Car Insurance for a 17y/o male

sundancer101

brazilianwax wrote: »

I'd be worried too.

Worried enough to do a Data Protection request to get hold of a copy of the tape and any notes made on the policy that weren't part of the documentation.

There is probably not any need to do this. Most calls are not taped anyway.
Direct lines system (like most others I'm sure) has a notes screen in with every customers electronic file. Any call that is some way out of the norm will (should) have comments attached to it giving the date/time/operators ID.
If you are in any way worried about the policy you should ring them and get it confirmed that notes have been made to cover this situation.

scheming_gypsy

raskazz wrote: »

I am a motor underwriter. Experienced claims handlers can spot this a mile off and will not bat an eyelid in voiding a policy. This is a reality not a myth perpetrated by insurers. I'm sure I speak for most of the other users of the forum when I say that it is not helpful to be giving out such illegal, ill-informed and highly dangerous 'advice'.

they can't 'spot it a mile off' as they've no edivence who is the main driver. all they can do is have a high suspicion of who the main driver is and act on that. If they guess it right then the policy holder won't complain.

Unless the driver is followed around daily or mums diesel Fiesta has a body kit and huge exhaust it's always an educated guess as to who the main driver is.

If you're going to say i'm wrong i'd like some hard evidence at how the claim handlers know who the main driver is.

raskazz

They can spot it a mile off. I'm a motor underwriter - may I ask what experience you have had in the insurance industry?

No, I'm not going to put up a crib list to help anyone foolish enough to do this. If you want more information send me a PM if you want.

I'm not making this stuff up - there is no reason for me to do so. I'm sure a few others with experience of the industry will be along eventually to confirm the reality for you.

lisyloo

If you are in any way worried about the policy you should ring them

It's not my policy so I don't think I can do this.

It certainly wasn't done to save costs as the policy was £1800 in the first year (on an old banger).

I will mention it again when I see them but I can't make other people do stuff.

MarkyMarkD

Lisy

Thanks for your honesty, lisy, and for trying to make your relatives see sense.

It sounds very much like a member of Direct Line's sales staff has done this to make a sale. That's appalling practice.

Scheming

I don't know why you are claiming that it's all anecdote that insurers deny claims of this nature when I've provided evidence of a case where they did exactly that, and the muppet fraudulent customers took it to the Ombudsman, who (surprise, surprise) upheld the insurers' correct decline of the claim.

It might not seem obvious but given that 95% of those with their first cars are driving around in Fiestas/Corsas/Saxos whilst their parents have one or even two more decent cars, it's blinking obvious to any claims handler.

Do you think that "17 year old driver driving their mum's car" doesn't instantly raise a red flag down at the claims handling department?

Do you think that insurers really want to pay fraudulent claims?

scheming_gypsy

No Marky, what i'm saying is that they don't know who the main driver is, except obviously if it's the 3rd car in the family.
When i first passed my test i did exactly the same and drove under my mums insurance as a named driver. My mum has held a license for years but only started driving a few years ago. There was 1 car in the household, mine, insured under my mums name and she never drove it. How would the insurance companies know?
When she started driving and needed (my) her no claims i went under my dads insurance as a named driver. the broker knew about it as he did my dad's insurance under the company policy. I crashed the car, phoned the insurance company even though it was in my dads name and they told me to take it to x place and get it repaired.

Like i said, they can't possibly know who the main driver is unless:
the cars been modified
it's the 3rd / 4th car in the family.

I don't have any experience in the motor insurance industry but i've 7 years in emergency repairs insurance and i know that our 'most experienced claims handlers' are the ones who have never progressed since they've been there.

i'm not saying it's ok to do it (even though i did it for 6 years) but that unless there's glaringly obvious evidence who the main driver there is no way they can prove it.

scheming_gypsy

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

Do you think that insurers really want to pay fraudulent claims?

c'mon mate, do you think insurers really want to pay any claims?

MarkyMarkD

They don't NEED to prove it.

The insured needs to prove it, if push comes to shove.

The insurers can decline any claim for any reason they like.

If the insured (who knows they are fraudulent) takes it to the FOS, the FOS will judge the claim very critically based on their knowledge that young people buy "fronted" policies all the time.

If it was ever to go to court, it would be the claimant having to prove the case against the insurer.

"Do you think insurers really want to pay any claims"? No, of course not. Hence why fronting isn't going to work nowadays because insurance underwriting margins are tiny (if positive at all) and every penny off claims payments helps.

There is TONNES of evidence as to main driver.

You are required to prove that your vehicle is adequately maintained, if your insurer asks for it. If that documentation all shows the young driver's name, it's obviously the young driver's car.

The original purchase invoice may show the young driver's name, despite it being registered to the parent.

I could go on, but won't.

Anyway, getting back to brass tacks, it's just wrong because it's immoral and because it's fraudulent it's therefore illegal.

And therefore it's a bad idea.

wisbech_lad

To the OP.

Buy a push bike instead...

darich

Third party fire and theft?
Third party only?

For an older car with small engine the premium is often more than the value of the car.
In that case get the cheapest possible cover - one of the above policies.

Or, as has been suggested, a bike!