DON'T put someone else as primary driver if it's your car - that's illegal.

bobcoates

"DON'T put someone else as primary driver if it's your car - that's illegal."
Can anyone explain how this can be illegal?
It was taken from last weeks email letter.

I own a car which my wife mainly drives (I have a company car).
I have therefore told the insurance company that although I own and insure the car, she is the main driver.
This is also what it says on the certificate, so the insurance company have obviously understood this and are happy with it.

So I just don't get it how it can be illegal to do this.
On the contrary, I would have though it likely to be illegal to NOT tell the insurance company if this is the situation.

Alter_ego

Agreed, common sense needs to prevail. Primary driver means just that.

keeley1973

bobcoates wrote: »

"DON'T put someone else as primary driver if it's your car - that's illegal."
Can anyone explain how this can be illegal?
It was taken from last weeks email letter.

I own a car which my wife mainly drives (I have a company car).
I have therefore told the insurance company that although I own and insure the car, she is the main driver.
This is also what it says on the certificate, so the insurance company have obviously understood this and are happy with it.

So I just don't get it how it can be illegal to do this.
On the contrary, I would have though it likely to be illegal to NOT tell the insurance company if this is the situation.

I am not sure if there is some confusion here as I did not see the article. I think maybe what they were talking about was it being illegal to declare yourself as the primary driver when you are not (also known as "fronting" where you try and get the insurance cheaper - usually for someone younger by saying you are the main driver when actually they are)? If your wife is the main driver then it makes total sense that you declare this and if you did not and the Insurers found out in the event of a claim, they could even refuse to pay out. You will find Insurers definitely want you to declare this fact and in some cases will not wish to provide cover at all if the main driver is not the owner/policyholder. This is because they consider that a person who does not own the vehicle (even if it is a spouse) is less likely to take care of it that the true owner

spugzbunny

I read it as - 'don't put someone else as the primary driver if they are not (ie. it's your car, you are).

For example for many years my car was insured under my Mum with me as a secondary driver. That was illegal. I was very naughty and I have since doen all my hail mary's and feel better.

kingstreet

Say I own and insure a car, naming myself as the main driver.

However, my 18 year-old son is a named driver and he uses the car all the time.

That's fronting - misrepresenting to to the insurer that a middle-aged man is the heaviest user, when in fact it's an eighteen year-old.

In addition, if I say I park it near my home in the leafy countryside when my son parks it on the mean streets of a city near his student accommodation, that's a similar misrepresentation.

Both will see investigation in the event of a claim, possible refusal and/or cancellation and difficulty in getting future cover.

dunstonh

ownership is one thing. Primary driver is another

bobcoates

It seems all of you, 'Alter-Ego' excepted, seem to be reading what you think it should say, not what the words actually are.
I guess it's meant to be a reference to something like fronting, and not to do it, which I'd agree with.
But that isn't what it actually says. To avoid being told it's out of context, here's the whole paragraph, copied and pasted from the email sent out by MSE on 23rd March...

"step-by-step Young Driver's Car Insurance guide. Here's a brief summary.
Step 1: DOs and DON'Ts! DO reduce your risk with lower mileage and less powerful, unmodified cars. DON'T put someone else as primary driver if it's your car - that's illegal. DO try adding a responsible older driver as a second driver to see if it reduces costs, even if they'll rarely drive it. DO check comprehensive prices as well as 3rd party, bizarrely it can sometimes be cheaper. See the Young Driver's Car Insurance guide for more."

That clearly states it is illegal to put someone else as the primary driver when you own the car.
I would disagree with that being illegal.
What is illegal is THE OPPOSITE... NOT putting someone down as the main driver when they are, when you own the car. That's "fronting".

So let's not imagine what it might be trying to say but look at the actual words.
IMO opinion it is incorrect and misleading.

Tony_

bobcoates wrote: »

"step-by-step Young Driver's Car Insurance guide. Here's a brief summary.
Step 1: DOs and DON'Ts! DO reduce your risk with lower mileage and less powerful, unmodified cars. DON'T put someone else as primary driver if it's your car - that's illegal. DO try adding a responsible older driver as a second driver to see if it reduces costs, even if they'll rarely drive it. DO check comprehensive prices as well as 3rd party, bizarrely it can sometimes be cheaper. See the Young Driver's Car Insurance guide for more."

I've highlighted the two important parts.

That paragraph is aimed at YOUNG drivers who are trying to get cheaper car insurance.

It is saying that a young person should not put someone else as the primary driver in order to get cheaper car insurance for themselves.

I think you missed who the paragraph was aimed at.

kingstreet

bobcoates wrote: »

It seems all of you, 'Alter-Ego' excepted, seem to be reading what you think it should say, not what the words actually are.
I guess it's meant to be a reference to something like fronting, and not to do it, which I'd agree with.
But that isn't what it actually says. To avoid being told it's out of context, here's the whole paragraph, copied and pasted from the email sent out by MSE on 23rd March...

"step-by-step Young Driver's Car Insurance guide. Here's a brief summary.
Step 1: DOs and DON'Ts! DO reduce your risk with lower mileage and less powerful, unmodified cars. DON'T put someone else as primary driver if it's your car - that's illegal. DO try adding a responsible older driver as a second driver to see if it reduces costs, even if they'll rarely drive it. DO check comprehensive prices as well as 3rd party, bizarrely it can sometimes be cheaper. See the Young Driver's Car Insurance guide for more."

That clearly states it is illegal to put someone else as the primary driver when you own the car.
I would disagree with that being illegal.
What is illegal is THE OPPOSITE... NOT putting someone down as the main driver when they are, when you own the car. That's "fronting".

So let's not imagine what it might be trying to say but look at the actual words.
IMO opinion it is incorrect and misleading.

You don't appear to be a target recipient for this email and have perhaps therefore read it from your perspective alone?

Kid owns car. Kid insures it in his name. Kid names Dad as primary driver. Not illegal? Fraud? Obtaining by deception?

The replies you got will be an answer to your point, but will also be aimed at anyone else reading who may feel tempted to do this ill-advised attempt to reduce their premiums.

bobcoates

Kingstreet and Tony_, now you explain it the way you do I see your point. I'm not a young driver, so I shouldn't be reading it!!!

I'll wind my neck in

Thanks. (Still think it could have been worded better though).