The policy needs to cover the full period when they might drive, including the return journey.
Can we all share the driving on a long journey?
Yes, provided everyone who takes the wheel has permission to drive the car and suitable insurance.
Don’t assume one driver’s policy covers everybody travelling in the car. Check the arrangements for each potential driver before you set off.
Is temporary insurance better than adding someone as a named driver?
It depends on how often they use the car. Temporary insurance may suit a one-off weekend or occasional journey.
Adding someone as a named driver to an annual policy may make more sense if they drive the car regularly.
Can I get 48 hour car insurance for an away game?
Short-term insurance can be arranged for a defined period that covers an overnight or two-day trip, subject to eligibility and policy terms.
Choose start and end times that cover the full period when you may need to drive.
Does comprehensive insurance let me drive someone else’s car?
Not automatically. Some policies may include Driving Other Cars cover, but this can have restrictions.
Check your actual policy before driving somebody else’s car rather than assuming comprehensive insurance means you’re covered.
