- What's a named driver?
- How does insurance work for named drivers?
- Can a named driver be added to my policy permanently?
- If I'm a named driver, can I drive in other countries?
- What happens if a named driver has an accident?
- What's car insurance fronting?
- How much does it cost to add a driver to car insurance?
- Is car insurance more expensive for young drivers?
What's a named driver?
If you have car insurance and someone else is going to drive your car, you need to add them to your policy as a named driver. A named driver is insured to drive a vehicle in which another person does most of the driving. When they drive it, they have the same cover as the main driver. Here's what you need to know about named drivers.
How does insurance work for named drivers?
A named driver is someone that can be added to your policy to allow them to enjoy the full cover provided by the policy.
If you don’t add someone as a named driver and allow them to drive your car, they won’t be covered if there's an accident. Also, if they hurt someone or damage property, your insurer is legally entitled to recover their costs from you. If someone's driving your car you need to add them to your insurance. If they aren't added to your policy as a named driver, they'd be driving without insurance and breaking the law.
Can I be added as a driver to someone else’s insurance policy?
Yes, you can be added to someone else’s car insurance. They'll need to give their insurance company some details about you, such as:
- Your name and date of birth
- Your occupation
- Your marital status
- Relationship to the policyholder/main driver
- Your driving licence type and how long you've had it
- Any non-motoring convictions
- If you have any DVLA reportable medical conditions
- Your driving history including claims, licence endorsements, points or fixed penalty notices
Can a named driver be added to the policy permanently?
Yes, you can add named drivers either temporarily or permanently. You can add your children, spouse or partner, family or friends as a named driver, if they drive the car often.
When adding your named driver/s, it’s worth noting that they’ll only be accepted for cover based on your insurer’s specific underwriting guidelines and standards.
Informing other drivers and your insurer of new named drivers
If someone wants you to be a named driver on their policy, they must ask your permission first. This is important as it can help prevent fraud. Because adding a driver involves personal data, the main driver must get your permission before talking to their insurer. It’s illegal to add someone without their permission.
If I’m a named driver, can I drive in other countries?
Yes. If you're added as a named driver, your cover usually includes driving abroad.
What happens if a named driver has an accident?
If a named driver has an accident, the main driver or policyholder will need to make a claim, which will affect their no claims discount.
If a named driver on your policy has an accident the claim will be against your policy, even if you weren't in the car.
What's car insurance fronting?
What is fronting?
Fronting is a common form of car insurance fraud, usually carried out to get cheaper car insurance. It's when a driver tells their insurer they're the main driver when they're not. It often happens when an older and more experienced driver insures a car in their name when the actual main driver is younger and less experienced.
The main driver of a car must insure the vehicle in their own name. Any other drivers, who drive it less frequently, should be named drivers.
For example, if you're looking for car insurance for your child’s first car, the policy must be in your child’s name with you, as the parent or guardian, as a named driver. If you insure the car in your name, but the car's for your child, this is fronting.
Is fronting a crime?
Yes, fronting is illegal and can lead to serious consequences, including a criminal record.
Fronting's considered fraud because you're lying to your insurer to get a cheaper premium. Insurers need an honest picture of who's driving the car to charge a fair premium. If you're fronting by being dishonest about who the regular driver is, you won’t be charged fairly.
What happens if I'm caught fronting?
Fronting invalidates your insurance. If you get caught, your insurer will reject your claim and cancel your policy. So you'd have to pay for any repair costs yourself and find a new insurer. If your insurer has to pay out to a third-party for damages or injuries, they can recover these from the policyholder.
You might also face:
- Being taken to court and charged
- A fine of up to £5,000
- Up to 6 points on your licence (those driving for under 2 years only need 6 points to have your licence revoked)
Being caught fronting also makes it very hard to get car insurance in the future.
How much does it cost to add a driver to car insurance?
There are some things that your insurer will want to know about any potential named driver. For example, their age and driving history; how long they’ve been driving, and any medical conditions that might affect their ability to drive.
Your insurer will consider these factors when deciding the premium for adding a named driver to your insurance. At AXA, you can add a driver for free in your online account, or get in touch with us. There's a £25 admin fee for making policy changes over the phone. If you add the same driver many times, it might be cheaper to keep them on your policy permanently.
Do named drivers get no claims bonus?
No. Named drivers don't earn a no claims bonus. Only the main driver gets this. But if the named driver has an accident, the main driver will need to make the claim and it could affect their bonus.
Is car insurance more expensive for young drivers?
Yes, car insurance is more expensive for younger drivers as they're deemed ‘riskier’ than drivers with years of experience. Your age, the type of car, how many miles you drive each year, and the cover you choose all affect the price.
It’s important that you only let people drive your car if they're named in your insurance. If they're not and need to claim, you won't be covered for damage. If someone else is hurt ot their property is damaged, your insurer must pay, but legally they can recover the costs from you.
Adding a named driver to your policy is easy. If you’ve got a policy with us, you can add a named driver to your policy from your AXA account . Doing it online lets you skip the phone queue, and save on the £25 admin fee. So, you’ll only pay for any additional premium costs.
