subject: So You Thought It Was Going To Be Cheap To Drive? [print this page] Well the day has finally arrived and you have your full driving license and you're very excited because you'll now be able to drive a car that you can barely manage to buy. All young people get excited when they receive their full driving license!
However, the moment a young person starts looking for car insurance they can become completely disgusted and frustrated. There is no such thing as cheap car insurance for new drivers. The average cost for a young driver policy is somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2500 pounds. Don't get discouraged yet, there are a few techniques to use to get a reduced new driver insurance quote.
An effective method for obtaining lower premiums for young driver is to add to your parent's policy. This is only true if the young driver still happens to live at home with mum and dad and is not the main driver of the car. Otherwise, this is an illegal practice known as car insurance fronting. It is illegal because it produces a higher risk for the insurer than what they had originally quoted, it is also deemed as deliberate deception and fraud.
If the young driver is designated as an occasional user of a vehicle, but is, in effect, the main driver, then this is considered illegal car insurance fronting. The insurance company may not question this when issuing the policy, but the insured may find themselves in for a battle if a claim is made and the insurance investigators have reason to believe that 'fronting' has taken place. If this is the case not only can you be charged with fraud you will also be charged for driving illegally on the road as your policy will automatically become invalid.
Consider opting for a higher voluntary excess in order to lower the policy premiums. You may be allowed up to a 500 pound voluntary excess, which will greatly reduce the car insurance premiums. However, keep in mind, that in the event there is an accident and you submit a claim to the insurance company for damages to your car, the first 500 pounds will have to come out of your pocket before the insurance company pays anything.
Furthermore, almost all insurers in the UK will offer up to a 35 percent discount for new drivers with completed Pass Plus course within 12 months of the date receiving a license. The Pass Plus is a new drivers' training scheme specifically designed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) in cooperation with the insurance industry and driving instructors throughout the UK.
The goal for such a course is to provide real-life experience that normally would take a new driver years to accomplish. Additionally, a new driver may want to consider the purchase of a used vehicle since more expensive vehicles demand more expensive repairs and thus require higher car insurance premiums.
It sometimes comes down to the 'let's see' mode during the first year that a car insurance policy is in effect for a young driver. After the first year, when no claims and a driving record has been kept clean, young drivers can expect a lower car insurance quote upon renewal of the policy that can be sometimes as much as 800 pounds annually.
