We use cookies to give you the best experience and help us improve our website.

Find out more about how we use cookies.

While you don’t have to contact us and inform us of each hire, it is very important that all your self-drive hires are appropriately referenced to ensure they satisfy your policy criteria. If you fail to complete adequate hirer/driver checks you may find your insurance is invalid in the event of claim.

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide of what you need to do to ensure your clients are adequately referenced. The requirements are split by the insurer of your policy, Allianz Insurance PLC or Markerstudy Limited. Please check your policy schedule / paperwork to confirm which reference guide applies.

If you’re not sure about a customer give us a call, we can guarantee you’ll be talking to helpful specialists from our self-drive hire insurance team.

Allianz Insurance PLC driver referencing

What must you obtain from your client, prior to the hire commencement?

  • Copy of the photo card drivers’ licence (address and ID must be up to date)
  • Online licence check – check someone’s driving licence information. Please note, DVLA licence checks can only be carried out on driving licences issued from mainland UK
  • Two proofs of address from separate sources
  • Cleared a traceable security deposit (BACS, credit/debit card, PayPal, etc.)
  • Signed rental agreement
  • From 1st August 2021, Green Cards will no longer be mandatory for driving within
    EU. Please ensure you arrange a VE103 certificate – gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk/for-less-than-12-months

Additional criteria:

  • Must meet the specified age limits within your policy and have at least two years
    driving experience (Full UK or EU licence. AU and NZ licences are agreeable, subject
    to a £500 excess).
  • Two, 3 point convictions are acceptable (i.e. 2x SP30’s, 3pts each) without referral.
  • Single six point SP30, SP50 and CU80 are acceptable subject to an additional £1000
    excess. All other six points+ offences will require referral to the insurers.
  • No more than one fault or outstanding incident/claim in the last three years

Proof of address:

You must provide a total of two proofs of address from the following: – one primary and one secondary, or two primary proofs of address.

Primary proof of address:

  • Electricity (bill/statement)
  • Water (bill/statement)
  • Gas (bill/statement)
  • Broadband/landline
  • Council tax
  • TV licence
  • Bank statement
  • Credit card bill / statement
  • Mortgage statement
  • Polling card
  • HMRC self-assessment / tax credit

Secondary proof of address:

  • Student loan
  • Shotgun licence
  • Payslip
  •  Mobile phone bills
  • Pension letters
  • Car finance statement
  • Loan statement
  • Property deed

An annual council tax bill will be accepted. All other documents must be dated within 90 days of the hire date. The address and name on your licence must match both documents.

Download - Allianz

Markerstudy Limited driver referencing

What must you obtain from your client, prior to the hire commencement?

  • Copy of the photo card drivers’ licence (address and ID must be up to date)
  • Online licence check – check someone’s driving licence information. Please note, DVLA licence checks can only be carried out on driving licences issued from mainland UK.
  • Two proofs of address from separate sources
  • Cleared a traceable security deposit (BACS, credit/debit card, PayPal, etc.)
  • Signed rental agreement
  • From 1st August 2021, Green Cards will no longer be mandatory for driving within EU. Please ensure you arrange a VE103 certificate for hirers – gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk/for-less-than-12-months

Additional criteria:

  • Must meet the specified age limits within your policy and have at least two years’ driving experience (Full UK, EU, AU, US, CA, NZ and SA licence types).
  • Two, 3 point convictions are acceptable (i.e. 2x SP30’s, 3pts each) without referral.
  • Single four point offences are acceptable without referral and subject to standard terms.
  • Single six point SP30, SP50 and CU80 convictions are acceptable subject to a £1000 excess. All other six points+ offences will require referral to the insurers.
  • No more than one fault or outstanding incident/claim in the last three years.

Proof of address:

You must provide a total of two proofs of address from the following:

  • Electricity (bill/statement)
  • Water (bill/statement)
  • Gas (bill/statement)
  • Broadband/landline
  • Council tax
  • TV licence
  • Bank statement
  • Credit card bill / statement
  • Mortgage statement
  • Polling card
  • HMRC self-assessment / tax credit
  • Student loan
  • Shotgun licence
  • Payslip
  • Mobile phone bills
  • Pension letters
  • Car finance statement
  • Loan statement
  • Property deed

An annual council tax bill will be accepted. All other documents must be dated within 90 days of the hire date. The address and name on the licence must match both documents.

Download - Markerstudy

What is declined?

Any document relating to insurance and any document that does not meet the above mentioned criteria – please contact us if you are unsure. (Further criteria may apply – please review the most recent documentation issued by insurers).

Frequent referencing queries

  • You can find out whether your hirer is eligible to drive in Great Britain by using the Government’s online tool here: https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence.

    EU licence holders under 70 years of age, living in the UK for longer than 12 months, who meet all the criteria mentioned above will be covered as standard.

    If they have an EU driving license and have been living in the UK for less than 12 months but can supply two proofs, as described above, plus their passport they are covered as standard.

    Anything outside of the above must be referred to the insurers.

  • Yes, you do. Payment (of any amount), via a cleared and traceable method, must be obtained by the primary driver/hirer/renter unless otherwise agreed by the insurers.

  • For Allianz Insurance PLC policyholders the terms are as follows:

    • If your hirer has any ban or disqualification this will need to be referred.
    • If they have nine points on their license for three x 3 point offences a £500 excess will apply.
    • If they have a single six point offence (MS90, IN10, CU80, CD and SP offences) this will require a referral.
    • Two x 3 point offences or anything less than six points are covered as standard.

    For Markerstudy Limited policyholders the terms are as follows:

    • If your hirer has any ban or disqualification this will need to be referred.
    • If they have nine points on their license for three x 3 point offences a £500 excess will apply.
    • If they have a single six point offence (MS90, IN10) this will require a referral.
    • Two x 3 point offences or anything less than six points are covered as standard.
    • A single four point offence is covered as standard.
  • You will need written confirmation from the DVLA confirming the adjustments have been made. This confirmation (usually supplied via email) alongside the client’s proof of address, existing licence, and updated DVLA check code will suffice.

    For any expired licences please refer to the most recent Government announcements regarding licence extension here. Expired licences within the extension are covered as standard.

  • The insurers do not discriminate against medical conditions. So long as the DVLA/Doctor/GP have not imposed any restrictions then you are covered as standard.