Learner Car Insurance question - Advice needed!

DanC_2

Hi All,

i am a learner driver who has recently bought a car. my driving test is scheduled for next month, and for the meantime i want to hand the car over to my mum, who can use it for herself until I pass....

Just need advise on this - is it ok to put her as the main driver on the insurance, and me as the second named driver? This would be cheap, and maybe i could even get a few extra hours practice in before the test... Can you tell me if this is ok from a legal perspective?

Just had a look at putting myself as the main named driver and it is ridiculously expensive - more that £1000!

Given this price, think i might just temporarily insure it in her name only, and look again when i have passed..(would you recommend this?)

Thanks for the advice!

DC

cajef

If you are the main driver the car should be insured with you as such, if you are a second named driver when the car is yours and you are in fact the main driver it is know as 'fronting' and is illegal, in the case of a claim the insurance may not pay out.

See this article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/7052569.stm

anewman

And it's far better to be building up your own no claims. And checking insurance cost should have come before purchasing the car, as changing the car itself can significantly reduce the cost. If you can't afford the insurance, you can't afford the car - like with the people who win something like £50,000 - spend most of it on a sports car, then realise they can't possibly afford the insurance. Have known of one story of parents paying £12,000 for insurance for a 17 year old driving an Imprezza.

Also, if it costs £1000 with a provisional license, chances are when you have passed it will be more. Adding your mum as a named driver with you as main driver may help reduce the cost with some insurers.

And to add to cajef, worse than not paying out, they can bill you for all the costs of damage caused which won't be cheap.

DanC_2

thanks for the reply guys -

when you say 'main driver' do you mean the person who will mostly use the car?.. in this case it will be my mother will mostly use the car and keep it at her house (until i pass the test).
Is this still considered 'fronting'?

PS - it is a small 1.3 engine car so i dont think the car type is the problem... I just feel that 1k for one years insurance is a bit excessive...

thanks again!

cajef

DanC wrote: »

Hi All,

i am a learner driver who has recently bought a car. my driving test is scheduled for next month, and for the meantime i want to hand the car over to my mum, who can use it for herself until I pass....

If your mother is the main driver and the car is insured in her name OK, but is it worth it for possibly one month if you pass your test, she would then have to cancel her policy which would involve cancellation fees, so it could be an even more expensive way of doing things.

anewman

Insurance could still possibly be reduced by around £300 with a different brand/type of car or one with a 1 litre engine.

cajef

DanC wrote: »

thanks for the reply guys -


PS - it is a small 1.3 engine car so i dont think the car type is the problem... I just feel that 1k for one years insurance is a bit excessive...

There is a reason why it is expensive for young drivers read this thread..........

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=935551