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Insurance - Additional drivers fault

A car is insured by the main driver and which also has an additional driver on the insurance policy. The additional driver is involved in an accident in which it is their own fault. Does this affect the main driver's history record because it wasn't the main driver's fault but was on his insurance policy?

If the main driver was to buy insurance the second time round and not add any additional drivers - would he have to state about the accident which wasn't his fault but was on his policy to the additional driver?

Anyone? Please help!

Yes. The main driver is responsible for ANY accidents by the additional drivers-- if you crash, the main driver's premium goes up regardless: it is as if they had crashed. Even if they remove the additional driver, their policy for the forthcoming years will be affected.
To make matters worse, the additional driver who had the accident can get insurance of their own and this accident wouldn't affect their premium.

This actually happened to me. My brother wrote-off my car when he fell asleep at the wheel. Now he is getting his own car and it won't affect him, but my premium has shot up (i am demanding he pays me!).

Parents insuring their kids on their vehicle are always taking this risk. You get what you pay for.

Reply 3

thebutterflyeffect

Say the main driver had 7 years no claims and paid to protect it. I guess this would mean that even though it wasn't the main drivers fault but the additional driver, the accident acts goes towards the main driver so the next renewal period, he will stay at 7 years rather than earning the 8 years? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I guess the main driver was wise enough to protect 7 years the no claim because of the foolish additional driver's mistake. The main driver will probably not add the additional driver to the policy next time.

Reply 4

silent ninja

thebutterflyeffect

I'm not sure about protected claims, they will probably stay protected. You should ring your insurer and enquire, you wont need the policy number for that. I lost 3 years no claims but mine wasn't protected; I was annoyingly 2 months away from protecting it.

Reply 5

anandv05

this happened to me...

but i thought about the consequences of claiming through insurance first..and agreed with the lady i crashed with to pay her cash upfront now its all settled over and done with and it wont affect any one's insurance

if its reasonably priced try and pay it yourself..luckily mine was reasonable £700 damage for a new car door on a reno clio

..edit: i didn't bother repairing my car because its just some paintwork come off the back bumper.. all i can say is clio's must be sooooooo flimsy or golf's are really strong!!

Reply 6

thebutterflyeffect

silent ninja

I rang up the insurance company and they said that no claims of 7 years is kept but I don't see much difference now that an accident is added to the main drivers history. The main driver's insurance is still high by theirself just by factoring the 7 years no claims so I doubt it makes a big difference if I got a quote without factoring the no claims in.

Reply 7

lee_91

erm, i dont wanna go against the grain but insurance companies ask for driving history, not insurance policy history so if u crash on a different policy it still affects u...an if ur a named driver on sum1 elses policy it affects u not the main driver

this is what my mom was told when dealing with a non fault accident on an open works vehicle policy

Reply 8

Nunatak

anandv05

all i can say is clio's must be sooooooo flimsy

I have one.

Factory made them out of pritt stick and string if i remember rightly.

Reply 9

anandv05

Nunatak

I have one.

Factory made them out of pritt stick and string if i remember rightly.

they must have done!! i cant believe how much damage i did to one with so little damage to my car

Reply 10

thebutterflyeffect

lee_91

now you've confused me! :eek3:

the insurance company my dad is with is the aa. he is the main driver and i'm the additional driver. i've bumped someones car - my fault, not my dads but it has affected the renewal price anyway. from £370 to £570. i asked the aa and they say that my dad keeps his 7 years no claims since it was protected but doesn't earn the year because a claim was made with the policy.

will or will not my dad still carry my accident with him? he is not to blame at all.

say if my dad decided to go with another insurance company by himself - does he have to tell of my accident under his last policy? it wasn't his fault and he still has 7 years no claims.

and if i decide to insure a car in the future by myself as the main driver, will i have to tell the insurance company my actual accident which was my fault? i've heard that as an additional driver, you don't build up any no claims - do i assume no other history is built up or passed on either?

Reply 11

anandv05

thebutterflyeffect

now you've confused me! :eek3:

Named drivers CAN build up on a no claims bonus but only with certain insurance companies, you will have to ask the AA. Im with Churchill and they give named drivers the ability to earn No claims discount

Im not too sure on the other bits sorry... I had the same questions when it happened to me.. so decided just to settle it myself

Reply 12

KateStone

When you go through an application form for car insurance note that the question that is asked is: have you had any accidents or claims in the past 5 years. Be aware that if you provide incorrect info it may invalidate your insurance, you could be in for one expensive bill if you get PI claims by hitting someone and your insurance company nul and void your policy.

My advice would be tell your insurance company and let them make the judgement call. Unless you are hoping to take your Dad's NCD years, which you could only do if he no longer needed the NCD years himslf (remember they belong to the vehicle not the person), then it shouldn't make that much difference to your premium.

I suppose the thing is that the claim has been made against the vehicle as well as yourself, so yes it will probably stay on your dad's policy, remember though as his NCD is protected he can have up to two claims in five years without it affecting his NCD, is he likely to have another two claims in that space of time? Also, usually once you hit 7 years you are at the peak level of 65% off gross premium and any years w/out claims after that don't make it cheaper.

Sorry for boring the pants off everybody.

Reply 13

thebutterflyeffect

i'm just trying to do things right and the legal way. i'm not trying to lie to the insurance companies, but i don't want to provide wrong info because i misunderstood things.

basically, my dad just wants to insure himself without me as an additional driver. i don't want his no claims history, his car or be part of his insurance. i just want the cheapest insurance for him and hope that my actions aren't a burden to his driving history. it's not his fault but my fault was part of his insurance policy.

it's not boring but quite interesting if you can get your head around of this!

Reply 14

rachael-69

yes it effects main driver no claims

Reply 15

lee_91

the accident will effect your driving history and should be declared

as for you father im not entirely sure so he should just explain it was you on his policy and they can make the call then...however i dont see why it should effect him but then again insurance companies will find any excuse to bump up the premium so...

hope this is helpful