Most of the time, it is perfectly acceptable in France to loan your vehicle to a friend, family member or any other third-party, although there are some things to check first.

The general rule is that French insurance policies cover the vehicle, rather than the driver.

This means that third-party cover always applies, but the level of coverage for your own vehicle and the person borrowing it in the event of an accident will depend on the type of insurance contract you hold. 

The holder of the insurance plan must also still list one or several named drivers for the vehicle in the contract.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: How does car insurance work in France?

What to do before you lend your car

Look at your insurance contract and verify the conditions for loaning the vehicle, referred to as prêt du volant in French. You can also contact your insurer to ask.

It is possible that your contract fully covers anyone borrowing the vehicle, but they may have to meet certain requirements (outlined below).

The contract should also explain the level of coverage that would be afforded to the driver in the event of an accident.

Depending on the insurance plan, if your friend is responsible for an accident while driving your car, they may only be covered minimally and you could be responsible for paying a higher rate of the franchise (the amount that the insured person pays out-of-pocket for the claim in relation to the amount the insurer contributes).

These are the possible types of contracts;

• Vehicle loan without restriction (Prêt de véhicule sans restriction): no increase in the franchise will be applied in the event of a claim
• Vehicle loan with franchise increase (Prêt de véhicule avec majoration de franchise): your franchise will be higher in the event of a claim
• Vehicle loan allowed to third parties, except for novice drivers, as defined in the general terms and conditions of the contract (Prêt de véhicule à un tiers, sauf aux conducteurs novices définis dans les conditions générales du contrat)
• Prohibition on lending a vehicle to a third party, except to family members (Interdiction de prêt de véhicule à un tiers, sauf ascendants, descendants, membres de la famille)
• Total prohibition on lending the vehicle (Interdiction totale de prêt du véhicule)

If your contract does not cover third-parties borrowing the vehicle, then you can ask your insurer to add this into the contract. The supplemental document would technically be an amendment to the contract and you may need to pay a fee.

If you want to lend your vehicle on a regular basis to a specific person, then you must report this to your insurer.

What happens if the person borrowing the vehicle is pulled over?

In the event of a road check, the person borrowing the car must – like any other driver – present a valid driving licence.

The police officer may then verify that the vehicle is insured. Previously, insurance was verified with the carte verte – a small sticker in the windshield.

However, law enforcement can now check insurance using the new digital system by searching for the licence plate and verifying information in the file of insured vehicles (FAV).

What if the person borrowing the car gets into an accident?

This depends on who was responsible for the accident. If it was the other vehicle, then it is their insurance who would be responsible for the cost of repairs.

If the person borrowing your car is responsible for the accident, then your car insurance will pay for damage caused to the other vehicle, according to French government website Service-Public.

However, the level at which your insurance will cover damage to your own vehicle and the driver you lent it to will depend on your contract. As mentioned above, it is also possible that the insurance company will charge a higher franchise for a non-listed driver.