quick question - is this fronting?

[Ian Geary]

Evening all
wife has fairly knackered Alfa Romeo twin spark. which is SORN'd.

She's just written off my family car, so I'm bringin the Alfa back on the road.

We drive 50:50 in mileage terms: her the more frequent short journeys during the week, myself the longer weekend trips.

So, on to insurnace quotes.

If the vehicle was owned by me, fully comp insurance taken out by me, with her as named driver, who is nominated as "main" driver - costs about £100 less than if she owns and insures the vehicle, with me added as named driver, and her nominated as main driver. All accidents and endorsements disclosed like for like.

Car would be signed over properly - V5, paying the tax etc.

Question - could this be thought of as "fronting"?

As long as my discloses about who is driving are accurate, and I complete the paperwork correctly, can anyone see any issues with this (other than deciding how to spend the £100 I've saved *)


(* Actually, it will have to go on 2 new front tyres, given the 156 destroyed the inner tread of the existing ones)


Thanks,

Ian

[Bigends]

Dont think she can be the main driver and named driver at the same time

[Funk]

I would imagine she would need to be the main driver as she uses it five days out of seven, ie. the majority of the 'time'. Not sure whether the mileage split would be relevant, although clearly one would imagine that if you're both doing equal miles, you'd be equal risk.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

The 'Main driver' will get the NCB.
You won't need to change the V5, since the 'owner' is not necessarily the person the car is registered to.
But try to keep things uncomplicated, especially if you're going to replace the main car.

[BertBert]

to solve the main driver question, you should ask the insurance company. It's not necessarily an easy distinction, so just explain the circs to them and ask them which they would define as main driver. It's their definition that matters.
Bert

[Sheepshanks]

Don't see any problem with any of this, but only the insurance company can confirm.

I own and am RK of both our cars, the one my wife mainly uses had her as main driver. A couple of years ago I switched the policy on her car into her name, simply to make sure she always had the safety net of DOC cover, after her Dad tried to get her to drive his car because "fully comp" means "any driver".

Our insurer (LV=) told me for a husband and wife they don't care who is declared as RK, main driver or policyholder.

ETA: When I say "don't care" that doesn't mean the premium will be the same - it went down slightly on her car when she became policyholder (with me still as owner and RK).

Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 23 November 22:35

[Ian Geary]

OK, thanks for those thoughts.

The price comparison site I've been using does ask the question which of the drivers (ie proposer and named) is the "main" driver, but I appreciate this seems odd situation.

I could always call them - I still need to find out what happens to my current policy - which is about 5 weeks in, with my car being declared a write off (although the value is only £700 so I'm not particularly upset).

I suspect that policy has now "ended", but I should ask them about whether I can switch cover to our remaining car. Any fees and extra premiums are likely to be less than a whol new policy fee.

cheers,

Ian

[Sheepshanks]

Ian Geary said:

I suspect that policy has now "ended",

I've no direct experience of this but have seen various comments of some insurance companies ending policies once they write off the car, or only allowing 30 days for the policy to be switched another car, otherwise they cancel it.

[Red Devil]

Sheepshanks said:

Don't see any problem with any of this, but only the insurance company can confirm.

I own and am RK of both our cars, the one my wife mainly uses had her as main driver. A couple of years ago I switched the policy on her car into her name, simply to make sure she always had the safety net of DOC cover, after her Dad tried to get her to drive his car because "fully comp" means "any driver".

Likewise. For years everything was in my name but with my o/h declared as the main driver on the one in which she did lots of local journeys whereas I did a handful of long distance trips. Then I did the same as you but for a different reason: so that she could build up her own NCD.

Sheepshanks said:

Our insurer (LV=) told me for a husband and wife they don't care who is declared as RK, main driver or policyholder.

What insurers are primarily interested in is risk, not a paperwork exercise. LV= are quite sensible about this. Mine couldn't care less either: others have silly in-house rules about whose name is on the V5C etc.

Sheepshanks said:

When I say -don't care- that doesn't mean the premium will be the same - it went down slightly on her car when she became policyholder (with me still as owner and RK)

AFAIK insurers are forbidden by EU rules from taking gender into account when setting a premium.

[Sheepshanks]

Red Devil said:

Then I did the same as you but for a different reason: so that she could build up her own NCD.

"Her" car's policy carried its own NCB so it just fully transferred to her.

Red Devil said:

AFAIK insurers are forbidden by EU rules from taking gender into account when setting a premium.

I was confused about that too but I guess age / job (that's about it, I think?) of policyholder could have made a difference. I didn't feel minded to make a fuss about a decrease, but of course would have kicked off if it had gone up!

Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 23 November 23:20

[Drumroll]

Had the same thing the other year, asked the insurance company (direct line) and at the time they where happy for the wife to be named as main driver because she did the most journeys, whilst I did the most miles. But has been said speak to the insurance company.

[supermono]

There would need to be a legal definition of "main driver" I suspect for this to go one way or the other.

Without a legal definition, if it came to court I'm no lawyer but it seems reasonable for main driver to be either the one who does more miles or the one who uses the car most days.

Interesting question but if you ask insco I bet they'll say whichever causes the largest premium.

[thescamper]

Another LV customer and I can confirm they dont care where the couple are classed as 'married', we are actually in a slightly worse position as first one out takes which ever car is on the back of the drive, so there genuinely isnt a main user on either car.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Bigends said:

Dont think she can be the main driver and named driver at the same time

Yes you can. My wife in the named driver on my policy, and the nominated main driver too.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

The 'Main driver' will get the NCB.

Wrong. The policyholder will get the ncb, regardless of being the main driver or not.

OP, insurers couldn't car less about main/not main driver/policyholder between husband and wife of similar age. It's parents/children where fronting is an issue. Configure it in whatever way is best for you.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

The 'Main driver' will get the NCB.

Wrong. The policyholder will get the ncb, regardless of being the main driver or not.

Really?
I'm fairly sure I'm right...but happy to be proved wrong.

[mph999]

If one of you commutes to work in it, I think they will be classed as the main driver.

[davepoth]

mph999 said:

If one of you commutes to work in it, I think they will be classed as the main driver.

A fair assumption - the commute is the riskiest bit of driving, so that's the one they'll want to weight for.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

The 'Main driver' will get the NCB.

Wrong. The policyholder will get the ncb, regardless of being the main driver or not.

Really?
I'm fairly sure I'm right...but happy to be proved wrong.

You are definitely wrong, but I have no way of proving it, other than suggest you ask your own insurers.

[surveyor]

thescamper said:

Another LV customer and I can confirm they dont care where the couple are classed as 'married', we are actually in a slightly worse position as first one out takes which ever car is on the back of the drive, so there genuinely isnt a main user on either car.

Also here. I was genuinely unsure who used our RR more. Depends on whether you are judging by distance or number of times driven.... They helped with my clarity asking who did the school run more.....