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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be mildly shocked at DF only insuring one twin on car?

216 replies

Partyrocks · 10/04/2022 14:19

DF* has 18yo twin girls.

The both passed the driving test within a week of each other. And grandparents have bought a Car for them to share.

As insurance is so expensive, DF and her DH and the grandparents made a decision to just insure one daughter. With the thinking that if anything happened to the uninsured one it'll all be fine as they'll be able to pretend that they're the insured one.

The girls are going to same University and taking the car.

The girls are fully aware and a literal coin was tossed to decide which one would be It.

AIBU to think this is not on?

  • [Post edited by MNHQ. OP had originally typed DD, when she meant to type DF (dear friend)]
OP posts:
DeckTheHallsWithGin · 10/04/2022 15:29

I’ve paid for car insurance for identical twins- it’s not twice as much as for one teenager- the second one doesn’t add that much more as they can’t be driving at the same time. Utterly bonkers and unfair on both to consider this.

ElenaSt · 10/04/2022 15:29

Sounds like a made for TV film plot.

There will be a terrible accident and one of the two cops investigating will fall in love with the one that wasn’t driving but who is taking the blame for her twin sister.

Imtryingveryhard · 10/04/2022 15:30

@SoupDragon

They’d be millions in debt forever

They wouldn't.

They could be. Recovery of outlay is a real possibility, especially in high value claims.
CaptainMyCaptain · 10/04/2022 15:32

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints

And if the worst happened? Amy would have to become Anna for the rest of her life.
I'm sure I saw some drama on TV and that was pretty much the plot.
CaptainMyCaptain · 10/04/2022 15:33

@ElenaSt

Sounds like a made for TV film plot.

There will be a terrible accident and one of the two cops investigating will fall in love with the one that wasn’t driving but who is taking the blame for her twin sister.

Yes. I think I've seen it. Maybe not the cop falling in love bit.
balalake · 10/04/2022 15:35

It's fraud, and I would hope both DDs even the insured one would want nothing to do with it.

I'd be tempted to try to talk them out of it, even if neither DD had the car. Give them the impression that you will go to the police or alert the university concerned, though if you say you will it must be followed up 100%.

R00K · 10/04/2022 15:35

Also, to add to the list of offences, the owner of the car could be prosecuted for permitting an uninsured driver to drive a vehicle without insurance.

If the owner didn't permit the uninsured driver to drive the vehicle, then the driver could be prosecuted for taking the vehicle without consent.

I'd imagine there could also be an attempt to pervert the course of justice (which the courts take a very dim view of) thrown in there too.

Toddlerteaplease · 10/04/2022 15:36

@woodhill

Absolutely bonkers

Could you pay to insure the other twin on the policy yourself?

Why on earth should the OP do that?!
Imtryingveryhard · 10/04/2022 15:37

@Sarkymarky

It is an offence to drive whilst not insured and the passenger twin would also be prosecuted because they are aware the driver was not insured. What happens if they want a job where you have to supply their driving licence and it shows the points and reason. They would not get the job. Please op pay the extra it is not right to put this on your dc
The passenger twin wouldn’t be prosecuted in criminal proceedings. And any resultant civil claim Would be paid out as RTA insurer unless it was an MIB claim Where they can rely on illegality/knowledge. And that’s generally difficult to prove but in this scenario….
Nennypops · 10/04/2022 15:39

Do they really think the police are that stupid?

Even without the disaster scenario, have they thought through the practicalities? Presumably twin 2 will be unable to drive the car whenever twin 1 is away, otherwise twin 1 won't be able to claim plausibly that she was driving. Is twin 1 really happy to have twin 2's points on her licence, and any convictions that twin 2 clocks up on her record whilst twin 2 retains a clean record? Does twin 2 always have to carry twin 1's ID with her when she's driving in case she's arrested or in an accident?

Sarkymarky · 10/04/2022 15:42

Yes they would

Imtryingveryhard · 10/04/2022 15:42

@R00K

Also, to add to the list of offences, the owner of the car could be prosecuted for permitting an uninsured driver to drive a vehicle without insurance.

If the owner didn't permit the uninsured driver to drive the vehicle, then the driver could be prosecuted for taking the vehicle without consent.

I'd imagine there could also be an attempt to pervert the course of justice (which the courts take a very dim view of) thrown in there too.

Yep, unless they denied it and reported it as TWOC. Always interesting when this arises re parents/children. Report as TWOC = prosecution for the child. Don’t report = providing consent and invalidating insurance. Most parents don’t report and forefit a claim. Generally costing a lot of money. Just tell them to get insured, declare everything and be honest. We know within minutes how many accidents you’ve had, claims you had, points you’ve got etc. it’s a contract of utmost good faith for the insured to ruin. Not the insurer.
Nennypops · 10/04/2022 15:43

You may not be close to this family, but if you're likely to meet the mother again at the children's activity I hope you're going to point out the pitfalls.

BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 10/04/2022 15:44

@Octomore

They could have been in Scotland. I dont know about england, but in Scotland (if they're in their thirties) then they would have sat highers and advanced highers in 5th and 6th year.

You could take 5 highers in 5th year and then another 5 higher in 6th year, or 5 advance highers or a mix of advanced highers and highers. I did 5 highers in 5th year and 3 advanced highers plus 2 highers in 6th year.

If one twin did biology higher in 5th year and the other took biology higher in 6th year, then the original twin could sit their exam for them.

BasiliskStare · 10/04/2022 15:45

Ach this is just fraud plain and simple and if your BF is happy for both her daughters to be driving with dodgy insurance well shame on her. One would hope her DDs are smart enough to know this won't work - so just get the bus

Iamnotamermaid · 10/04/2022 15:46

Illegal if the uninsured teenager ever drove the car. Essentially she is driving without insurance.
Pretending to be her (insured) twin in the event of an accident is also illegal and would be considered fraud.

Mrsmch123 · 10/04/2022 15:47

I mean it sounds like a good idea in that you only pay for one but when you actually think about it it's reallyyyyyyy silly. Like people have said what if one dies.

Sarkymarky · 10/04/2022 15:50

The penalty is the same for the passenger who knew the driver was not insured a penalty of up to 5 thousand pounds up to 8 points on their licence and a possible disqualification

gunnersgold · 10/04/2022 15:54

Ive known people do this with identical cats and dogs but people ! Quite shocking !

JackieWeaver101 · 10/04/2022 15:54

Did you really need to ask if committing fraud is not on?

It is a silly idea. Insuring both twins would not have cost a whole lot extra. After all, only one twin can drive the car at a time.

bevelino · 10/04/2022 15:59

You could have one twin registered as the main driver and the other one as the named/additional driver. The named driver will be given the same level of cover as the vehicle's main driver.

Imtryingveryhard · 10/04/2022 16:02

@Sarkymarky

The penalty is the same for the passenger who knew the driver was not insured a penalty of up to 5 thousand pounds up to 8 points on their licence and a possible disqualification
Can you point me to the relevant legislation for this please? Uninsured drivers can make successful civil claims unfortunately. They just won’t get paid out on property damage claims ie vehicle damage, credit hire (I have seen uninsured drivers placed in hire cars until this was established!). Other losses for innocent third parties will be paid and recouped.
BasiliskStare · 10/04/2022 16:03

Yes it isn't just fraud it's illegal for a driver to drive without proper insurance.

Not sure if anyone would be so stupid as to do this. So @Partyrocks is your friend actually doing this or is she winding you up a bit.

2bazookas · 10/04/2022 16:04

Does DH have any clue what deep shit his daughters would both be in, if they attempt that kind of deception after a car accident? Do they seriously think they'd get away with it?

They could both face a criminal record for Identity fraud, perverting the course of justice. The insurance policy would be void, so include "driving uninsured". At least one of them could lose their driving license, and in some circumstances the police could seize and destroy the vehicle.

Now try to imagine a new graduate looking for their first job with a criminal record for dishonesty and fraud.

Picture yourself in a hospital where medics are treating your injured child, having to LIE about her name, ID and therefore her medical history... to cover up the fact she's given false information at an accident.

Imtryingveryhard · 10/04/2022 16:04

@bevelino

You could have one twin registered as the main driver and the other one as the named/additional driver. The named driver will be given the same level of cover as the vehicle's main driver.
Not necessarily. You need to check DOC cover as some named drivers don’t get this. S as Leo need to check Business usage for the named driver. SDP for the insured won’t cover business for a named driver etc.