Getting Insured on Someone Else's Car in Spain

When it comes to driving in a foreign country there are various things that people can often have misconceptions about… and I don’t just mean the fear of driving on the “wrong” side of the road, which is actually much easier than people think. In this case, I´m referring to the legal side of things, in terms of insurance and paperwork.

Most Brits, for example, will be under the impression that, if they want to drive and be insured on someone else’s car, they will need to be specifically added as a named driver onto the insurance policy, as this is the way it works in the UK. However, in Spain, the system works in a different way… and car insurance is vehicle/car-centric and the policy relates to the actual vehicle itself, not the specific driver who owns it or is named as the primary driver. 

This car-centric system means that the car always has insurance, even if there is no one currently driving it, and means that multiple drivers can use and share the car without the necessity for individual insurance policies or having to add named drivers on a temporary or permanent basis. 

Obviously, although this is the general rule, as with all things, it’s not that black and white and you can’t just go around driving someone else’s car willy-nilly assuming you are insured…. so here are some key points you need to know to ensure you stay within the law when getting insured on someone else's car… 

Driving using a foreign licence

It’s important to know that you can use your foreign driving licence for the first six months if you are from outside the European Union (EU) area, or for up to two years if you’re from the EU or EEA area (European Economic Area). After that you need to change your licence to the Spanish equivalent. To do this you’ll need to contact the local office of Provincial Traffic Headquarters. Bear in mind - if you get caught driving after that time with a licence from another country, you may face a heavy fine.

Check the policy details

When you take out a car insurance policy, there are various people specified on the contract: policyholder, car owner, and the driver or drivers. In simple cases, it will be the same person for all three “positions”. The policy holder is the one who is responsible to check if the insurance policy is applicable to multiple drivers, or only for specified named driver(s) on the policy, as it may be the case that some insurance providers may restrict the number of drivers in their specific policies. 

Adding regular specific drivers

I would say it is in your interest to add any qualified named drivers to the insurance contract if they are going to be using the car on a regular basis, such as partners/spouse, family members or colleagues, as you can include both primary and secondary drivers. This is important as being added as a named driver will provide you with full coverage when driving a car that is essentially owned and insured by someone else. You can do this at the time of taking out the policy, or if you want to add someone at a later date, you simply need to call your insurance provider and give the details of the person you wish to add, including full name, ID number such as NIE or passport, driving licence details, and answer some specific questions relating to their previous driving record. There may be an additional premium to pay for this service, depending on their details and experience. In addition, bear in mind that even if you only want to insure them for a temporary period, for example, if you have family members from abroad visiting you for a holiday, it may not be possible to add them for only a short-term period, and you may need to add them to the annual policy.

Age limits for getting insured on someone else's car

With some policies, there may be specific stipulations relating to the age of the driver. It is often the case that drivers under the age of 25 cannot have their own insurance policy and need to be named as specific drivers on their parents or other responsible adult’s policy. Some providers state that drivers aged between 25 and 28 are only authorized to drive a car if their name, NIE and date of birth are stipulated in the policy, and then any drivers over the age of 28 do not need to be declared specifically, and only need to have been given permission by the policy holder to drive their car. Again, it is the responsibility of the policy holder to check the age restrictions in advance of giving other people permission to drive their car.

This leads onto the next key point …. it is wise, in all cases, to carry proof that permission has been granted by the policy holder for another person to drive their car, see below…

Carry proof of permission/consent 

Even if you have been given permission from someone else to drive their car, it is highly recommended that you have a document to confirm this consent in written form. You can find copies of a recommended form on the website n332.es – which is a very useful resource for English speaking drivers in Spain. Named after one of the principal roads in Spain, it was set up to provide useful information, articles, links and examples of required documentation. Please note that this example is not an official form so you could also draw up your own if you prefer, but it gives a good template to help you ensure all the recommended details are included. It is also recommended to attach a copy of the owner/policy holder’s ID to the document.

Having written permission like this is not actually a legal requirement but is mainly for the benefit of the driver, should they be stopped by the police or Guardia Civil, as it could get sticky if they don’t have access to the relevant paperwork and it may be considered they have stolen the car until verification can be made.

As a side note, the authorities require any driver who is stopped to provide copies of documentation, including driver’s licence and photo ID, and a copy of the PERMISO DE CIRCULACIÓN which proves who the vehicle is registered to and the TARJETA DE INSPECCIÓN TÉCNICA DEL VEHÍCULO (ITV) which is the equivalent of an MOT, both of which are both mandatory to keep in the car. It is not actually necessary to carry a copy of the insurance certificate in the car, as this can be checked by the police on the national database.

If you are looking for a competitive car insurance policy that will not only cover you but also help family or friends to get insured on the same car, you can find more details of outstanding policies from Caser Expat Insurance. They offer a range of different options to choose from, to make sure you have the right policy for your needs, and their friendly and knowledgeable English-speaking team can answer any questions you have and explain everything that you need to know to make sure you are safe and legal when driving a car in Spain. You can also get a personalized online quote for your vehicle by adding your registration number (matricula). 

So, the long and the short of it is… getting insured on someone else's car isn’t that difficult in Spain. If you want to share the driving on a road trip with friends or if you need to borrow a family member or friends car because yours is with the mechanic being fixed, you will be safe in the knowledge, that, as long as you have a valid licence, you have the owner’s consent and you have checked the policy details for any exclusions or requirements, you will be able to be correctly insured on someone else’s car in Spain.