New Driver’s
Guide
It doesn’t matter how old you are, your first car
insurance policy is going to be quite expensive – that’s just an unfortunate fact of life. The problem is, driving
without any insurance is a criminal offence, so if you’re newly passed and want to get on the road, you’ll need
to know how to keep your premiums low.
What to look for in your first policy Your insurance policy should ideally be as cheap as possible, while still offering an adequate
level of protection for you – after all, cover that doesn’t protect you properly is not only pointless, but can
be illegal! Luckily, there are only really two main types of cover you’ll be offered; Third party fire and theft (TPFT)
and Comprehensive (Fully Comp). TPFT covers you against three things: third party claims, fire damage to your vehicle, and
theft – everything else you will have to pay for yourself. Comprehensive offers a more complete cover, but what each
provider considers comprehensive varies, so check this before you buy.
Reading this, you would expect TPFT to be the cheaper option, and usually you would be right. However, it is always worth
checking both prices, as occasionally providers will have deals or offers on that mean that comprehensive cover may be a better
option for you.
How to select the right level of cover When you have the insurance application in front of you, it’s tempting to tell a few little white lies
to keep your premium down; not declaring your real mileage is often a favourite, and while that will keep your premiums low,
should you have an accident and the provider find out, you will likely not be covered. Instead, look at the extras that many
companies add on as a default – for example, some companies offer optional breakdown cover that you may not want or
need, but may have been automatically signed up for.
Saving money now and in the future There are a number of little things that you can do to keep your premiums down as a new driver:-
drive a car with a small engine or in a low insurance group (what group 1 and 2 cars lack in speed they make up for with huge
monetary savings – and not just on insurance). Another good idea is to have a more experienced family member on the
policy as a named driver, this can drop your premiums hugely. Do not be tempted to have somebody named as the main driver
of your vehicle, however, this is called ‘fronting’ and could leave you in a situation where your provider refuses
to cover you.
Unfortunately, cheap car insurance for new drivers
is difficult to achieve. The best advice is simply to drive carefully and safely, build up that no claims bonus, and before
you know it, your premiums should come tumbling down.
It is a
fact of life that new drivers pay more for car insurance statistically, they’re more likely to have an accident than more experienced drivers. The best advice is to drive carefully
and considerately, bide your time and build your no claims, and in time those premiums will decrease. moneysupermarket says
“You typically get a 30% discount after one year of claim-free driving, rising to 65% after four or five years”,
and although those numbers aren’t set in stone, you can see just how much money you stand to save by keeping safe just
for 12 months.
