Car insurance help needed.

Margery Dawe

Silver Member
Evening.

I am a very proud Mum today as my son passed his driving test today. However, when looking at insurance for him I am gob smacked how expensive it is. Now, I knew it would be expensive, but £4000 for a old Ford Fiesta!!!!

Can anybody help and suggest some companies. I have tried all the comparison websites and also Admiral, Churchill, Quinn. I feel so sorry for him, passing his test and not being able to drive.
 
My step-brother is having the exact same problem. I think it's just the case across the board with insurers and boys under 25, in particular 17-18. A lot of insurers wouldn't even give quotes for my brother and he only wanted to drive a knackered old 1.2l fiesta!

I think he's planning on doing the Pass Plus course (costs approx £140, but is supposed to provide huge discounts on insurance). And I think he's just resigned to not having a car, he's going to uni in september, so isn't going to need a car so much.

I think it's ridiculous and no wonder so many littl oik's drive without insurance!

With quotes like that it'd be cheaper to get taxi's everywhere!
 
Try ringing companies I know lads of 17 who have insurance of around 1500 that seems to be the cheapest.

Another friend who knows someone who works for AA insurance says if they can get a car with a 1 litre engine it keeps the insurance cost down to between 12 and 1500.


I know that when my friend rang round pass plus did not give them a discount I still think its a good idea though.

My lad has just turned 17 and its a big topic of conversation with his mates parents and us at the football, they do seem to have to pay considerably more than girls.

Well done for your son though, but definitely ring rather than check sites.
 
boys definitely have to pay more than girls as they are statistically more likely to have an accident! My friend found that if she and her husband were put as named drivers on her daughters insurance it bought the price down! no idea how it works but might help!
 
My dad tried calling some insurers to ask about 3rd party for my step-brother. It didn't knock the price down at all!

I daresay, had he spent long enough phoning round a whole load of different insurers, something would've cropped up at a more realistic price!

My step-brother hates the fact it will only cost me £380 for fully-comp + business use for me as soon as I pass my test for the same car. (still not passed, and I'm 30!)
 
They are saying 3rd party can be dearer than fully comp now especially for new and younger drivers, its best to check on that.

Its definitely happening as I also saw them discussing it on BBC watchdog.
 
Yeah I saw that on watchdog too - absolutely appalling, it's almost like insurers think they've become lenders, having to recoup what they've spent out, even though you've paid your premiums!

My dad's tried everything for the poor boy - He doesn't seem to mind too much, but if he wasn't going to Uni I don't know what he'd do as we live out in the sticks!
 
It's cheaper to be insured fully comp than 3rd party. I've tried every which way of insuring him; Me as main and him as named, him main and me named, just him and they are all still really expensive.

It makes me so cross as we have paid so much money got get him through and now can't afford to insure him to drive. I can understand that boys are more expensive than girls, but he is a good, sensible boy who would drive so carefully!!

I'll speak to a couple of brokers tomorrow and see what they say :(
 
:) Congratuations to your son. I know how you feel as my son passed earlier this year he is 29.I found Admiral to be cheapest but you could also add 2 named drivers with licenses on the policy it brought the cost down to £1700 for him
 
hi my daughter has her ins with admiral she hasnt passed her test yet she is down as the main driver and i am a named driver last year she paid 1,200 but this year as shes now 25 it is 840 and shes still a learner :)
 
i went with Elephant for my first year and it was significantly cheaper than most of the others, but then again i am a girl... it also depends on what area you live in, where the car is kept overnight, average miles a year etc xx
 
Have you tried the Classic Car insurers? They tend to be cheaper, as generally people who have classic cars are the sort who really look after their cars, & arent interested in how fast they can get from A to B, & that is reflected in how much premium is charged. If your lad is a careful driver, with a much older car, it might be considered a classic & this might be the best option! My husband is a classic car enthusiast, & although DS is only 5, he is already keeping one of his classic cars for him in readiness for him starting to drive.
 
Also, try some of the supermarket value insurance plans. They were the cheapest for me when I passed my test 3+ years ago. That said, it may be different for your son, but it's worth a look. I'm at about £680 for the year on my 6-year old 1.2l VW Polo (fully comp, no extras).

Tesco and Asda seem to be the cheapest from what I can tell.

They really make drivers pay through the nose, particularly the younger set. Good luck on your search.
 
Hiya

I work in insurance, and as everyone has said, pricing can depend on lots and lots of factors - age, sex, location, where the car is kept, the car itself, etc etc. This all feeds off real statistics from past claims.

Unfortunately in the last couple of years due to a combination of lots and lots of weather related claims, as well as a massive increase in fraudulent claims (the kind where another 3 people miraculously appear to have been in the car at the time and all claim for various injuries), costs have risen massively for the companies themselves, and prices have had to go up to compensate.
In fact I'm losing my job next year as they are shutting our office to recoup costs.

Best thing to do is to ring round specific companies - don't always rely on internet quotes as you can often get it cheaper on the phone.
Also Pass Plus can make a difference - it can reduce your premium by up to 30% in some companies so it's definately worth doing.

Only other suggestion I have is if he really doesn't need a car of his own yet, it might be worth adding him on as a named driver on your policy for a year. This would enable him to build up a year's no claims discount, as well as him not being such a 'new' driver when he does finally get his own. Yes this will make your insurance go through the roof but will probably be cheaper overall.

Also be very wary of getting a policy in your name if he is going to be the main driver - the main driver should always be the policyholder and the insurance companies do tend to be quite savvy to cases like this and it could affect any claim which is made in the future.

Hope that helps a little x
 
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