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AIBU?

to think DH made an expensive mistake??

92 replies

TheAngryCheeseCracker · 17/10/2013 13:12

I have driven for over 10 years, DH learned a year ago. We now have 2 cars, I am the policy holder of insurance for both cars, he is the named driver for his car.

He bumped into another car, very lightly, yesterday. His fault. No damage to our car, other car has a small dent in bumper.

DH then got insurance involved, and they are paying the damage (not expensive).

AIBU tot hink DH should have settled this without insurance? I have lost my no-claims discount....was paying only £300 on insurance a year. I think in the long run this was a stupid and expensive decision?!

OP posts:

Report

Beastofburden · 17/10/2013 13:33

well, this is good, OP. You have found this out before you had any kind of serious accident involving injury to a thrid party. No harm done except financially, it was an honest mistake and you can sort it out before bad things happen.

he probably can't drive till you do, though

LittlePeaPod · 17/10/2013 13:34

If he is the owner and keeper then you may have a problem there OP. I work in the industry. You need to notify them ASAP and tell them his the main driver. Hopefully your insurer is more lenient than most. It's a big deal.

ChillySundays · 17/10/2013 13:36

I was told that the registered owner had to be the policyholder. Surely if he is not the policyholder he can not build up any no claims

dexter73 · 17/10/2013 13:38

If they know he is the main driver for his car then it doesn't matter that you are the policy holder. I am the owner and main driver of my car but the policy holder is my dh as he arranged it. He works in the industry so I guess he knows what he is doing!

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 17/10/2013 13:38

What you are doing is illegal. He should be the policy holder on the car that he drives regularly.
Yes it costs more, but a no claims ramps up pretty quickly and so you just have to suck up the high premium for a couple of years.

We had to do it with DH, because he had a company car for 15+ years so no insurance of his own. When he got his own car outside the scheme the insurance was really expensive, I think we paid £1200 the first year. But then £700 the year after, and then his renewal earlier this year was only just over £300 - on a car in a higher insurance group.

LittlePea it isn't ownership but usage that is the issue. Parents can own cars and allow their children to drive them, but they cannot be the main policy holder if they drive the car less than their child does.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 17/10/2013 13:40

Ok x-posts. Yes provided they know that the policyholder differs from the owner then we've never had a problem.

saintmerryweather · 17/10/2013 13:44

the registered owner doesnt have to be the policyholder but you have to have an insurable interest in a car to insure it. the insurance company i used to work.for also let people designate a named driver as the main user of the car. my dad is currently lending his car to a relative but still insuring it himself. insurance company knows where it is and that the relative is the main user and they dont mind, so its not as simple as saying 'you're fronting'. still better to let him build his own ncd though

LittlePeaPod · 17/10/2013 13:46

The ownership does matter and should be advised. The reason been its one of the principles of insurable. It's to do with insurable interest. Some insurers take it much more seriously than others.

TheAngryCheeseCracker · 17/10/2013 13:50

No it is not illegal.

I just called the insurance company to check!.

It is allowed, and normal, for spouses to own a car each, and be the main driver in their own car, but for the insurance policy to be held by one of them.

it is NOT allowed for parents and children however.

Still gutted as this mistake turns out to be about ME taking this decision to insure us like this, and means our bill will go from 600 a year to 2400 next (in total for the two cars).

really feel like swearing and a little cry

OP posts:

Charliefarlie1192 · 17/10/2013 13:51

Ruby1234 - I have been on my mums policy for years, not technically legal but I cant afford it otherwise. I use the car more than her

Beastofburden · 17/10/2013 13:51

given the amount of conflicting advice, OP

Get it in writing....

LittlePeaPod · 17/10/2013 13:53

I would get that in writing too Op

Beastofburden · 17/10/2013 13:54

Charlie never mind not technically legal- you are uninsured.
angry- perhaps time to evaluate if you actually need two cars? that you lost your NCD.

LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance · 17/10/2013 13:55

We have 1 car owned by DH. The policy is in his name but I am the main driver. The insurance company know this and that is what their quote is based on.

LtEveDallas · 17/10/2013 13:56

AngryCheeseCracker. We have the same set-up and no, it is NOT illegal.

I am the owner of my car
DH is the owner of his car

I am the policy holder for BOTH cars

I am the MAIN driver of my car, DH is a NAMED driver
DH is the MAIN driver of his car, I am a NAMED driver.

So sorry about the price hike, but when you re-insure try to get Protected NCB. Horse has bolted this time, but you will be covered if it evry happens again.

ilovesooty · 17/10/2013 13:57

Charlie no 'technically' about it. I hope to goodness I never encounter you on the road.

TheAngryCheeseCracker · 17/10/2013 13:59

yes ltEve, that's it.

thanks for the flowers, beastofburden.

The IRONY is that DH always cycled to work, but only started driving to work a month ago.

I was against having two cars anyway, and happy to walk whenever he needed it. But he just suddenly, at the age of 39, decided he needed his own car.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH

We have just had a massive change in our financial situation, I am cutting costs left right and centre, so the timing is just a bit shit TBH.

OP posts:

TheAngryCheeseCracker · 17/10/2013 14:00

Charlie, I think that technically you are not actually insured?

OP posts:

Takver · 17/10/2013 14:03

Interesting question - what if you own two vehicles, but both drive them equally and interchangeably? We're considering swapping our small van for a transit sized van + supermini, but neither would have a 'main driver' IYKWIM, we would use depending on what we were doing. I've always owned & insured our small van (which we drive equally) as it was my money that bought the previous car & so I just transferred the insurance. Obviously the easiest thing would be for me to insure both vehicles, but now wondering . . .?

Lj8893 · 17/10/2013 14:04

Sorry to hijack thread but was hoping someone could give me advice relating to insurance/policy holder.

I have had a licence for about 6 years, my dp only has a provisional and is currently learning to drive. We don't own a car.

For Xmas my DPs mum is buying him/us a car (just a cheap runaround) and so the car reg will be in his name.

Before he has past his test I will obviously be the main driver of the car but he will also be driving it as a learner with me. But once he has past his test he will be the main driver of the car.

How should we go about insurance?

cantthinkofagoodone · 17/10/2013 14:05

You can only use no claims once anyway. We're in the same situation and use multicar. The main driver doesn't need to be the policyholder.

You can't complain if you don't protect your no claims really. Sucks though!

paperlantern · 17/10/2013 14:08

fronting does not apply to spouses. as long as you declared at the inception of the policy it is fine. fuss about nothing. insurable interest is not quite as simple as who owns the car

what anyone with any experience of insurance should have told you is that some insurance companies allow you to settle the bill with them. as they have no financial loss they can then reinstate the no claims. of course this may not be so appealing if courtesy/hire cars are involved.

cantthinkofagoodone · 17/10/2013 14:09

You can have different names as the owner/policy holder/ main driver as long as the insurer agrees, we have done previously

zzzzz · 17/10/2013 14:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

paperlantern · 17/10/2013 14:13

lj8893- same as you just have here. tel tge insurance company and explain your situation.

nothing wrong IMHO in having a good chat with your insurance company (on any product) point of inception. They can't complain you haven't told them everything

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