New research from go.compare car insurance has found that one in five (20%) parents with children who own a car could be at risk of a significant fine and criminal record for “challenging” the insurance policy of his son.
‘Fronting’ is when an older or more experienced driver, usually a parent, claims they are the primary user of the car, but it is mostly driven by a youth or other high-risk motorists, in order to reduce the cost of insurance of car
Reading: How to save on car insurance for young drivers
go.compare research surveyed more than 1,000 parents of children between the ages of 17 and 25 who were learning to drive or new drivers. When asked about their child’s car insurance, one in five said the insurance was in their or their partner’s name and the child was listed as an additional driver, which is technically insurance fraud and, therefore illegal.
Nearly half (49%) of parents whose child is the main driver across the UK said they would consider making themselves the main driver to save money.
Commenting on the survey results, ryan fulthorpe, motoring expert at go.compare, said, “we’re seeing a period of great financial stress for families right now, and it’s not surprising that families want to save money wherever they can, especially those facing big new expenses, like buying someone their first car.
“Unfortunately, parents often don’t realize that insuring a child’s car in their name, even though you won’t be their primary driver, is an illegal offense. It may seem like a workaround that can help keep costs down, but since fronting is considered insurance fraud, you can at best end up with a voided policy, at worst a hefty fine and criminal record .
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“The good news is that the numbers seem to have dropped from last year, when almost one in four (24%) admitted to coping, whether accidentally or not. These statistics are encouraging, particularly given the financial pressures many people are under right now, that we’re not making risky decisions to save money.”
The survey also revealed that the various costs associated with learning to drive (insurance, fuel and running costs) were the top concerns for parents, in addition to safety and any other concerns.
The current average cost of a car insurance policy for a 17-19 year old is £1,161 according to data from go.compare.
five ways young drivers can save money on car insurance
The team at go.compare shares five top tips for younger drivers to help them save money on car insurance without breaking the law.
find a policy
Whatever you do, the best way to save money on car insurance is to shop around and make sure you’re not paying for an expensive policy with extras you don’t need. If you’re buying a policy for the first time, take some time to do some comparison shopping online and see how the price compares.
improve security
Simple things like installing alarms, immobilizers, and locking wheel nuts could lower your premium, but it’s important to consider whether the money spent on those security measures is cheaper than the money you’d save on your auto insurance.
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keep it simple
Don’t be tempted to upgrade the look or performance of your car; a modest factory standard car will be cheaper to insure. On top of that, cars with smaller engines are in lower insurance groups, which means they are cheaper to insure. the cheapest car to insure for young drivers this year is the skoda citigo.
be careful with accessories
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Car insurance add-ons can include things like key coverage, legal aid, breakdown coverage, courtesy car coverage, personal accident coverage, windshield coverage, and no-claims protected bonus. consider if you really need these plugins in the first place, eg do you already have breakdown coverage? if you think you need them, shop around to see if you can get them separately at a lower cost than in a car insurance package.
buy on time
When you buy your policy it can affect how much you pay. Some insurers may view people who buy insurance at the last minute as a bit riskier and therefore more likely to take risks behind the wheel, so buying well in advance could save you money on your premiums. /p>
For more information on car insurance for young drivers, visit the go.compare website here.
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