Insurance and Fronting

Tinks74

Firstly I want to make a couple of points to stop the usual people jumping in and accusing me of fronting (and to identify those people who jump in without reading the thread properly lol).

1. I understand what fronting is.
2. This is a hypothetical question.
3. I'm interested in how you legally do not front.

If my partner & I share a car 50/50, we both drive as and when required so that in all honesty we couldn't establish who could be classed as the 'Main' driver.
When looking at insurance quotes in the past I don't recall coming across any options other than main driver and additional drivers, if additional driver is the same as named driver then this is not the appropriate place to add the second driver's name.

So how do we insure the car? :think:

fivetide

Talk to the insurance companies. You will find it usually goes as the most risky person is the one they qoute off so that'll be the bloke with the partner as a named driver.

Downside is most don't offer no claims for named drivers (although i think Direct Line do)

5t.

scheming_gypsy

What difference is there in cost?

With there being one car and two drivers and you both live together etc then i'd say it's unlikely it'll be seen as fronting; you're just insuring your car. Whereas if you had two cars both with the same main driver and named driver then it'd look like an obvious case of fronting

Tinks74

5t - Not that you were to know this, so it is possibly a little unfair to throw it in now, but I am gay, both my partner & I have very similar driving histories and 9 and 11 years worth of NCD respectively. There is no obvious 'riskier' driver and there is no gender bias to be added to the equation.

Lum

The driver you put down as the main driver is one of either:

1) The one who needs to earn some NCB
2) The one who currently has the most NCB, or
3) The one that gets you the cheapest price

It's only fronting when there is a significant difference in risk, and the high risk "additional" driver is doing the majority of driving.

Another option if you both have similar NCB and costs is to swap over every year, so that you both earn/maintain NCB, then if you do lose it for whatever reason you can switch to the other person's NCB which you have kept in reserve.

Edit: This post was written before the reply above was added. Given that additional information, I'd go for my last suggestion.

NCB generally expires within two years, so this method is definitely worth it. Will also reduce costs down the line if you want to get a second car, or if you break up and thus need your own cars, though hopefully that wont happen.

Tinks74

Lum wrote: »

The driver you put down as the main driver is one of either:

1) The one who needs to earn some NCB
2) The one who currently has the most NCB, or
3) The one that gets you the cheapest price

It's only fronting when there is a significant difference in risk, and the high risk "additional" driver is doing the majority of driving.

Another option if you both have similar NCB and costs is to swap over every year, so that you both earn/maintain NCB, then if you do lose it for whatever reason you can switch to the other person's NCB which you have kept in reserve.

That seems to make some sense, although I'm sure that insurance companies would do their damnedest to get around the last bit lol

Lum

Tinks74 wrote: »

That seems to make some sense, although I'm sure that insurance companies would do their damnedest to get around the last bit lol

It's fine, you just need to keep your renewal notice safe for a year.

It's also possible for people who own two cars and switching to one to use the same trick just on their own to keep two lots of NCB going.

I know this because I have done it! I've even had an accident and had to make a claim and had no trouble. The following year I used the other NCB and have remained on that since.

fivetide

Tinks74 wrote: »

5t - Not that you were to know this, so it is possibly a little unfair to throw it in now, but I am gay, both my partner & I have very similar driving histories and 9 and 11 years worth of NCD respectively. There is no obvious 'riskier' driver and there is no gender bias to be added to the equation.

In that case everything Lum says fits. The only difference will be if there is a significant age gap or if one of you already has a number of year's discount to use on the policy.

Direct Line might still be able to help if you plan on running two cars at some point however, i'm not sure other insurers would recognise their scheme!

5t.

bigjl

I Isured my wifes car with her as the cars keeper and her as the main driver and me as second driver.

This was via Swintons.

Reason I did it this way was due to the fact I had 7 yrs NCD but was using a traders policy. And didn't want my NCD to expire.

I then had another business insurance policy that allowed me to.transfer the 2yrs NCD onto a personal policy. No problem as the wifes new car is used for work and sd&p.

I then started reusing my own ncd, the wife now uses the business ncb, but it I am.still the policyholder and she is still the owner and main driver.

There is a lot more flexibility in the Insurance game than people think.

All you need to do to avoid fronting is be honest who is the main driver.

In the OP's siuation even though they think they both use the car equally if they think about it one will drivw the car a little more than the other as truely equal use is unlikely even though usage may be similar.

I would consider who drives when they are both in the car together?

I would then consider that to infer that is the main driver.

As an aside, I successfulyy made a claim.in the above situation although it was a non fault.

scheming_gypsy

Lum wrote: »

It's also possible for people who own two cars and switching to one to use the same trick just on their own to keep two lots of NCB going.

I know this because I have done it! I've even had an accident and had to make a claim and had no trouble. The following year I used the other NCB and have remained on that since.

i'm currently doing it now as well..

Tinks74

bigjl wrote: »

All you need to do to avoid fronting is be honest who is the main driver.

In the OP's siuation even though they think they both use the car equally if they think about it one will drivw the car a little more than the other as truely equal use is unlikely even though usage may be similar.

I would consider who drives when they are both in the car together?

I would then consider that to infer that is the main driver.

It is not uncommon for one of use to drive to a place and the other to drive home, we both work in the same area and park in a place convenient for both. I know it sounds strange but we genuinely do share driving, we both enjoy it lol.

But I appreciate the comment, thanks.