Car Insurance

Nikster73

My husband bought a car for my son for his 18th birthday. The car is in owned by my husband.

My son needs to have his own insurance to start having no claims bonus. Due to him being 18 his insurance cost is high. He has tried to add me on to his policy, as I will drive his car a couple of times a week to the gym and back. However, it will cost an additional £789 for the year. This could be due to me having x 3 points on my license. ( went through a red light over 1.32 seconds).

I need to take out my own separate insurance policy, in my name only.

I have googled for answers etc, and it states it can be done. Have others done this? I just want to en-sure it’s fine for me to do this.

Glad

Yes, it is possible for two people to have separate insurance policies on the same car, so you don't necessarily have to be added to your son's policy.

You would need to be completely honest with insurers though. Tell them your husband owns the car, your son is the main user and already has his own policy on it, and you only use it a couple of times a week. Not every insurer may be happy to insure it on that basis.

One thing you definitely don't want to do is insure yourself as the main driver simply to get around your son's high premium when he is actually the main user. That would be fronting and could invalidate the insurance.

I'd get quotes based on the exact circumstances and then compare them with that £789 to add you to his policy.

ButterCheese

Shared Policy (Main Driver and Named Driver)

• How it works: One person is listed as the main policyholder and owner/primary user, and the second person is added as a named driver.
• Pros: Usually the most cost-effective option, and both people are fully covered to drive the vehicle.
• Cons: If the named driver has an accident, it can affect the main policyholder's no-claims discount (unless protected).

It would depend on which insurer you ask as to whether they'd do this at all, and at what cost. I doubt you'd get an answer from comparison sites so you might have to phone around. You'll also have to be very sure that you read all of the small print and exclusions, but as long as the main driver uses it most, and the named driver uses it less, you should be ok. You can ask the advisor what constitutes less/more in terms of use according to them. Maybe explain what you want to use it for, and when, and how often and they'll be able to confirm.

Be prepared for this to cost as much as your previous quote for joint policy though. £789/year extra (£66/month) is not a huge increase, depending on what the total policy would be.

For some perspective, that's about the same cost as we had to pay to put my stepson on my 125 scooter, even though I have a full clean motorcycle license, but because he's 19 and on L plates it's obviously higher risk. We went from paying £288 to £720 a year and the little tyke has barely even used it!

daveyjp

Does your 18 year old already have a policy or is he getting quotes? Appreciate 101 things ffe t insurance quotes, but amazed adding an older parent driver with 3 points for a minor offence adds almost £800.

If he has a policy already in place it may be worth getting some fresh quotes and cancelling an existing policy, even if it means paying cancellation charges.

Nikster73

My son and I have been getting quotes consistently. The best priced quote he had was from Admiral which starts on 28th August. Our previous policy ends on this date, and I will be no longer insured. Im 53 years old and had a clean divers licence all my life. I went through a red light which changed from amber to red, and was 1.32 seconds over!!

We called Admiral today and were quoted £789 to add me on to his policy. I won’t be driving the car often enough to justify this amount, I can get a policy in my own name via Confused.com for £309 for a year, but unable to speak to an advisor. I will be better calling individual companies directly.

Nikster73

My son is paying £1300 for a year and with myself added on, it would bring it to £2100, which in my opinion is quite a jump.

daveyjp

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82114792#Comment_82114792

So you are looking at amending a policy already in place? If so they may try it on, so back on confused with your son as main driver and you (and husband which may lower the costs) as additional drivers.

Adding me and my wife to my daughter's quotes halved the premium.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6680917/car-insurance

The first statement makes no sense, if its for his birthday why is your husband the owner? Surely it was a present so your son is the owner? Your husband may remain the registered keeper but that is a separate point to the legal owner.

Does he have a full license or just a provisional? Guessing full as thats typically much more expensive than a provisional.

A named driver doesnt have to drive the car at all, they can be named simply "just in case", the only requirement is that their details are accurately declared. Insurance is normally calculated by multiplication rather than addition so a young person will have a high premium so adding another driver with a negative history will compound. So to use some made up numbers, if they are rating you as a 120% due to the driving history then adding to hubbys policy that is £300 will add £60 but adding it to son's policy that is already £2,500 it would add £500

Do you need to drive this car rather than one of the others? Have you quoted for adding husband to the policy instead of you?

chrisw

Cycle or walk to the gym and back?

Nikster73

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115039#Comment_82115039

My Husband bought the car and is the legal owner of the car. All documents are in my husband’s name. This is what he chose to do. The main driver is my son.

My son has a full licence. It’s handy for me to drive my son’s car, as it’s small. The other vehicle’s Im insured on are commercial and a landrover. My husband is on the policy along with my son, but when trying to add me, its increasing by another £800!

Nikster73

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82115153#Comment_82115153

It’s too much of a distance to do that…..but thanks for the advice!!