Nearly a quarter of drivers think fronting is legal when it actually isn't. ...

One in seven drivers have 'fronted' on their car insurance

Nearly a quarter of drivers think fronting is legal when it actually isn't.

 

By Charlotte Beugge

 

Fronting is rife in the UK - although millions of drivers claim they don't know their actions are illegal.

Fronting is when parents insure their children's cars in their names, adding them as second drivers even if they are the main drivers so as to cut the cost of cover.

Research from Moneysupermarket found a quarter of motorists (27%) would front on a car insurance policy to save money; one in seven (or 14%) have already done so for one child or more, and 13% haven't yet but would do so. A further 15% say they would consider fronting on a policy to save cash.

The survey found 23% of respondents believed fronting is legal, while 33% say they don't know. A fifth of over-55s said fronting was legal, compared with 24% of 18 to 34-year-old drivers.

Peter Harrison, car insurance expert at MoneySupermarket, says: "Ignorance may be bliss to motorists who think fronting is a legitimate way to reduce the cost of motoring for their family and stay on the right side of the law, but in reality it's quite the opposite.

"Fronting on a car insurance policy is illegal and it is worrying how many motorists are willing to take this risk."

If you are caught falsely claiming to be the main driver, then your insurer could classify your actions as fraud and your policy could be invalidated. It could also mean the child may end up being charged as driving without insurance, and a fraud conviction could mean it is difficult to get cover in the future.