Fronting is lying about who the main driver of your car is, in order to get cheaper premiums.
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.
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 2021 when the policyholder is 17, 21 or 25.
We conducted research into fronting in 2021, and found that 56% 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)
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.
It's understandable to want to get your child on the road for less money, but fronting can have serious consequences.
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:
If you’re in doubt, just call the insurer first to make sure you get it right.
Here are seven legal tips to help young or new drivers save money on their car insurance.
You could save £113 by adding an experienced additional driver to your policy[3]
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
A telematics policy can give you cheaper premiums if you’re a safe driver
If you can afford to, choosing to contribute more to the cost of a claim can lower your premiums
It’ll show the insurer you’re committed to safer driving, and give you confidence beyond your years on the road
Buying your insurance policy in plenty of time could mean insurers see you as less of a risk
Each insurer will have something slightly different to offer young drivers, so compare policies to find the right one for your needs.
[2]In June 2021 MaruBlue conducted an online survey among 1,010 randomly selected British adults with children aged between 17 and 24 who can drive or were learning to drive. 56% of respondents said they would consider insuring their child's car on a policy in their name.
[3]In December 2021, the average price paid annually for comprehensive car insurance for 18-24 year olds was £978.50. Average price paid annually for comprehensive car insurance for 18-24 year olds that have an older or more experienced named driver on their policy was £864.67.