Up to 20 per cent of parents may be committing insurance fraud in order to cut car expenses for their children says new analysis from one of the UK’s leading insurance price comparison websites.

While motorists are experiencing continued pressure on their budgets, a new study into driver behaviour has found that one in five parents admit to ‘fronting’ for their children on their insurance in order to save money.

An older or more experienced person may be listed as the main driver on a policy, but a younger or higher-risk person is the vehicle's primary user. This practice is illegal and can lead to serious problems for drivers who get caught doing it, but it often helps to generate lower insurance prices.

According to insurance service GoCompare, more than 1,000 parents of children between the ages of 17 and 25 who were either learning to drive or new to driving were surveyed. When asked about their child's car insurance, 20% said that it - or their spouse's - name was on the policy and the child was listed as an additional driver.

The GoCompare website lists a range of consequences of fronting, these include

Your policy will be cancelled or declared invalid
You could have a claim rejected
You might have to repay any costs your insurer has incurred from past claims
You could be prosecuted for fraud and driving without insurance
You might get a criminal record, fine and/or points on your licence
You could be banned from driving
You insurance premiums will go up in the future if you're caught
You might find fewer insurers are willing to cover you in the future

“We’re seeing a period of huge financial strain on families at the moment, and it’s not surprising at all that families would want to save money wherever they can – particularly those who are facing big, new expenses like buying someone their first car,” said Ryan Fulthorpe, motoring expert at GoCompare.

“Unfortunately, parents often don’t realise that insuring a child’s car in your name, despite the fact that you won’t be its main driver, is an offence. It may seem like a workaround that can help cut costs but as fronting is considered insurance fraud, you may well end up with at best a voided policy, at worst a substantial fine and a criminal record.”

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