Fronting: What you need to know

Fronting is car insurance fraud that occurs when the named main driver isn’t the person who drives the car most, usually to reduce premiums. 

If caught, it can lead to a criminal record, policy cancellation or refused claims.

What is fronting?

Fronting happens when an older, more experienced driver is named as the main driver on a car insurance policy, but a younger driver actually uses the car most. The main driver on a policy must be the person who drives the car most, not any of the named drivers.

This can make the cost of insurance look lower for young drivers, but it gives the insurer false information.

Some examples of fronting include:

• A new driver is added as a named driver to their parents' car insurance policy. The parents rarely drive the car, and it belongs entirely to their child.
• A university student is a named driver on their parents' policy. The car is exclusively driven by the student to and from campus, and the parents never even see the car.

Is fronting car insurance fraud?

It can be. If you do it on purpose to get cheaper cover, it’s a form of insurance fraud. Deliberately giving false information to lower your price can lead to prosecution and a criminal record. Any way you might lie to get cheaper car insurance could lead to serious problems.

Honest mistakes can still cause trouble. If you didn’t mean to mislead your insurer but your details are wrong or out of date, your insurer may still change your price, cancel your policy or pay only part of a claim.

For example, a parent may have been truthful when they bought the policy. If they change jobs and a named driver starts using the car more often, they should tell their insurer. If they don’t, the policy may no longer match who really drives the car.

It can also make insurance harder and more expensive to get in the future.

Why does car insurance fronting happen?

Fronting is usually a way of trying to cut costs. The average cost of a car insurance policy in September 2026 was £713, according to the Confused.com car insurance price index. 

Car insurance for a 17-year-old driver usually costs a lot more than that. Prices tend to fall as drivers get older, and younger drivers often pay the most.

Some parents or grandparents might try to lower that cost by putting themselves as the main driver and listing their child as a named driver.

Fronting could also happen by accident if someone hasn’t kept their details up to date on an insurance policy.

What happens if you're caught fronting?

If an insurer finds fronting has occurred, it may:

• Void or cancel your policy.
• Refuse or reduce a claim
• In cases of deliberate fraud, report it to the authorities, which could lead to prosecution and a criminal record

If your policy is cancelled or treated as void, you could end up driving without valid insurance, which is a criminal offence.

How do insurance companies spot car insurance fronting?

Insurers may use a range of checks, including motor insurance databases, to spot fronting when you buy a policy and when you start driving.

It can also come to light when you make a claim, so it’s safest to give accurate details from the start and update your insurer if anything changes.

What type of drivers can I select when getting a quote?

When you get a car insurance quote, you're asked about:

• Who the owner is
• Who the registered keeper is
• Who the main driver is
• Who the named drivers are (if any)

Who is the owner?

The owner is usually either:

• The person who paid for the car
• If the car was a gift, it's the person who it was given to
• If the car is leased or bought through hire purchase, the owner is the finance company

Who is the registered keeper?

This is the person who’s responsible for getting the car its tax, MOT and insurance cover.

The registered keeper is also the person who receives notices about the car, such as some parking charges and requests to say who was driving after an offence. Their name is on the car’s V5C logbook.

Who is the main driver?

This is the person who drives the most miles, drives the most often, uses the car to commute to work and keeps the car outside their home overnight.

This is usually the same person as the registered keeper, but not always.

What is a named driver?

This is the person who drivers the vehicle occasionally.

For example, someone's partner may be a named driver on their car.

Can I be the main driver on 2 cars?

You can be the main driver on 2 cars, but only if you’re actually the main driver. If not, and someone else is, this is fronting.

If you have driving other cars (DOC) on your car insurance policy, it may let you drive another car, usually with third-party cover only. Terms vary, so check your policy. If you’re the main driver of the other car, you should have a separate policy for it.