Insurance Question - lending a car to a friend

[Toppy81]

Hi,

Shortly I'll be off to Oz on a 6 month business trip & taking my family with me. My wife has a leased car so it would just sit put for 6 months (fortunately work are paying). A good friend is in need of the car so has offered to pay the lease and any insurance costs, so I'm keen to help him out.

I've just had a frustrating call with the insurers who refuse to add him as an additional driver for 6 months or allow him to take an additional policy on the car. Their reasoning is that he won't be covered unless he's the "main driver" on the policy, and they won't allow him to become the main driver, nor have his own additional policy on the car as its leased against my wife's name.

I don't really want to cancel our policy and lose a years no claims so I'm tempted just to add him as a named driver and run the risk of main driver status questioned in the event of a claim...but that does seem a bit risky.

Anyone got any bright ideas/suggestions?

Thanks