Tom Earnshaw
One industry expert has warned you could face a criminal record if you take part in 'fronting' you car insurance.
It is a payment no one likes to see leave their bank account every month, but that car insurance is essential if you want to drive on the open roads around the United Kingdom.
The direct debit also exists to protect you financially if you get in to a crash and have to make a claim on your own policy if it's deemed to be your fault.
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Annoyingly, though, it can be pretty expensive. Especially if you're a newer driver heading to the UK roads in your first year or two of passing your test. As a new driver you're deemed to be a higher risk when it comes to collisions and as such, your premiums are increased.
Research this week from MoneySuperMarket said that premiums for teenage drivers, aged 17 to 19, sat at a whopping £2,218 for men.
It is a slightly better situation for women, with it lower than two grand at £1,965.
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There are a good few ways to bring this down if it applies to you, such as fiddling around with the insurance policy's voluntary excess or even exploring getting a black box fitted.
Don't fancy that? You could always see what adding a named driver to your policy does to the price. And if you've the cash, paying upfront will always be cheaper than the monthly policy.
One thing you shouldn't do though is a so-called hack known as 'fronting'.
The practice known as 'fronting' is when an experienced driver claims they are the primary driver of a car (or any other vehicle) relating to the insurance policy.
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In reality this is not the case, with a younger and less experienced driver getting behind the wheel more often. As MoneySuperMarket says, this 'is a serious form of insurance fraud that can have significant consequences'.
According to the money-saving platform, insurers will take the view that by ‘fronting’ a policy you are deliberately misleading them on the risks involved when they insure the vehicle to drive by lying about the main driver of the car in order to get a cheaper bill.
If caught fronting, your policy would be invalid and you risk a criminal record and even prison time depending on the seriousness of any individual case. You'll also face being unable to get any form of insurance in the future - and we don't just mean cars.
MoneySuperMarket’s car insurance expert, Alicia Hempsted, said: “With insurance costs for young drivers reaching astronomical levels, it’s understandable that parents are looking for ways they can cut costs and help their children get on the road.
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“Unfortunately, what might seem like a harmless loophole to make premiums more affordable can have serious long term consequences.
“In many cases fronted policies are discovered during an insurer’s investigation after a claim has been made. That means parents are hit with a double blow of finding out they are liable for the full cost of the accident, and they could even end up with a criminal record.
“If you’re searching for insurance for a young driver, shop around to find the best deals and consider a telematics policy to help bring the cost down.”