Own policy or named driver?

half pint · 28-07-2021 08:52PM #1

I am a learner driver (34f) Thinking of buying a small 1/1.1l car. Would it work better for the car to be in my husbands name & me a named driver or for the car to be in my own name for insurance? My husband already owns a car so it would be a second car.

28-07-2021 08:55PM

It depends, some companies take named driving into experience like liberty insurance.

It may work out much much cheaper going this route for the first year and then taking out your policy with this a year down the line.

Youll have to work it out yourself on their insurance calculator, just put in fake details except your age, length you have your license, make of car etc.

con747 · 28-07-2021 08:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058201258/own-policy-or-named-driver

Long term if you can afford the premium it's best to build up a no claims bonus so future policies reduce in cost in theory. They should though. You will get it cheaper being a named driver but you will not get a no claims discount for it in the future, some companies do give a small discount for experience as a named driver but as I said if you can afford it get your own policy.

coylemj · 29-07-2021 01:43PM

Insuring the car in your husband's name as his second car and having you as a named driver will be a pretty brazen act of what's called 'fronting'. This is where you expect the insurance company to accept that you (as a named driver) will be an 'occasional' driver of the car while, in practice, you will be the main driver. I wouldn't be surprised if they refused to quote him and told you to insure it in your name.

But if he does get a quote, typically he won't get any no-claims discount starting a new policy on a second car. So even if they're prepared to quote and he takes the hit by paying an inflated premium, long term that might be a waste of money when it's you that should be building up the no-claims discount.

Say they give him a quote and he pays a premium for three years with you as a named driver, then there's a clampdown on that practice and suddenly you have to take out your own policy. That three years no-claims discount he will have built up on his second car will be down the toilet and you will be starting from scratch. You may get some credit for being a named driver but it won't be anywhere near as good as the discount you'd get if you had had a policy in your own name.

So while it may be more expensive in the short term, long term you're better off starting to build your own no-claims discount by taking out your own policy.

zg3409 · 31-07-2021 03:20PM

If you are a learner you cannot drive unaccompanied until you pass your test. Ideally you would share only one car with your partner until you pass your test, and try pass your test asap.

If you get a second car then you have depreciation for 2 cars, tax for 2 cars, maintenance and repairs, NCT etc.

Personally I would put the money into lots of lessons with an instructor until you are ok to drive with husband and then practice every weekend until ready for the test. It might make sense a month or two before the test to get your own small car to practice in with instructor and at weekends, but you really don't need 2 cars until you pass your test. Any second car should be in your own name and own insurance to build up no claims but it won't be cheap.

Own policy or named driver?

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