Named Drivers Explained: Named Driving Experience, No Claims Bonus & Fronting

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A named driver is someone added to another person's Car Insurance Policy so they can drive the insured car. Being a named driver can help someone gain driving experience, but it doesn't build their own No Claims Bonus (NCB). Instead, they may build Named Driving Experience (NDE). It's also important that the person who drives the car most is correctly identified as the main driver, otherwise you could be fronting. Since March 2025, Driver Numbers are also required for everyone named on a Motor Insurance policy in Ireland.

NDE, NCB & fronting: The quick version

Named Driving Experience (NDE):

Claims-free driving experience built as a named driver on someone else's policy.

No Claims Bonus (NCB):

The discount you build as the policyholder on a policy in your own name.

Fronting:

Insuring a car in the wrong person's name. This is illegal and can invalidate your cover.

Read on for the full detail on each, including the new 2025 Driver Number requirement.

What is a named driver on Car Insurance?

A named driver is someone who has been permanently added to another person's Car Insurance Policy and is permitted to drive the insured car. This is different from a temporary additional driver, who may be added to a policy for a short period but doesn't build up any Named Driving Experience.

For example, a parent might add their son or daughter to their own Car Insurance Policy so they can drive the family car. Or, a couple who share a car might have one person as the main driver and the other as a named driver.

The important distinction is who actually drives the car most. The main driver should be the person who uses the car most frequently. Someone who drives it in addition to the main driver can be added as a named driver.

What are the Driver Number requirements for named drivers in Ireland?

There was an important change to Irish Motor Insurance Regulations in 2025 that anyone adding a named driver should know about. This change notes that anyone taking out a new Motor Insurance Policy or renewing an existing one is legally required to provide their Driver Number and the Driver Number of anyone named on the policy. The Driver Number can be found at section 4(d) of an Irish driving licence or learner permit.

Insurers and insurance intermediaries must collect and validate these Driver Numbers against the Department of Transport's National Vehicle and Driver File before issuing a Motor Insurance Policy. The information is subsequently transferred to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID).

This means a Driver Number isn't simply an optional piece of information requested as part of a quote. Without the required Driver Numbers, a new policy or renewal cannot be issued.

If you're adding someone to your Car Insurance Policy, it therefore makes sense to have their driving licence details ready.

Find more information about Driver Numbers and how existing customers can submit them.

What is the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID)?

The Irish Motor Insurance Database, or IMID, is managed by the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). It provides a central record of motor insurance information in Ireland. The database includes information such as policyholder details, vehicle registration numbers, named drivers and the Driver Numbers of insured drivers. Information from IMID is available to An Garda Síochána and is used as part of efforts to identify uninsured driving.

The addition of Driver Numbers means the information associated with an insured driver can be more accurately identified, rather than relying only on details about the vehicle.

What is Named Driving Experience?

Named Driving Experience (NDE) is a record of the time you've spent driving as a named driver on somebody else's Car Insurance Policy. It is different from a No Claims Bonus.

If you've been a named driver and driven claims-free, your NDE may help you qualify for a discount when you eventually take out a Car Insurance Policy in your own name. Whether NDE is accepted and what discount, if any, is offered varies by insurer.

This can be particularly relevant to younger or newer drivers who start out driving a parent's car before moving to a Car Insurance Policy of their own. Our Young Driver Insurance guide has more information about the options for younger drivers moving towards their own Car Insurance Policy.

Does a named driver build a No Claims Bonus?

No, a named driver doesn't build their own No Claims Bonus simply by being named on somebody else's Car Insurance Policy. A No Claims Bonus is earned by the policyholder on a policy in their own name. However, a named driver may instead build Named Driving Experience. That distinction is important. If you've spent a number of consecutive years driving as a named driver, you should not assume that you have automatically built the same No Claims Bonus as the policyholder. Your Named Driving Experience may be taken into account when you apply for your own Car Insurance Policy, but its acceptance and any discount offered will depend on the insurer.

How do I prove my Named Driving Experience?

If you're getting your own Car Insurance Policy after spending time as a named driver, you may be asked for evidence of your Named Driving Experience. Generally, if a quote is based on NDE, you'll need letters from the relevant insurance company or companies confirming:

• the dates you were insured as a named driver;
• and that no accidents or claims were recorded against you during that period.

It's worth requesting this documentation before you need it, so you have evidence of your driving history ready when applying for your own Car Insurance Policy.

What is fronting in Car Insurance?

Fronting is when someone takes out a Car Insurance Policy in their own name even though another person is actually the main driver of the car. A common example is a parent insuring a car in their own name when their son or daughter is actually the person who drives it most often. This is considered insurance fraud and could invalidate the policy.

The simplest rule is to make sure the policy reflects how the car is actually used: the person who is genuinely the main driver should be identified as the main driver and they should take out a policy in their own name.

You can find fuller guidance for parents and younger drivers on our Young Driver Insurance page.

What is the difference between NDE, NCB and fronting?

These terms are closely related, but they mean very different things.

Named Driving Experience (NDE) is a record of your claims-free driving experience as a named driver on somebody else's policy. It may help you qualify for a discount when you take out your own Car Insurance Policy, depending on the insurer.

No Claims Bonus (NCB) is built by the policyholder through claims-free driving on a Car Insurance Policy held in their own name.

Fronting occurs where a Car Insurance Policy is taken out in one person's name when somebody else is actually the main driver.

So, if you occasionally or regularly drive somebody else's car but aren't its main driver, being correctly added as a named driver can allow you to drive under that policy and potentially build NDE.

If you are actually the car's main driver, however, you shouldn't describe yourself as simply a named driver in an attempt to insure the car under somebody else's name.

How do I add a named driver to my Car Insurance?

You can usually add a named driver to your policy by contacting your insurer directly, either by phone, or through your broker, depending on how your policy was set up. You'll typically need the named driver's personal details, driving licence information, and driving history, including any penalty points or claims. Adding a named driver may affect your premium, so it's worth checking with your insurer before confirming the change, particularly if the named driver is a young or newly qualified driver.

What are the benefits of being a named driver?

Being a named driver can make sense where you genuinely share or occasionally use somebody else's car.

For a new driver, it can provide an opportunity to gain real driving experience before taking out a Car Insurance Policy in their own name. Claims-free driving as a named driver may also build Named Driving Experience that an insurer can consider later. But it shouldn't be used as a substitute for having your own Car Insurance Policy where you are actually the main driver of the car.

For younger drivers who are ready for a policy of their own, BoxClever Telematics Insurance is another option worth exploring.

Can I add more than one named driver to my Car Insurance Policy?

Whether additional drivers can be added and the terms that apply, will depend on the policy and insurer. With An Post Insurance, you can request a quote to add a named driver to an existing Car Insurance Policy. Adding drivers may affect your premium depending on factors such as their age, experience and driving history. Remember that you'll also need the required Driver Number information for drivers named on the policy.

Named driver or your own Car Insurance Policy?

The key question is how the car is genuinely going to be used. If you're using somebody else's car in addition to its main driver, being added as a named driver may be appropriate. However, if the car is primarily yours to use and you're going to be the person driving it most, you should be correctly identified as the main driver and take out a policy in their own name, rather than being added to somebody else's Car Insurance Policy simply as a named driver.

Understanding that difference also helps keep NDE and NCB clear: time spent as a named driver can build Named Driving Experience, while a No Claims Bonus is earned by the policyholder on their own policy.

If you're ready to arrange cover in your own name, you can get a Car Insurance quote online.

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