Hi, This seems to be a bit of a vague area when departing from the norm when all the above being the same person. Currently, I am all three, Policyholder, Registered Keeper and Main Driver on our Fiesta and we have a a number of family 'Named Drivers'.

The question is, we would now like to add our grandaughter to the policy as the main driver. She has a full licence but is only 22 and I fully understand that there will be an increase (probably substantial) in the premium but can I do this whilst I remain policyholder and registered keeper?

We presently have the maximum number of Named Drivers so one of them will need to be taken off the policy.

Any comments would be appreciated.

The usual issue is "fronting" - falsely stating that someone isn't the main driver when they actually are. You are intending to be perfectly honest and open so there should be no problem.

Several articles online such as this:

https://www.zego.com/blog/does-the-main-driver-have-to-be-the-registered-keeper/

https://www.uswitch.com/car-insurance/guides/insuring-a-car-you-dont-own/?msockid=398eb621d46f69071bcca0d7d56068d5

It's daft to make her the "main driver" on your insurance policy, she'll never build up any NCB.

It's OK for her to be the policy holder and main driver but for you to be the registered keeper providing the car is kept at HER main address.

And she can't really be classed as the main driver if the vehicle is not kept at her address.

Let her have a policy in her name and build up NCB with as many named driver's as you want

Will she be driving the car considerably more than you?

I don't quite understand the reason for doing this. As Dave says, it would be better for her to have a policy in her own name to build up NCB.

Just now, TomsFocus said:

Will she be driving the car considerably more than you?

I presumed she would be otherwise calling her "main driver" is fronting also

Its a bit of a confusing situation. Insurers do ask where the vehicle is kept overnight and that, presumably, would be where the "main driver" lives, though I have known instances where the owner had nowhere to park the car and parked it at the home of a nearby relative/friend (with the knowledge of the insurer), but it all gets rather complicated.

A friend of ours got to the point where her daughter/grandchildren who were on her insurance as named drivers were using her car more than she was, so she ended up passing ownership to her daughter.

I agree with Dave and Tom that in this case it seems to make more sense to put the policy and "keepership" in your granddaughters name. Having older more experienced drivers on the policy as named drivers can reduce premiums - our friend is now named driver on what was once her car!

I suppose one thing we don't know here is if we are looking at a permanent or just a temporary situation?

If permanent may as well bite the bullet as our friend has done. Remaining as the policyholder still impacts on your insurance record even if you're not the driver at the time of any incident, as our friend found!

Thanks for all the helpful advice. It does seem sensible for my granddaughter to have her own policy as the main driver with others (including me) as named drivers. All of the named drivers are mature experienced drivers so that should help with the premium a little and she will start earning NCD. We will probably go down that route. The plan is that she will be using the car more than us as we now only use it maybe two days a week. . It would be so easy to just add her as a named driver but that would be fronting which we won't do.

What I was trying to avoid was changing the V5 to her name as it would appear that we are handing the the car over to her which might appear unfair to her siblings ! Favouritism is something you have to be aware of with children and grandchildren.

As for it being a temporary or permanent arrangement, young people's situation's are very fluid at her age so we will just have to see. I am 82 and still driving but I am realistic enough to realise that that will change at some stage.

Thanks again for all your thoughts.

36 minutes ago, Magenta said:

What I was trying to avoid was changing the V5 to her name

There's no need to change the V5. The policyholder does not need to be the registered keeper.

As Tom says, the policy holder and registered keeper can differ. Of course, this would leave you responsible in the first instance to receive any legal notices regarding the vehicle (speeding/parking tickets etc).

Our friend transferred ownership to her daughter (only child) leaving it up to her to sort out which of the two grandchildren eventually ends up with the car!😀

On 5/14/2026 at 12:20 PM, TomsFocus said:

Will she be driving the car considerably more than you?

I don't quite understand the reason for doing this. As Dave says, it would be better for her to have a policy in her own name to build up NCB.

Yes, the plan is for her to use it most of the time as it typically stands in our garage for 4-5 days a week and she could use it to get to work (social and commuting).

38 minutes ago, Magenta said:

Yes, the plan is for her to use it most of the time as it typically stands in our garage for 4-5 days a week and she could use it to get to work (social and commuting).

In that case, it would be best for her to have her own policy and add you as a named driver. There's no need to change the V5.

Is your policy nearing renewal? If so, just let it lapse and let her start a new policy.

The only potential future issue here is that NCB only lasts for 2 years. So if she returned the car to you in 3 years time, you would be starting again with 0 NCB yourself that point.