{"id":186925,"date":"2019-04-15T10:28:15","date_gmt":"2019-04-15T09:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?page_id=186925"},"modified":"2025-01-07T15:37:06","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T15:37:06","slug":"car-insurance-fronting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-fronting","title":{"rendered":"Car insurance fronting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Naming the wrong person as the main driver on your car insurance policy can be easy to do, but it could land you in hot water. Find out what car insurance fronting is all about and how you can still save money on your premium without committing this motoring offence.<\/p>

What is car insurance fronting?<\/h3>

\u201cFronting\u201d occurs when someone puts themselves down as the main driver of a car, when in fact a named driver on the policy uses the car more often. It\u2019s a tactic sometimes used by parents looking for a way to reduce eye-wateringly high car insurance premiums for their children.<\/p>

Insurers view younger, inexperienced drivers as high risk and more likely to be involved in an accident. As such, the cost of their car insurance is often much higher. So, in a bid to keep costs down, a parent may be tempted take out a policy on their son or daughter\u2019s car in their own name (as the main driver) and to list their child as a named driver.<\/p>

Is fronting legal?<\/h3>

Afraid not. It might seem like a clever loophole to keep premiums down for young, inexperienced drivers. But the practice of fronting is illegal in the UK. It\u2019s considered a type of insurance fraud. Plus, it probably goes without saying, it\u2019s forbidden under the terms of car insurance.<\/p>

How does fronting happen?<\/h3>

Many people who commit fronting don\u2019t realise it\u2019s against the law. Car insurance for young drivers is expensive and, understandably, many parents are keen to help out with costs.<\/p>

Often, parents help their children out with the purchase cost of a car, and may be the registered keeper. They might even contribute towards insurance costs.<\/p>

Given these factors, it can be easy for a parent to assume it\u2019s OK to put themselves down as the main driver on a car insurance policy for their child, and add their son or daughter as a named driver. And there\u2019s little doubt that doing so is likely to reduce premiums. But if, in practice, their child drives the car most often, by doing so they will be breaking the law and committing fraud.<\/p>

Accidental fronting can also take place when two people share a car under a single car insurance policy, and don\u2019t realise how important it is to get the main driver and named driver the right way round.<\/p>

Of course, there are also occasions when drivers might realise they\u2019re playing fast and loose with the rules, but may not realise how serious the consequences can be.<\/p>

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Example: Accidental vs deliberate fronting<\/h4>\n

Accidental fronting<\/h4>

Steph and Andrew are married and share a car. Steph is listed as the main driver on the car insurance policy as she used to drive the car to work and back every day. However, since she started working from home, Andrew now uses the car more often. As he is still listed as a named driver on the insurance policy, they are now committing fronting without realising.<\/p>

To ensure they won't be penalised, the couple should update their policy to state that Andrew is now the main driver.<\/p>

Deliberate fronting<\/h4>

Alex's daughter Isla has just passed her driving test and Alex has bought her a car. Isla's quoted car insurance premiums are sky-high, so Alex suggests taking out a car insurance policy and putting himself as the main driver to cut costs. He knows this isn't strictly permitted but plans to drive the car from time to time and sees it as a loophole he can exploit.<\/p>

However, Alex is committing insurance fraud and could face serious penalties if he gets caught. He and Isla would be best to be honest, and seek alternative ways to trim insurance costs.<\/p>\n

* This is a fictional, but realistic, example.<\/strong><\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\n

What happens if I am caught fronting?<\/h3>

Insurers are quick to crack down on suspected insurance fraud. Figures from the Association of British Insurers<\/a> show that 72,600 fraudulent insurance claims worth more than \u00a31 billion were uncovered by insurers in 2022. The majority of these were fraudulent motor insurance claims, including fronting.<\/p>

It\u2019s just not worth taking the risk of being caught fronting. If you are, it can have serious consequences. These can include:<\/p>

Non-legal consequences<\/h4>