Fronting and car insurance
Fronting is lying about who the main driver of your car is, in order to get cheaper premiums.
What's fronting?
Fronting means having an older or more experienced driver - usually a parent - claim they’re the main user of the car that’s mostly driven by a young person, or other high-risk motorists, to reduce the cost of car insurance.
Parents are usually fronting to make their children’s car insurance cheaper, but it’s a type of fraud and it's illegal.
Key points
- Fronting is illegal - it could invalidate your insurance and land you in court
- If you’re adding a lower-risk driver to your policy, name them as an additional driver
- Follow our legal tips for cutting costs and getting the right deal
The cost of car insurance for 17 year old has actually reduced a little in 2020 – but it's still a lot higher than for older drivers.
Fully comprehensive car insurance for all ages is £539.36 on average, but for 17 year olds it's £930.[1]
That's what makes fronting so tempting, but it's not worth the risk. You could end up with a criminal record and it'll invalidate the young drivers’ car insurance too.
*Average cost of annual comprehensive car insurance for policies bought through GoCompare in 2018, 2019 and 2020 when the policyholder is 17.
[1]Average purchase price for annual comprehensive car insurance policies bought through GoCompare in December 2020. For all ages it was £539.36. For 17 year olds it was £930.48.
Fronting is common, but still a crime
We conducted research into fronting in 2020, and found that 49% of parents of young drivers would consider fronting to save money.[2]
Parents are putting themselves at risk of picking up a criminal record for the sake of reducing their child’s car insurance premiums. You don’t need to though - there are plenty of legal ways to save on your child’s car insurance.
Fronting shouldn’t be underestimated by parents; it is a criminal offence and has serious consequences.Acting DCI Craig Mullish, City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED)
New drivers are more likely to claim, so their insurance costs more
Car insurance premiums for new drivers can be high compared to those of more experienced drivers, but there’s a good reason why.
According to the ABI, drivers aged between 17 and 20 are twice as likely to make an insurance claim as other drivers and the cost of their claims can be up to three times higher than the average.
The consequences of fronting
It's understandable to want to get your child on the road for less money, but fronting can have serious consequences.
- Your policy will be cancelled or declared invalid
- You could have a claim rejected
- You might have to repay any costs your insurer has incurred from past claims
- You could be prosecuted for fraud and driving without insurance
- You might get a criminal record, fine and/or points on your licence
- You could be banned from driving
- You insurance premiums will go up in the future if you're caught
- You might find fewer insurers are willing to cover you in the future
Who is the main driver?
Always state who the main driver of the car is when you get car insurance. It's usually the person who drives the car the majority of the time and the main policyholder.
It’s not just a matter of miles though. Think about:
- Who commutes in the car
- Who uses the car on a daily basis, or most days of the week
- Who does the most miles
If you’re in doubt, just call the insurer first to make sure you get it right.
How to save money on young drivers’ car insurance
Here are seven legal tips to help young or new drivers save money on their car insurance.
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Named driver
You could save £105 by adding an experienced additional driver to your policy[3]
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Size matters
A smaller engine (less than 1000cc, or close to 1.0 litre) will mean it’s in a lower insurance group, giving you cheaper premiums
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Black box policies
A telematics policy can give you cheaper premiums if you’re a safe driver
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Higher excess
If you can afford to, choosing to contribute more to the cost of a claim can lower your premiums
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Advanced driving courses
It’ll show the insurer you’re committed to safer driving, and give you confidence beyond your years on the road
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Buy insurance in advance
Buying your insurance policy in plenty of time could mean insurers see you as less of a risk
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Shop around
Each insurer will have something slightly different to offer young drivers, so compare policies to find the right one for your needs. You could save up to £257 by switching your car insurance![4]
[2]In January 2020 MaruBlue conducted an online survey among 1,000 randomly selected British adults with children aged between 17 and 24 who can drive or were learning to drive. 49% of respondents said they would consider insuring their child's car on a policy in their name.
[3]In April 2021, the average price paid annually for comprehensive car insurance for 18-24 year olds was £860.57. Average price paid annually for comprehensive car insurance for 18-24 year olds that have an older/more experienced named driver on their policy was £755.68.
[4]Based on independent research by Consumer Intelligence during 01 May to 31 May 2021: 51% of consumers could achieve a saving of up to £257.77 with Gocompare.com car insurance based on a comparison of 31 companies