Car Insurance For Teenagers

We appreciate that the cost of insurance is one of the biggest issues for young motorists. The average cost of insurance for a new driver is £3,000, often more than the value of their car, but now What Car? magazine has drawn up a top ten list of money-saving tips:


1. Increase your excess.

Boosting the amount you pay in the event of an accident can have a direct effect on your premium. A £400 increase on your excess can bring down the premium by almost the same amount. Average saving, £277.

2.Stick with a lower trim. Going for the top-of-the-range trim level might well bump you up an insurance group. Average saving, £432.

3. Research the level of cover.

Third party or third party, fire and theft cover is usually cheaper than comprehensive insurance, but the average saving is so small that we would always recommend choosing the best cover you can afford. Average saving, £53 (third party only).

4. Add a parent.

Convincing a parent to join you on a policy can bring the cost down significantly. Our sample driver reduced his premium by more than £1100 just by adding his 52-year-old accountant mother to his policy. Average saving, £1005.

5. Extra training.

Insurers appear to be undecided on the merits of the most popular driver training, Pass Plus. Some don’t offer any discount for taking the six-hour course, while the average premium reduction for those who do is substantial. Check with your insurer before you commit. Average saving, £456 (if offered).

6. Get a no-claims discount.

Many insurance companies will now let you build up a no-claims discount on someone else’s vehicle, so try convincing a parent to let you use their car. Average saving, £253.

7. Leave out the mods.

Some insurers might not charge you for adding alloy wheels, but that full bodykit could end up costing you more in higher insurance premiums than its price suggests. Average saving, £305.

8. Stick to a curfew.

Restrict your driving hours to between 6am and 11pm. This may not be for everyone, but it could save you cash. Average saving, £492.

9. Stick with a smaller engine.

A step up from a basic 1.25-litre unit to a still-modest 1.4 can bump up insurance premiums by more than £250. Average saving, £265.

10. Shop around.

“We want more insurance companies to recognise the benefits of additional young driver training and reward those who take it with a lower premium,” What Car? editor John McIlroy said. “A full 74% of young motorists say they would take extra tuition if it saved them money. It would without doubt make the roads much safer for all road users because, above all, it’s experience that makes us better drivers.”