Car Insurance Fronting
Avoid costly mistakes – learn how fronting affects your insurance coverage and what the right insurance options are available to start your child on their driving journey.
Key points:
- Fronting in insurance fraud and it could leave you uninsured
- Fronting is more common than you think
- There are safer, smarter ways to insure young or inexperienced drivers
- Telematics helps avoid fronting and can help get young or inexperienced drivers on the road
What is fronting in car insurance?
Definition of fronting
When your child is learning to drive, it’s natural to want to help them get on the road. But some well-meaning decisions, like putting yourself down as the main driver on their car insurance, can lead to serious consequences. This practice, known as ‘fronting’, and is deemed to be misrepresentation by insurers, so it will invalidate the insurance policy and leave you and your child uninsured.
Research by Aviva.com involving more than 2,000 young drivers (aged 17-25) has found that one in six (17%) admit to being on a ‘fronted’ policy. This is a form of insurance fraud and should be avoided at all costs. There are other options such as Telematics car insurance that may be suitable for young drivers to get your child on the road to driving.
Fronting in car insurance occurs when someone pretends to be the main driver of a vehicle instead of someone else, often to lower premiums. This typically involves someone with a higher-risk driving profile (like a new driver) listing a lower-risk person (someone who's been driving for a long time, with a good driving history) as the primary driver.
Fronting in action: an example
Fronting in insurance is most associated with young drivers, but it can also take place in other situations. Imagine, for example, someone with a poor driving history, facing a higher premium for car insurance. That person may list a spouse, or another close relative, as the primary driver in order to try and lower the car insurance costs.
How to properly insure a young / inexperienced driver
If your child has recently passed their test or is on a learner permit, it's important to insure them correctly so they have the correct levels of insurance in the unfortunate circumstance that they have to make a claim.
A few options are:
- Main Driver: if your child is the primary user of the vehicle
- Named Driver: suitable if your child occasionally drives a vehicle insured in someone else's name. More on named driver experience
- Telematics Insurance: also known as black box insurance, a smart way to insure young drivers based on how they actually drive
How to properly insure a young / inexperienced driver
If your child has recently passed their test or is on a learner permit, it's important to insure them correctly so they have the correct levels of insurance in the unfortunate circumstance that they have to make a claim.
A few options are:
- Main Driver: if your child is the primary user of the vehicle
- Named Driver: suitable if your child occasionally drives a vehicle insured in someone else's name. More on named driver experience
- Telematics Insurance: also known as black box insurance, a smart way to insure young drivers based on how they actually drive
Introducing Aviva Telematics
Just getting started on your driving journey? If you're an inexperienced driver or on a learner permit, Aviva Telematics car insurance is a great way to ease into life behind the wheel. With a small device in your car monitoring things like speed and braking, you’ll also get a helpful reports that inform you of your driving behaviours via MyAviva, your self-service portal, which may support better driving habits. It’s all about learning, improving, and building good behaviours from the start.
What are the benefits of Telematics for learner drivers?
- Driving behaviour score and reports
- May lead to reduced premiums over time
- Promotes safer driving habits
- Avoids the need for fronting
Aviva Telematics car insurance
Also known as Black Box Insurance, suitable for those starting their driving journey - new or first-time drivers, and inexperienced drivers.
- 15% off when you buy onlineFootnote [1]
- Affordable insurance for beginners
- 24/7 Access to MyAviva portal to monitor your driving behaviours
Scenario: What can happen when you Front?
Imagine a parent takes out a car insurance policy in their own name, listing their 18-year-old child as a named driver, even though the child uses the car every day for commuting, socialising, and weekend trips. On paper, it may appear that the parent is the primary driver, but in reality, the child is behind the wheel most of the time.
If the child is unfortunately involved in an accident, whether minor or serious, the insurer may launch an investigation to assess the circumstances of the claim. If it becomes clear that the child is the actual main driver, the insurer may classify the policy as fronted.
Possible consequences could include:
What started as a cost-saving shortcut could turn into a costly and stressful situation.
FAQs
1. Is fronting car insurance illegal in Ireland?
Yes, the act of fronting is illegal in Ireland. It is considered a form of insurance fraud and if identified, could lead to policy cancellation and other consequences.
2. Can I be added as a named driver on my child’s policy?
Yes, if your child holds the policy and is the main driver, you can be added as a named driver.
3. Does telematics insurance help avoid fronting?
Yes, telematics insurance is designed to reflect actual driving behaviour and usage. By insuring your child as the main driver on a telematics policy, you ensure transparency and avoid risks associated with fronting.
4. Will fronting affect my child’s driving record?
Fronting can impact your child’s insurance history. A cancelled policy or denied claim could make it difficult for them to get insurance in the future - even with a clean driving licence. It may also affect the main drivers ability to obtain insurance in the future and if the policy is cancelled by the Insurer this will need to be disclosed on future applications for car insurance.
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