Should registered keeper be the main driver?
Hi,
I'm going to buy a car next week and one of my friend told me that he can have his father to be my car's first driver and then i'll be the second driver, but the car holder will still be in my name and then car insurance will be a lot cheaper. I've asked around and some friends said if you are the car holder you must be the first driver. I dont know if it's true, I mean i don't really trust him. So could you please tell me something about it?
6 Replies
Owen,
When you are going to buy the car, you will put it under your name and will become what we call the 'registered keeper' for that vehicle. If there will be multiple drivers using a car, one of them needs to be nominated as the main driver and the others will become named drivers. Usually the main driver is the one who will be using the car most of the time and the named drivers will be driving it occasionally. When you sign up for car insurance, the main driver becomes the policyholder. What you are referring to as the 'first driver' is actually the 'main driver' and the term for the 'second driver' is 'named driver'.
New driver's car insurance has always been expensive because of their general lack of driving experience and what people used to do in the past is have a more experienced person named as the main driver on the policy and the young driver as a second/named driver. Since the main driver is supposed to be using the car more often, it presents a lesser risk to the car insurance company and they will therefore give you a cheaper quote. However this no longer applies now. This is referred to as car insurance fronting and it is against the law to do this. What your friend is suggesting is illegal nowadays and even if you managed to trick the insurance company in giving you cover for your vehicle, you will run the risk of having your future claims being invalidated on the basis of fronting. Therefore I will advise you not to do this.
You can be the registered owner of a vehicle and not be the main driver though as this is not a UK law requirement. Then again, some car insurance companies will frown upon you if the register keeper is not the main driver.
17 and wanting to finance!
Hi,
I had turned 17 at the end of January and while I have been taking my driving lessons I have been discussing purchasing a car with my parents and here is my question because from what I have seen it can be mixed answers on different forums.
If my parent were to take out a finance on a car for me which would make them the registered owner of the car if I am right and also registered keeper, would it also be possible to on the policy have me as the main driver and with them as named drivers but also as the RO and RK of that car. The reason I would need to do this is because Direct Debits suck and am unable to get one until I am 18. This also raises the question of would they be able to pay the insurance monthly and ofcourse I will be paying my parents back. It is just that I am unable to pay in monthly instalments like that. All answers appreciated.
Kind Regards, Brandon
[Migrated from previous topic 12712 dated 26 Feb 2016]
Can the onwer drive a car if he is not the registered keeper
I have been driving a company's car for the last 6 weeks.I was told that,I was going to be made the registered keeper of the car but it's been more than a month now and I haven't been made yet. I have requested new registration certificate from DVLA by sending my V5C/2 . I now want to leave the company that I am working for but I haven't received my new registration certificate so to be able to return the car back.
Could you help me please, I am not sure what shall I do. Should I wait till a receive the certificate in order to transfer the car back or the company as the owner can do that
[Migrated from previous topic 12724 dated 01 Aug 2016]
If I remember right, the only requirement for taxing the car is that there should be a valid insurance covering it - in the days when they checked the physical certificate at the Post Office, they needed to see the registration number of the car shown on the insurance certificate. They didn't look at who is insured to drive the car.
For the past 2 years my wife and I have only owned 1 car.I am the registered keeper and the main driver,we are both accident free for the past 9 years.She is on my car policy as a second driver.In order that we can both protect our no claims bonus for the future,I understand that we can alternate from 1st driver to second driver every second year. Is that true? and how can I tax a car registered in my name if I am only a second driver on the insurance certificate?
I have a car registered in my name and me as a second driver, the police has taken the car off me and told me that I am uninsured.
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