Car insurance for younger drivers

Young drivers who have recently passed their driving could be excused for enthusiasm to get on the road. However, the cost of car insurance, which is notoriously high for younger drivers due to the lack of experience they have on the roads, and high incidence of accidents they are involved in compared to drivers over 25, for instance, can be prohibitive.

There are a number of ways in which younger drivers can cut the cost of their car insurance.

Take the pass plus

The Driving Standard’s Agency’s Pass Plus course is designed to help new drivers become familiar with more challenging motoring scenarios than they would likely encounter during a normal course of instruction. Taking it can also have a positive impact on the price of car insurance. The course covers situations like driving on the motorway, in adverse weather conditions and in rural and highly urban areas. Though it is mainly practical, there is a classroom aspect to the course, too. Only accredited instructors are able to conduct the course.

Add a more experienced driver to your policy

Adding a driver with more experience (and importantly, a conviction and claim-free driving history) to your policy to your policy can really reduce the cost of your insurance. So if a parent, guardian, sibling or friend is happy to help you, then add them to your policy.

Avoid modifications

Lots of younger drivers understandably want to improve their car by adding aftermarket accessories to the bodywork, stereo or under the bonnet. However, adding modifications will almost certainly cause your insurance to be much more expensive due to a number of reasons. These include the increased risk of being involved in a road traffic accident if there are performance-enhancing modifications, increased appeal to would-be thieves and also the higher cost of replacing the parts. Therefore, keeping to factory specification will save you money. Don’t entertain the idea of not declaring any modifications to your insurer, as if you need to call upon your policy and your car is found to be altered then it will invalidate your insurance.

Stay conviction and accident free

Driving convictions and insurance claims are a sure-fire way of adding expense to your car insurance, as it makes you perceived as to be more of a risk. Therefore, driving carefully and within the speed limit could make your insurance much cheaper in the years to come as you will have built up a good no-claims history and demonstrate you’re a safe driver.

Invest in security measures

By fitting security devices approved by Thatcham, the automotive insurance group, then you will decrease the chances of your car being targeted by thieves and save money as a result.

Chose your car wisely

Opting for an older, low-performing car will mean that your car will be cheaper to insure than a newer, more powerful model. Also consider a car with a diesel engine, as they can often be cheaper to insure than petrol-powered equivalents.

Shop around

Fortunately, there’s a lot of choice in the car insurance market, with many companies jostling for your business. But knowing where to begin your search can be a task in itself. Therefore, it’s a good idea to start your search for a car insurance quote online, using a comparison website. These will allow you to look at insurance deals from many different companies so you can quickly and easily see where the better value deals are to be located. Make sure that you compare the features as well as the price, as the cheapest deals might not necessarily offer the cover that you need.