Can I drive someone else's car in Ireland?
The short answer is that you are only insured to drive someone else’s car if cover applies...
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Get a car insurance quote from a panel of 14 insurers
Before you start: Have your registration number, driving licence, no-claims bonus details, and information on any claims, penalty points or convictions to hand. If you're insuring an electric vehicle, it's also helpful to know whether the battery is owned or leased.
Answer carefully: Always provide accurate information when requesting a quote. Incorrect or incomplete details could affect your cover or price.
Once you're insured: Check your policy documents when they arrive to ensure all details are correct and that the cover matches what you requested. If anything doesn't look right, contact your insurer as soon as possible
Why quotes differ, and how to compare them
Citizens Information lists what insurers price on: your experience and licence type, your claims history, where you live, your age, the car’s value, age and engine size, what you use it for, the level of cover and the excess. Different insurers return different prices for the same details.
Compare like with like. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) advice is to compare third party, third party fire and theft and comprehensive on what each covers, what is excluded and the excess, and it notes that extras such as windscreen cover, breakdown assistance and no-claims bonus protection vary between insurers. A lower price with a higher excess or fewer extras is a different policy. Our compare car insurance page goes through the checks, and how to choose the right car insurance covers what to look for beyond the price.
To talk a quote through, call 0818 92 92 42, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.
Sources: Citizens Information – motor insurance; Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) – car insurance; Consumer Insurance Contracts Act 2019. Last reviewed September 2026.
