Can my wife drive my car if I die?
My car is registered and insured in my name, with my wife and two others insured as named drivers. If I died, would my wife (and the other named drivers) still be able legally to continue to drive the car? What other steps would she/they need to take, in order to continue to drive it?
Asked on 1 June 2026 by Piers Nash-Williams
Answered by
David Ross
We would recommend contacting your insurer for specific guidance, but generally speaking in the event of a policy holder's death the policy becomes invalid, which would mean no named drivers would be insured on the vehicle. To continue to use the car in these circumstances, your wife would need to apply to the DVLA to become the registered keeper of the vehicle, re-tax it and take out her own insurance policy and add any named drivers as required. There is specific guidance from the DVLA available here - www.gov.uk/tell-dvla-about-bereavement/keeping-the...e
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