Married couple first car no idea - how to register?

FirstnameSurnameNumbers01

My wife and I both have UK licenses but have never owned a car before, which we plan to change in the next month or so. Joint registration is not allowed and we are in over our heads about registering the car, car tax, insurance etc. My wife will supply the majority of the funds, but because she is foreign and nervous about driving on our side of the road I am likely to do the bulk of the driving for a while. It seems as though car insurance quotes cost roughly the same for any combination of us as main driver plus named driver. However, do any of the below approaches have hidden fees or other negatives? Is it better to:

1) register it all in her name, with me just as a named driver under the assumption that she will eventually start driving.

2) give me the funds to buy it in my name as the owner, keeper, and main driver.

3) her as the owner and me as the keeper and main driver

4) it literally does not matter please stop worrying!

Thanks in advance!

Mark_d

Since you would be doing most of the driving, you should be the main policyholder for the insurance.  It might make things simpler if you are also the registered owner and keeper of the vehicle.

400ixl

It does not matter, stop worrying. Registered keeper is the name of the person that the DVLA will interact with.

What does matter is if you are doing the majority of the driving then you must be the main driver with your wife as the additional driver. 

DullGreyGuy

Mark_d said:

Since you would be doing most of the driving, you should be the main policyholder for the insurance.  It might make things simpler if you are also the registered owner and keeper of the vehicle.

There is no registered keeper... there is no database of car ownership at all. 

You can jointly buy the car if you wish, as above, it only reflects in the invoice you get. If you're the main driver it does make sense for you to be the registered keeper (the person the thats contacted if there is a problem - eg car triggers a speed camera) and policyholder. 

For spouses insurers dont really care too much unless there is a massive age gap or difference in claims history hence the minimal differences you see when trying different combinations. 

baser999

We’ve jointly funded our cars in recent years and Significant Other is upset that she doesn’t get to have her name on the vehicle documents. I’m the main driver so tend to fund everything such as insurance, tax etc. 

LightFlare

4)

but as mentioned, ensure the insurance policy correctly identifies main and additional driver.

Bear in mind, typically, only the main driver will earn NCD

Registered keeper is the person (or entity) that is responsible for ensuring insurance is in place, tax paid and will be dealing with the paperwork (initially at least) for any infractions

(edit) you mention that she is "foreign" -- make sure you are aware of any licence restrictions  and the requirements to obtain a full UK licence etc

Iceweasel

'Foreign' - another Brexit benefit.

Woe betide anyone who calls my non-British wife 'foreign'.

prettyandfluffy

I’d suggest your wife books herself a couple of lessons to give her confidence. 

CliveOfIndia

LightFlare said:

(edit) you mention that she is "foreign" -- make sure you are aware of any licence restrictions  and the requirements to obtain a full UK licence etc

The OP has stated that they both have UK licences.

Aside from that, I concur with the previous responses - it really makes very little difference however you do it.  It's important that the person named as the "main driver" really is such, but that's the only thing you need to specifically watch for.

Usually you'll find insurance is ever so slightly cheaper if the policy holder is also the RK - though even having said that, in my experience is makes no difference where it's spouses that are involved.

( If a parent gives their old car to a child, for instance, and leaves it registered to the parent, it can be worth changing it so that the child becomes the RK, that can save a small amount on insurance costs.  But if one spouse is the RK and the other one is the policy-holder, my experience is that it makes zero or maybe a very tiny difference to insurance costs ).

LightFlare

CliveOfIndia said:

LightFlare said:

(edit) you mention that she is "foreign" -- make sure you are aware of any licence restrictions  and the requirements to obtain a full UK licence etc

The OP has stated that they both have UK licences.

Aside from that, I concur with the previous responses - it really makes very little difference however you do it.  It's important that the person named as the "main driver" really is such, but that's the only thing you need to specifically watch for.

Usually you'll find insurance is ever so slightly cheaper if the policy holder is also the RK - though even having said that, in my experience is makes no difference where it's spouses that are involved.

( If a parent gives their old car to a child, for instance, and leaves it registered to the parent, it can be worth changing it so that the child becomes the RK, that can save a small amount on insurance costs.  But if one spouse is the RK and the other one is the policy-holder, my experience is that it makes zero or maybe a very tiny difference to insurance costs ).

Missed that thanks - she  must be confident enough to have passed her test then and the longer she puts off driving any nerves will only grow

wongataa

Mark_d said:

Since you would be doing most of the driving, you should be the main policyholder for the insurance.  It might make things simpler if you are also the registered owner and keeper of the vehicle.

There is no such things as a registered owner of a car in the UK.