Thousands of British motorists are not adequately covered by the car insurance because they fail to read the small print. Before hopping behind the wheel of a friend’s car or munching your lunch in the driver’s seat it is vital to check your policy to see what is covered.

According to swiftcover.com many British drivers are confused as to what is, and is not, covered by their car insurance. It says research found that 29% of drivers polled assumed they would be covered by their own insurance if they drove a friend or partner’s car. But it says most car insurance policies only insure drivers if it is included in the small print, and then really only offer third party cover.

Swiftcover.com says 65%  of drivers eat whilst driving and 36% smoke. Although this is not a criminal offence many drivers are unaware that they could be accused of negligence if involved in an accident while smoking or eating. This could result in a drastically reduced payout. And according to Drive Safe, a driver’s reaction time is 50% slower when on the phone eating or smoking.

Not telling your insurer when you exceed your mileage can also invalidate your policy. Swiftcover.com found that 25.8% of motorists did not realise that driving over their stated mileage could affect their insurance cover. 16.1% even stated that it wouldn't.

"While choosing the lowest price car insurance policy is most people's objective, it is also important to know exactly what is and isn't covered,” warns Tina Shortle of swiftcover.com. “Drivers make a lot of assumptions about their policies, so it's best to read all terms and conditions carefully and to regularly review the terms."