The importance of stating the correct regular driver

When you take out car insurance, one of the first questions you’ll be asked is: “Who is the regular (main) driver of the vehicle?” It sounds simple, but it matters more than most people realise — because your premium and your cover are priced around the risk profile of the person who drives the car most often.

If you’re sharing a vehicle as a family, if your child has started driving more regularly, or if your work pattern has changed, this is one detail you don’t want to “set and forget”.

Your regular driver (also called the main driver or primary driver) is the person who drives the insured vehicle most often in a typical period (usually measured over a month).

That’s not always the policyholder.

For example:

• You own the car, but your partner drives it to work every day.
• You bought a car for your family, but your child uses it most of the week.
• You work from home now, and the “regular driver” has changed without you noticing.

If the car is shared fairly evenly, tell your insurer who drives it most and mention any additional/nominated drivers who use it often — honesty is the safest route.

Your insurer calculates your premium using a risk profile — and the regular driver is a big part of that calculation.

Typically, risk factors can include:

• Age and driving experience (first-time and young drivers often price differently)
• Driving and claims history
• Where the car is kept (address/area)
• How the car is used (private vs business use)
• Security and theft risk factors (like tracking devices, alarms, parking)

It’s not about “catching you out”. It’s about pricing the cover correctly based on the person most likely to be behind the wheel.

South Africa’s vehicle crime landscape remains a major factor in underwriting. Tracker’s Vehicle Crime Index for Jul–Dec 2024 shows that hijackings made up 56% of vehicle crime incidents nationally, compared to 44% theft.
That’s one reason insurers take accurate driver and risk information seriously — it helps ensure premiums and cover reflect real-world exposure.

Most of the time, it happens for one of these reasons:

1. Trying to reduce the premium
   People assume that listing an older, more experienced driver will automatically make the policy cheaper — even if that person rarely drives the car.
2. Family cars change hands over time
   A child starts driving to campus daily. A partner changes jobs. Someone relocates. The regular driver changes, but the policy doesn’t.
3. Confusion between “owner”, “policyholder”, and “regular driver”
   These can be three different people — and that’s allowed — as long as it’s disclosed correctly.

There’s also a term insurers use for intentionally misrepresenting the main driver to get a lower premium: fronting. Whether or not you call it that, the risk is the same — it can create problems when you claim.

Insurance is built on good faith — you give accurate information, and your insurer agrees to cover you based on that information.

If the wrong regular driver is listed, it can lead to:

• Delays while details are verified at claims stage
• Adjustments (like additional excesses) depending on the policy terms
• In serious cases, a claim being declined if there’s material misrepresentation
• Higher premiums later, because your risk profile has been affected

The key point: insurers commonly validate driver details when a claim happens — especially when the incident driver differs from the driver on the schedule.

You usually can let someone else drive — but it depends on your policy terms (for example, whether your cover is open driver vs named/nominated driver).

In many cases, if:

• the regular driver is correctly noted,
• the person driving is legally licensed (and complying with the law),
• and policy conditions are met,

…your insurer can still cover you if an accident happens while someone else is driving — although an additional excess may apply depending on the circumstances and the driver.

Common examples where you should double-check your policy

• A young driver (or new driver) starts using the car more often
• A learner driver uses the car (some policies require a licensed driver to be present)
• You share a car between two households
• Your car use changes from private to business use
• Someone moves in (or moves out) and the “regular driver” shifts

If you’re not sure how your policy treats additional drivers, ask before there’s a problem — it’s much easier to fix upfront than at claim time.

Use this simple review once a quarter (or whenever life changes):

• Who drives the car most often right now? (That’s your regular/main driver.)
• Has a child/partner started driving the car more frequently?
• Has the car’s use changed? (private vs business)
• Has the overnight address changed?
• Do you need to list additional/nominated drivers?
• Do your excess amounts still make sense for your household?

A small update now can save a big headache later.

Stating the correct regular driver helps you:

• Pay a premium that matches the actual risk
• Avoid surprises at claims stage
• Keep your cover clear if someone else drives the car occasionally
• Build a clean insurance history for the right driver over time

Full disclosure is nearly always the best strategy — especially when it can affect your financial outcome later. Remember to review your policy regularly and let your insurer know when anything changes.

If you’re unsure who should be listed as the regular driver (or whether you need nominated drivers), check your policy wording or speak to your insurer before you need to claim.