A named driver is a person listed on a motor insurance policy alongside the main policyholder, permitting them to drive the insured car. The named driver shares the cover but does not own or control the policy itself.
In one line: A named driver is an additional person allowed to drive a car on someone else's policy.
How a named driver works
Adding a named driver lets a partner, family member or friend drive the insured vehicle legally. Their age, experience and claims history feed into the premium, so adding a low-risk driver can sometimes reduce the cost.
On a policy costing 700 GBP, adding an experienced low-risk named driver might cut the price to 640 GBP, while adding a young inexperienced driver could raise it to 1,100 GBP, reflecting the extra risk.
A named driver does not normally build their own no claims discount on that policy, because the discount belongs to the main policyholder.
Named driver vs fronting
Listing the genuine main user as the policyholder and others as named drivers is legitimate. Fronting, where the real main driver is wrongly named as a secondary driver to cut the price, is insurance fraud.
If a named driver actually does most of the driving, the policy should reflect that to avoid the cover being voided when a claim is made.
Primary source: FCA: Insurance