Young drivers could risk fraud for cheaper car insurance, industry warns

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A quarter of young people would lie on car insurance applications to get cheaper policies amid soaring costs, the industry warned.

A survey by Insurance Fraud Bureau found a quarter of 18 to 24-year-olds would lie to get cheaper insurance, with more risking “fronting” by posing as a named driver on a parent’s main policy.

It comes as recent data revealed average policy quotes for 17 to 24-year-olds stood close to £3,000, with some reaching up to £9,000.

“With prices rising, we understand more young people will be tempted to front on their car insurance to save money, but fronting is never worth the risk,” Jon Radford, head of intelligence, investigations and data services at the IFB, told the BBC.

Fronting, which is fraudulent, is where someone is added to a policy as a named driver when they should have one of their own, in order to save money.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says a main driver just has to be the person who drives the car the majority of the time.

Lucy, 17, from Leeds told the BBC she was shocked by the quotes she received after passing her driving test in December.

“They were just outrageous,” she said. “Some of them were just silly – one was for £9,000.” To overcome the costs Lucy’s mum took out a £2,800 policy on the car and added her daughter as a named driver.

The price of insuring a car has soared on average by £338 over the past 12 months to hit £924, according to the Confused.com price index, which the comparison site says is based on more than six million quotes each quarter.

The Independent revealed in August that motor insurance was fast becoming one of the most expensive household bills, adding more financial pain at a time of high inflation and surging housing costs.

While rates rose across the UK, those living in inner London were worst affected, with price rises of 61 per cent (£567) bringing average premiums in the capital to more than £1,500.

Outside of London, drivers in Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands saw some of the steepest increases, where motorists are now paying more than £1,100 on average for cover.

The price increases are even more stark when calculated by age – with 18-year-olds now paying an average of £2,995 after their premiums soared 89 per cent in the past year to add £1,414 to the average bill.