Insurance for provisional driver.

[awomaninsane]

My daughter has just turned 17 and wants to learn to drive. I rang my current insurer for a quote to have her added to my policy but it was declined as she is classed as 'high risk' and they are a low risk insurer (not that I knew that when I first took out the policy).

So. Now I need to find a new policy and cancel my existing one- which they'll charge me £50 for the privilege.
Usually my insurance costs £180-200 per year and a quote I've just got from moneysupermarket is coming in at £520 for the year. I see that there are other companies that will insure just the learner driver but that is £262 for 20 weeks.

Anyone know of the best way to do this and any advice on best/cheapest insurers would be brilliant. Thanks.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

£520 is quite cheap really. And with hours of searching you may only find it a couple of quid cheaper.

Though, expect it to sky rocket when she does pass, even on your policy!

 

[fossyant]

Expect to pay a small fortune. My niece paid £300 per Month when she passed.

 

[vernon]

I can't advise on the best deals pre-test but, post-test, if your daughter buys a car and can afford the astronomical insurance, the premiums get reduced if she adds you as a named driver.

 

[HarryTheDog]

When my daughter was learning to drive we could not put her on any of our cars as too big/powerful. She bought a old banger for 500 quid from a friend ( fiat 1.1 sciecento) . As a learner the cheapest we found was learner only from Collingwood, 67 per month, she only needed it 3 months . Once she passed we had to change Insurance and it went up to nealry 200 quid per month . I do live in Essex, policies can be high here, my sons friend had to pay 4,000 a year as he wanted a sporty hatchback, only a 1.4.
If she passes her test she will probably want a car anyway, might as well buy one now.

 

[awomaninsane]

I will NOT be buying her a car when she passes her test! Call me a meanie mother but that's just how it is. When she has a job and can afford it she can buy her own. I want to help her learn a life skill because I know if she doesn't learn now she might never.

 

[mjr]

Anyone know of the best way to do this

Keep cycling? Seriously: learn to drive anyway (still useful for work I think) but don't expect regular access to a private car for a few years unless you can stomach eye-watering insurance premiums. Until then, take out short-term insurance (for example, insure daily offers it to 19+) or hire from one of the companies that rents to young people (f.ex, Sixt rent to 21+) on the few times they really need a car.

 

[philk56]

When my daughter was learning we used Marmalade insurance. Doesn't affect your own insurance and you can pay for daily/weekly periods. Seemed good value at the time can't say if it still is.

She us now an extra driver on my policy and aged 22 so policy has come down into the medium stratosphere!

 

[awomaninsane]

Another question. if I insure her as a learner on my insurance for the year what happens when she passes her test? Would they then want to charge more? This is getting waaaaay more complicated than I first thought and a million times more expensive than I wanted it to be!

 

[DCLane]

I'm in this position in 18 months. Insurance quotes are running around £6000 for my eldest

Anyone want to buy the car below (not exact - mine's a 9-3 Aero) as I've got to get a 1.1 Fiat Panda for him and we're not having 3 cars:

 

[Markymark]

When the insurance on driverless cars is under £100 this'll create an entire generation of drivers who will never learn drive as its too expensive.

People doubt driverless will take off but given the alternative for leaner/new drivers I imagine it will be a massive take up.

 

[Drago]

I bought a specialist learns policy for my stepdaughter last year to learn to drive. It was a stand alone policy which covered her when accompanied by a qualified driver. Was.about 450 notes.for 3 months, which was ample as she passed in 5 weeks.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Insurance costs amuse me. My first car (22) was a 1.9SDI Polo Saloon and was £1500 TPO, Now (27) it's £400 Comp! different car though

A quote for a kawasaki ZX6RR was £39000 though, about 30k more than the bike

 

[Cubist]

Look for Adrian Flux or Flux Direct. They will insure her as a provisional only driver on yours for a pretty reasonable amount. Once she passes, she will get a refund of part of the premium. If and when she passes, look for specialist young driver insurance.

My twins have just been through this mill. They both got comprehensive provisional insurance with Flux Direct on an old banger (2000 reg Fiesta) for 350 and 400 respectively.

Cubette now insured on the same Fiesta for £1700 comprehensive with Ingenie (Black Box) and Cubester saved up for an X reg Jimny which he has with Tesco Black Box for £1900 comprehensive. They both saved hard to afford the cars, and work a couple of shifts each week to run them.

 

[vickster]

One of the companies is giving three years 'free insurance' for young drivers on a new car, at 2k a year, makes a 10k car look affordable (assuming they can finance a 10k car)

Edit, it's Peugeot http://www.offers.peugeot.co.uk/just-add-fuel

Madness these days, I'm sure my insurance when I passed in the dark ages was under £500 for a 1.1 Fiesta which I took to uni in Leeds!