Car insurance: named driver

woolf

I am looking at buying my first car and getting quotes for the insurance, it would reduce my premium considerably if my mum would agree to be a named driver on my policy (it would also be pretty helpful generally) but she is worried that if I had an accident and made a claim that it would affect her own insurance for her own car (which I do not drive).

From what research I've done I don't believe this would be the case, but I could be wrong... Could anyone help clarify whether or not a named driver would be affected by a claim made by the main driver?

Aretnap

The question her insurer will ask her is (something like) "have you had any accidents or claims in the last 5 years. Which part of that does she think applies to you having an accident in your own car. She won't have had an accident (as she wasn't driving, or probably even there) nor will she have made a claim (as it's not her policy, and whether or not you claim is nothing to do with her).

Unless she was actually driving your car at the time it had the accident the fact that she was a named driver makes no odds - she would not have to disclose any accident to her own insurer, nor would it have the slightest impact on her own policy.

woolf

Thanks, that's what I thought but she isn't convinced for some reason, I'll persevere though.

Zinger549

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/blog/back-to-fronting/

woolf

Fronting shouldn't be an issue considering I am going to be the main driver and insured as such and my mum would simply be an additional driver on my policy as she would only be driving the car occasionally?

Zinger549

Oh sorry I didn't know having them as a named driver lowered the insurance. I thought it was only if they were down as the main driver.

Mr.Generous

it really does lower the premium, just putting wife on lowered mine, tried with or without for a few years as she never actually drives it, always more expensive to leave her off. When she first passed her test and had a 1ltr Fiesta and nil years ncd it lowered my premium to put her on a mondeo st24 (if anyone remembers them), powerful car in those days.

eddddy

Aretnap wrote: »

Unless she was actually driving your car at the time it had the accident the fact that she was a named driver makes no odds - she would not have to disclose any accident to her own insurer, nor would it have the slightest impact on her own policy.

... or if she was the last person to drive the car before an incident occurred.

e.g. If she parked the car, and it was subsequently damaged or stolen (even if she was nowhere near the car at the time), many insurers would put the claim against her name, as she was the last person to drive it.


But if she never drives the car, obviously that situation would not occur.

(It would be legitimate for you to insure your mum as a named driver 'in case of emergencies', but no 'emergencies' happen - so she never drives the car.)