Named driver...or give up...

[sinlessgunner]

Right lads,

On a similar note to Padidas, Quinn have quoted me E2190 for the GPX. I have rang an endless amount of other insurers and of the few that will insure the FTO, none of them will take me. I have tried 123.ie, Eagle Star, Britton and others that are possible insurers but not 1 of them would even quote me. Then Uncle B gave me a brainwave. Get my Dad to insure the car under his name and add me as a named driver.

Got a quote for E1,400. Brilliant. But apparently this is a very risky option. I am bending the rules a little by doing that but at this stage I feel I have no option. If I had an accident and they found out I am the main driver of the car I think my insurance becomes null and void. Can anyone shed some light on the situation here? In just want to know what the implications are of this?

If this isn't a viable option then the GPX will be up for sale in a weeks time. And I really don't want this to happen.

Please help!!!!

[colm_mcm]

XS direct?

[sinlessgunner]

Tried them...quote was over 3000 so thats a definite no go...

[Uncle B]

In fairness sinless how many people learn to drive by using there parents car? I know I did, and slowly turned it into my car (well, not ownership wise, just the use of it)

Would probably take a fair bit of investigative work to prove you were driving most of the time anyway.

I know if it was me I'd do it no problem, but maybe you feel different. Like I know I could probably get away with not declaring a mod or two but I feel I have to.

How about you don't renew this year, keep the car (if you have space), buy and insure a POS for a year (using the insurance premium money), get new quotes next year (you're a year older, +1 year NCD in your name), Sell POS, Drive FTO!

[sinlessgunner]

Well I just know that my Dad went into a local insurance brokers to try and do the named driver thing and the man working there just said "I can see straight through this. Your son is 21 and can't get insurance on his own, so you want to take the policy and insure him as a named driver. I won't give you a quotation based on the fact that it's a fraudulent policy." Now I can do this on the Quinn Direct website, and as far as I'm aware I can buy the policy there and it's end of story, but I guess I'm just a pessimist and plus I don't want to get my Dad into bother.

As for buying a POS for a year, I couldn't afford it unfortunately. FTO will have to be sold if it comes to that.

[Uncle B]

Sounds like the broker wasn't in a good mood...

When I was trying to get insurance on a MR2 MK1 I rang the same company (Hib IIRC) a few tmes asking how much the quote would differ If I got it in my own name or if I went as a named driver, they obviously knew well what I was doing but it didn't bother them.

If you feel like it have a glance through the T&Cs and try to find where (if?) it mentions main driver/named drivers.

[johnny]

Hi buddy,

I was in the same situation myself last year. I insured a GPX under my mam's name and me as a named driver. We already had the policy though and were just switching the cars so no problem insuring it. Although it did cost 4000 so I sold the car near renewal date unfortunately.

My only idea would be to get your dad to insure it....leave it settle a few weeks...then ring up and add you as a named driver on the policy. Not as obvious that way.

As regards policy being void....they wouldnt be able to prove you were main driver. Unless the steering wheel came to life and testified in court.

Just make sure the car is registered in your dad's name as they will ask if its in the policy holder's name.

Good luck

[sinlessgunner]

Quick update on this situation.

Not willing to risk the named driver thing, I decided to sell the FTO.
After a bit of deliberation, I resigned myself to a standard 1.4l Ford Focus. Had one picked out and organised a viewing.

Rang Quinn Direct to see what the difference would be in the premium....

E450!! In terms of monthly repayments its a difference of only about E40 per month on my own policy!

So rang the lad with the Focus, told him I wouldn't be taking it and I'm going to renew the policy on the FTO!

I know I probably could have got a better quote on the Focus, but I really just wanted an excuse to keep the FTO so happy days!!

[Muad_dib77]

so to sum it up..

you're damned for you do and you're damned if you don't

[sinlessgunner]

Exactly...

I don't understand the reasoning behind it though. Like a 1.4l Focus is hardly on a par with a 2l Mivec FTO. Quinn were the only insurer to quote me. Don't know how some of the lads here same age as me got quotes 500-600 cheaper....

But still, E2,190 for the year is really pushing my budget but I couldn't bring myself to sell....

[padidas]

"I don't understand the reasoning behind it though. Like a 1.4l Focus is hardly on a par with a 2l Mivec FTO. Quinn were the only insurer to quote me. Don't know how some of the lads here same age as me got quotes 500-600 cheaper.... "

Honestly all I can see the difference is is "Location".... I'm in Dublin therefore i'm clearly a bigger risk than someone outside of it driving on country roads...

[sinlessgunner]

I'm in Dublin too. Albeit South Dublin so may be a bit cheaper. Expecting anything less than 2 grand if you live in Dublin or in many parts of the republic for that matter is just unrealistic. If you want an FTO you expect to pay high insurance, simple as that!!

[Mustang]

@ SG what you don't explain in all of this, is the situation with your current insurer. the crowd u had the car with already. How are you suddenly thrown into this high premium limbo?

On the named driver thing. Of course the insurance company would be willing to take your money. If it is a 'fraudulant policy' then they have a get out of jail card and will never have to pay up. -easy money.
A few rudimentary enquiries would quickly establish who the real main driver is. I've heard of them asking neighbours etc, about the car usage. These guys are dealing with serious fraud everyday, do you really think they couldn't find out who the real primary driver is.

[sinlessgunner]

Sorry,

I am with Quinn Direct at the minute but originally, last June, I bought my first car, a Renault Megane Car van 1.9 diesel. The insurance was E1370. 20/m 1st provisional, no experience. I paid it all in full for the year. In Feburary I upgraded to the FTO (impulse buy!! ) and I had to pay them E300 for the rest of the year which was 5 months. I had just assumed that my premium, once I had passed my test, would go down considerably but over 2 grand still seemed excessive!

But as regards the named driving thing, as I previously said, I'm not going ahead with it. I'm just going to pay the insurance monthly. NCB on my own policy will be worth the few extra quid now!