Any driver fleet insurance for shared vehicles and changing staff
Let any suitable driver use the fleet without naming each person on the policy first, within the age and licence conditions the insurer sets. Fill in one short form to be put in touch with specialist brokers who arrange open driving fleet cover for UK businesses.
- No need to name every driver
- Age and licence conditions apply
- Options for agency and subcontract drivers
Any driver fleet insurance in brief
Any driver fleet insurance is a fleet policy that lets anyone the business allows drive its vehicles, without each driver being named on the schedule, as long as they meet the insurer's conditions. It suits businesses with shared vehicles, shift work or frequent new starters, such as company and pool car fleets where cars are booked by whoever needs one.
The trade-off is that the insurer takes on drivers it has not seen. In return, it usually sets a minimum age, a minimum time holding a full licence and limits on convictions, and may add an extra excess for younger drivers.
Named vs any driver
Named drivers or any driver: which way of opening the fleet fits?
The main choice on driver cover is whether the insurer approves each person, or sets rules and leaves the business to apply them.
| What differs | Named drivers | Any driver |
|---|---|---|
| Who can drive | Only the people listed on the policy | Anyone the business allows who meets the conditions |
| New starters | Added and accepted before they drive | Can usually drive straight away if they meet the conditions |
| Driver checks by the insurer | Each driver's record looked at individually | Conditions set in advance; the business checks each driver against them |
| Shared and pool vehicles | Can be awkward if many people use them | Built for vehicles used by several people |
| Effect on price | Often lower for a small, settled group | Often higher, reflecting drivers the insurer has not seen |
| Younger drivers | Accepted or declined one by one | Often allowed with an extra excess, or excluded below an age |
Some insurers offer a middle option, such as any employee or any driver over a set age, so the choice is not always all or nothing.
The small print
The conditions that come with open driving fleet cover
Any driver rarely means absolutely anyone. These are the conditions insurers most often attach, and a driver who falls outside them may not be insured.
Minimum and maximum ages
Most open driving policies set a minimum age, and a few set an upper age or ask for details of older drivers.
- Drivers under the minimum age are usually excluded
- Some policies allow younger drivers if named first
- Upper age limits are less common but do exist
Time holding a full licence
Insurers often ask that each driver has held a full UK licence for a set time.
- Provisional licence holders are usually excluded
- Foreign licences may need to be agreed first
- Larger vehicles need the right licence category
Points and convictions
Many any driver policies exclude drivers with certain convictions, or more than a set number of points.
- Serious convictions often need declaring individually
- Some drivers can be added by name instead
- Ongoing licence checks are worth building in
Excesses
How a young driver excess works on any driver fleet cover
Opening up the fleet often comes with extra excesses rather than a flat refusal. Knowing which ones apply avoids surprises after a claim.
- Young driver excessAn extra amount on top of the standard excess when a driver under a set age is driving at the time of a claim.
- Inexperienced driver excessApplied when the driver has held a full licence for less than the insurer's set time, whatever their age.
- Unnamed driver excessSome policies charge a higher excess when the driver is not one of the regular named drivers.
- How excesses stack upSeveral excesses can apply to the same claim, so the total is worth checking on the schedule.
- Choosing a voluntary excessA higher voluntary excess can lower the premium but adds to what the business pays on each claim.
- Who pays the excessSome businesses set rules on whether drivers contribute, which is a matter for the employment contract.
Beyond your own staff
Subcontractors, agency drivers and family members
Whether people outside the payroll are covered depends on how the policy defines a driver. Delivery firms using self-employed drivers can find more on courier fleet insurance for subcontracted drivers.
Self-employed and subcontract drivers
Some any driver policies cover people working for the business on a self-employed basis; others limit cover to employees.
- Worth confirming in writing before they drive
- Some insurers need subcontractors named
- Drivers' own policies may not cover your vehicles
Temporary and agency drivers
Agency staff are common at busy times. Many policies cover them if they meet the same age and licence conditions.
- Licence checks are usually the business's job
- Some insurers exclude agency drivers entirely
- A short notice period may apply to new agencies
Partners and family members
Some policies allow family members to drive, often only for personal use and sometimes only in company cars.
- Business use may be limited to employees
- Age conditions still apply to family members
- Worth checking for vehicles taken home
Managing open driving
Keeping any driver cover valid day to day
With open driving, the business does much of the checking an insurer would do for named drivers. Larger operations often build this into wider fleet risk management for larger fleets.
- Check licences before anyone drivesA simple record of who was checked and when helps if a claim is questioned.
- Repeat checks through the yearPoints and bans can change, and the policy conditions apply on the day of driving.
- Keep a list of who has keysKnowing who drove which vehicle helps when a claim or penalty notice arrives.
- Write the conditions into a driver policyStaff then know the age, licence and conviction rules before they ask to drive.
- Tell the insurer about serious convictionsMost policies need these declared even when drivers are not named.
- Review the conditions at renewalChanges in the workforce may mean a different balance of named and open driving suits better.
How it works
One quote form, specialist fleet brokers
Insure Fleet is an information site, not an insurer or a broker. We link you to MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives businesses a gateway to brokers who arrange fleet insurance every day.
Start your quote
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Describe the fleet and drivers
The form asks about the vehicles, the work they do and who drives, so you can be matched with a specialist fleet broker.
Compare and decide
A broker contacts you with options, subject to insurers' acceptance criteria. There is no obligation to buy.
Before you buy
Questions worth asking about any driver fleet terms
Two open driving policies can define a driver very differently. These are the points that most often decide whether a claim is paid.
- What is the minimum driver age?And does a different age apply to larger vehicles?
- How long does a licence need to have been held?Newly qualified drivers are often treated differently.
- Which convictions are excluded?Ask whether excluded drivers can be added by name.
- Are subcontractors and agency drivers included?Some policies only cover employees.
- What extra excesses apply?Young, inexperienced and unnamed driver excesses can stack.
- Can family members drive?Often only for personal use, if at all.
- Who is expected to check licences?Some insurers set out how often checks need to happen.
- Are foreign licence holders covered?Some insurers need these drivers agreed first.
FAQs
Any driver fleet insurance questions
What is any driver fleet insurance?
Any driver fleet insurance is a fleet policy that lets anyone the business allows drive its vehicles without being named on the schedule, as long as they meet the insurer's conditions on age, licence and convictions. It suits shared vehicles, shift work and businesses with changing staff.
Does any driver really mean anyone can drive?
No. Most policies set a minimum age, a minimum time holding a full licence and limits on convictions. The driver also needs the business's permission. Someone outside those conditions is usually not insured, even on an any driver policy.
Is any driver fleet cover more expensive than named drivers?
It often is, because the insurer is covering drivers it has not assessed. For a business with many shared vehicles or frequent new starters, the flexibility can still make it worthwhile, and a broker can compare both.
Can younger drivers drive on an any driver fleet policy?
Often, depending on the insurer. Many policies allow younger drivers with an extra young driver excess, while others exclude drivers below a set age unless they are named individually.
Are subcontractors covered on an any driver policy?
Sometimes. Some policies cover self-employed drivers working for the business, and others limit cover to employees. It is worth confirming in writing before a subcontractor drives a fleet vehicle.
What happens if a driver with points drives under any driver cover?
It depends on the policy conditions. Minor points may be accepted, while some convictions are excluded unless declared. Businesses employing several drivers with convictions sometimes look at fleet insurance for convicted drivers.
Can any driver cover be used on a small fleet?
Yes, many insurers offer open driving on fleets of only a few vehicles, subject to their conditions. Our guide to small fleet insurance covers fleets of that size in more detail.
Does Insure Fleet sell insurance?
No. Insure Fleet is an information site and an affiliate of MyMoneyComparison.com, a comparison service that gives businesses a gateway to specialist brokers. When you start a quote you continue to MyMoneyComparison.com, and we may be paid a small commission if you are matched with and speak to a broker.
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