Adding parent as named driver lowers insurance? Why?

[Salgar]

Hello,

I was just perusing the classifieds and thought I would check the insurance on a 20k 2 seats sports car. So I went to check out the insurance on Admiral and it came out at £880 for just me as the only driver on the insurance.

I remembered someone telling me the other day that adding their Mother as a named driver lowered their premium. So I tried it (I'm 25, don't live anywhere near my parents, and they would never dream of driving this car). Anyway, added my mother as a named driver, and it dropped the premium to £700.

Firstly, why would that happen? by what logic does having an older named driver to a 25 year olds car insurance make it safer?

Secondly, is it legal? I know fronting etc is very illegal, but this doesn't seem to be? or am I wrong?

[kambites]

It's perfectly level as long as you're down as the main driver.

[Flanders.]

Means you will be driving the car less if someone else is on the Insurance, and your Mother is a lower risk than you.

I think .

[John D.]

Because when they are driving it you are not

My Mother really enjoyed my 172 Cup for a couple of years.

No I don't know why they accept this either!

Edited by John D. on Sunday 25th April 20:34

[glazbagun]

What actually is Fronting? Is that when I park my car in the street outside my student squat in deepest brixton, but put my parent's address in some leafy suburb down as my home address?

For my first car, only my mother lowered the insurance, my Dad actually increased it by about £100, which was ironic considering my Dad's clean licence and my Mums earlier era of driving into stuff.

Edited by glazbagun on Sunday 25th April 20:35

[dougc]

I would imagine that the logic follows thusly.

Your mother is in a lower risk category. If she is named on the policy then it must be for the purpose of driving the car, otherwise, why would she be on there? When she is driving it, you are not and there for the overall risk is reduced.

Thats how I've accounted for it in the past at any rate...

[kambites]

glazbagun said:

What actually is Fronting?

"Fronting" is lying about who is the main driver of the vehicle.

Lying about where it's kept is just general fraud.

Edited by kambites on Sunday 25th April 20:36

[John D.]

glazbagun said:

What actually is Fronting? Is that when I buy a car parked on the street in deepest brixton, but put my parent's address in some leafy suburb down as my home address?

No its worse than that. Its when you buy a car then insure it in your mothers name with her as the main driver to get the lower premium. Then put yourself on the insurance as a named driver when in actual fact you are the main driver.

glazbagun said:

For my first car, only my mother lowered the insurance, my Dad actually increased it by about £100, which was ironic considering my Dad's clean licence and my Mums earlier era of driving into stuff.

Driving into stuff does not get recorded on your licence though does it? Whats the chances she was actually a named driver on your poor Dads insurance policy for all these bumps?

[Shmee150]

Isn't there written into the small print that each person named on the policy must drive the car at least once in the policy period?

Don't get me wrong, I do it too because it takes my policy down for next year from £1900 to £1200, but in my case once or twice in a year my parents would drive my car.

[kambites]

Shmee150 said:

Isn't there written into the small print that each person named on the policy must drive the car at least once in the policy period?

No. At least not on my policy.

[John D.]

Shmee150 said:

Isn't there written into the small print that each person named on the policy must drive the car at least once in the policy period?

Don't get me wrong, I do it too because it takes my policy down for next year from £1900 to £1200, but in my case once or twice in a year my parents would drive my car.

How on Earth would they prove that?

[Shmee150]

John D. said:

Shmee150 said:

Isn't there written into the small print that each person named on the policy must drive the car at least once in the policy period?

Don't get me wrong, I do it too because it takes my policy down for next year from £1900 to £1200, but in my case once or twice in a year my parents would drive my car.

How on Earth would they prove that?

They wouldn't be able too, doesn't mean they can't say it though.

Edited by Shmee150 on Sunday 25th April 20:57

[T66ORA]

Salgar said:

Hello,

I was just perusing the classifieds and thought I would check the insurance on a 20k 2 seats sports car. So I went to check out the insurance on Admiral and it came out at £880 for just me as the only driver on the insurance.

I remembered someone telling me the other day that adding their Mother as a named driver lowered their premium. So I tried it (I'm 25, don't live anywhere near my parents, and they would never dream of driving this car). Anyway, added my mother as a named driver, and it dropped the premium to £700.

Firstly, why would that happen? by what logic does having an older named driver to a 25 year olds car insurance make it safer?

Secondly, is it legal? I know fronting etc is very illegal, but this doesn't seem to be? or am I wrong?

If you are with Admiral/Bell/Elephant, add you Dad as well, that will bring it down further, as long as he is reasonably "clean". The money you will save would make it worth your while going to see your parents, and tell them both to drive round the block

[slipstream 1985]

iv had my mum on my insurance for 8 years. and been driving for 8 years. dad only worked out cheaper for 4 years he's now off. even had my uncle who lives at a different address on in the first year. saaved another £50.

[reggie82]

I'm 28 and it still reduces my premium when I add my parents.

It's really odd and I don't understand why. Some people have said it's because when they're driving it i'm not, but i'd have thought in most cases when the parents drive the car it's incremental useage rather than instead of the policy holder?

I'd be interested if anyone involved with insurance risk-calculating can offer an explanation.

[Shmee150]

reggie82 said:

I'm 28 and it still reduces my premium when I add my parents.

It's really odd and I don't understand why. Some people have said it's because when they're driving it i'm not, but i'd have thought in most cases when the parents drive the car it's incremental useage rather than instead of the policy holder?

I'd be interested if anyone involved with insurance risk-calculating can offer an explanation.

Because you quote the mileage I always just assumed that proportionally they'll decide that the more experienced driver may do 10% or something and reduce the premium in line with that.

To be incremental as you put it, I guess you would then put a higher mileage on your quote.

Confusing, I hope it keeps being the case for me up to 28!

[TheEnd]

it's more from looking at the stats, a shared car that mummy and daddy use gets wrecked less than Wayne's saxo that his dad wouldn't be seen dead in.

[reggie82]

Shmee150 said:

reggie82 said:

I'm 28 and it still reduces my premium when I add my parents.

It's really odd and I don't understand why. Some people have said it's because when they're driving it i'm not, but i'd have thought in most cases when the parents drive the car it's incremental useage rather than instead of the policy holder?

I'd be interested if anyone involved with insurance risk-calculating can offer an explanation.

Because you quote the mileage I always just assumed that proportionally they'll decide that the more experienced driver may do 10% or something and reduce the premium in line with that.

To be incremental as you put it, I guess you would then put a higher mileage on your quote.

Confusing, I hope it keeps being the case for me up to 28!

Good point! However, they're assuming people are pretty accurate at predicting their annual mileage lol

[Shmee150]

TheEnd said:

it's more from looking at the stats, a shared car that mummy and daddy use gets wrecked less than Wayne's saxo that his dad wouldn't be seen dead in.

Very interesting point, and most likely significantly involved.

[Timberwolf]

My reckoning on it was that the actuarial data must have shown that people who share a car with someone else are less likely to crash it. Even adding someone of the same age, gender and driving history can drop your insurance in some cases.

Which sort of makes sense - even if you're 18 and totally reckless the knowledge that your mum will go absolutely spare if you stack the car she needs tomorrow might make you hold back a bit on that tricky corner.

I'm guessing as more people do it (and the risk of the group of drivers with a named parent becomes closer to those without) the advantage of bunging a parent, relative or even a female friend on your insurance will gradually be eroded.