Young drivers: how to save money on your car insurance
If you thought your driving test was difficult, wait until you try and buy car insurance - that's when things could start to get really tricky.Not only are young drivers forced to pay significantly more for car insurance than older and more experienced motorists, but more than half of insurance companies simply refuse to cover teenage drivers altogether due to the higher risk that they represent.
Don't be tempted to drive without car insurance, though. The government estimates that 1.4m motorists do not have insurance cover, but they risk a fine of up to £5,000 and six to eight points on their licence.
And if you are the main driver or registered keeper of a car, do not insure the car in your parents' name and add yourself to the policy as a named driver. Known as 'fronting', this is a form of insurance fraud that will invalidate your policy and could lead to a charge of driving without car insurance.
Why are young driver car insurance premiums so high?
Car insurance for young drivers is disproportionately high compared to the national average because they are quite simply more risky. Motorists aged between 17 and 25 are responsible for one third of road fatalities in the UK. And one in five drivers is involved in a crash during the first 12 months behind the wheel. Statistics also show that young drivers are more likely to be the victim of theft, fire and vandalism resulting in insurance claims.How to find cheaper car insurance for young drivers
However, there are several ways that young drivers can reduce the price of their car insurance premiums.- A number of firms will fit a so-called 'black box' to your car to track your movements. It sounds a bit like 'Big Brother' but it can reduce young driver car insurance premiums because you will usually be rewarded if you drive a limited number of miles and if you avoid driving late at night, when most accidents are likely to occur.
- Buy a sensible car. Every new car is assigned to a car insurance group - and the lower the group, the lower the likely premium. So, it will be cheaper to insure a Fiat Punto than an Audi TT. You can find details of the car insurance groups on the website of the Association of British Insurers (www.abi.org.uk).
- Don't modify your car. Insurers don't like boy - or girl - racers and modifications such as turbo charging, rally lights, nitrous oxide kits will send your premium soaring.
- Consider taking the Driving Standards Agency's Pass Plus course, which gives extra tuition on night, motorway and inner city driving. You can take the course any time, although it is aimed at new drivers within the first year of passing their test. The course is made up of six modules and takes at least six hours. There is also a fee of about £150, but it is often worth the money as drivers who have successfully completed the course can earn discounts on their motor insurance of up to 35%.
- Shop around and compare young driver car insurance quotes. But make sure you compare like with like. A car insurance policy might be cheap because it does not offer many benefits.
- Don't assume third party insurance is the cheapest option. Many consumers purchasing car insurance for young drivers assume that third party cover will be the best value option as it is usually the cheapest car insurance you can buy. If damage another vehicle while driving it will cover the cost of the repair to that vehicle, but any damage to your car won't be covered so you'll have to pay for any repairs yourself. Fully comprehensive car insurance on the other hand, protects your car as well as any other vehicles.
- If you are driving your parents' car, it will be cheaper in the short term to add your name to their policy. However, if you take out your own insurance cover, you can start to build up a no claims discount, which will lead to even greater savings in the future. The NCD can be valuable, reducing the cost of cover by a third after one year. You can even add an older, more experienced family member with a clean driving record to your own policy and it could cut the cost.
- You stand a better chance of obtaining cheap car insurance for young drivers if you fit additional, approved security devices, such as an alarm or immobiliser system. If you can, keep your car in a locked garage when not in use, or off the street if possible.
- If you are prepared to pay a bigger voluntary excess, you might pay a lower insurance premium. But remember that the excess is the amount you contribute towards any claim, so it should be affordable.
- It can be convenient to spread the cost of your car insurance over monthly installments, but it is also more expensive because you will be charged extra. So try and pay up front, even if you have to ask your parents for a loan.
More young driver car insurance guides
MoneySupermarket.com recognises that young drivers have to pay significantly more than the average driver for car insurance. We have therefore crafted a number of young drivers car insurance guides to give more specific help in a variety of different situations.Obtaining your first car insurance policy can often be a very confusing period and it is very easy to make mistakes which could cost you serious amounts of money. Our guide looking at car insurance for 17 year olds aims to make the process as simple as possible. However, not everyone passes their test at 17 and 18 year old motorists could find themselves in a similar pickle. We have this covered as well with our guide looking at car insurance for 18 year olds.
19 year old motorists will also generally pay above the national average for car insurance as a result of them being statistically more likely to be involved in an accident and make a claim in the eyes of insurers than older drivers. Even 19 year olds with a couple of years no claims under their belts will be affected. Increase your chances of overcoming the odds by taking advantage of MoneySupermarket's guide to car insurance for 19 year olds.
For a thorough look at how people in these age bands can overcome statistics we have produced a teenage car insurance guide.
You might think you are in line for significant savings once you reach the age of 21. While it will normally work out cheaper than the sort of premiums that you could expect in your teenage years; 21 year olds can still expected disproportionately high premiums compared to older motorists on account of statistics. Take a look at our guide to car insurance for 21 year olds for more information on this.
25 year olds motorists are still classed as being young drivers and road safety organisation Brake recently revealed that one in four of the fatal and serious injuries sustained in crashes on the road involve motorists who are under the age of 25. Our page looking at car insurance for 25 year olds aims to prepare you for this; outlining potential cost saving methods and techniques.
Up until 21st December 2012 male motorists in all of these age groups will ordinarily pay more for insurance than their female equivalents as a result of males being statistically more likely to be involved in accidents. This will all end on this date when gender discrimination will be outlawed. Up until this point there are things that male motorists can do to overcome these higher prices and we take a more extensive look at these in our guide to car insurance for young male drivers.
After the 21st December it is expected that male prices will drop on average by 10% while females could well pay up to 30% more for the same policies. Our guide to car insurance for young female drivers aims to help motorists negatively impacted by these regulation changes prepare.
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