You just can’t escape motor insurance. You’re legally obliged to have it, but in the event of needing to make an accident claim or, more importantly, having one made against you, you’ll be very glad you have it. However, younger drivers have difficulty finding car insurance, never mind finding the cash to pay for it. But whatever you do, don’t be tempted to try and break the law to save a bit of money. In the event of an accident claim you may very well come to regret it.

Under half of the major car insurance providers in the UK offer insurance for teenage drivers. Buying a policy with one of the few that will could cost £4,000 which is often more than the value of the vehicle. Because the average male teen driver accident claim is worth much more than the sort of claims their female counterparts might make, the boys pay the most for insurance.

Statistics support the insurance companies’ assumptions that teenage drivers are likely to have an accident claim made against them. In this age group, drivers are ten time more likely to kill or injure someone than drivers with experience. Still, many parents are acting illegally in their attempts to bring down the cost of insurance.

Around one fifth of teenage drivers have no insurance at all, according to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau. Many more do what is known as ‘fronting.’ This is the practice of insuring the parent as the main driver of a car with the teenager as a named driver when in fact it is the son or daughter who is the main driver. Some see it as a harmless money saver. It is against the law.

In the event of an accident claim being made the insurance company can investigate who really was the main driver and where policy holders have lied, there can be consequences. Both parents and teenagers can be prosecuted and may struggle to get insurance again in the future. Also, insurers have the right to refuse to pay the accident claim settlement.

Attitude surveys seem to show that many people use ‘fronting’ and that people believe it is harmless. However it certainly isn’t worth risking prosecution, or the cost of a whole accident claim settlement if the insurance company refuses to, no matter how much money you could save.

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