How to get car insurance down...

[Bugz]

I've had my driving license for about 8-9 months now and I've done the Pass Plus etc.

I was looking at cars a couple of days back; sizing up different motors etc. and getting quotes. But I cannot get ANYTHING below 1500 quid for insurance, with just me as a named driver.

Are there any tips or good reputable companies to get insurance from? I've been looking at very small engines but even this doesn't make a difference.

I do have at my disposal a father with too many years no-claims and who is a police officer (I'd have thought that'd help?) but I'm not sure how to go about doing it for me and him. Do I make him the named driver? But does that mean I can't build no-claims?

The idea was to get, ideally one about 1000 quid and work my arse off in the summer and pay off a large proportion of it (is that allowed?) and then only have to pay like 30 quid a month for the rest of the year. I don't even care about driving the bloudy thing, I just want to build no claims as that seems to be where all the discounts are1!

Help!

 

[Lamp]

Presume you've tried the comparison sites.

You might just have to accept because of your age (what are you? 17,18 or something?) that your premiums are going to be higher until you hit 25. NCB's make a big difference. Also if its some suped up chavmobile that's gonna push premiums higher, as well as not garaging it or having alarms / immobilisers / trackers.

Try Quinn Direct - they offer NCB's for a named driver under another's policy - but the choice is rather limited. Also try Prudential, or the Co-op if you're over 19.

 

[soze]

Depending on where you live if its off the road ect you can save money.

I insured my car with my Dad as the policy holder and me as a named driver. Direct Line let you build up no claims as a named driver and if your like me it will save you loads.

 

[Zenith.UK]

That's why I'm with Direct Line as well. My wife is learning to drive but she's building up her own NCB while learning. Okay so it's a bit hard for the time that it takes to get your first year, but you get 30% discount after that first year.

Things to drive your insurance premium down.
Be over 25.
Be driving longer than 1-2 years.
Live in a "safe" postcode.
Garage the car overnight.
Drive a small engined car with low CO2/high efficiency.
Have NO modifications to the car.
Have a Thatcham approved antitheft or immobiliser device fitted.
Don't speed (points = premium loading).

 

[Cadelin]

I've had my driving license for about 8-9 months now and I've done the Pass Plus etc.

I was looking at cars a couple of days back; sizing up different motors etc. and getting quotes. But I cannot get ANYTHING below 1500 quid for insurance, with just me as a named driver.

Are there any tips or good reputable companies to get insurance from? I've been looking at very small engines but even this doesn't make a difference.

I do have at my disposal a father with too many years no-claims and who is a police officer (I'd have thought that'd help?) but I'm not sure how to go about doing it for me and him. Do I make him the named driver? But does that mean I can't build no-claims?

The idea was to get, ideally one about 1000 quid and work my arse off in the summer and pay off a large proportion of it (is that allowed?) and then only have to pay like 30 quid a month for the rest of the year. I don't even care about driving the bloudy thing, I just want to build no claims as that seems to be where all the discounts are1!

Help!

So you want to buy something that you won't use just to get a discount on it? Why? If you are not going to use it the cheapest thing in the long run is to not be insured.

If you want to drive forget about the no claims bonus for now, get the car insured under your dad and be added as a second driver. There are some companies that allow you to build up a no claims bonus too but until you finish university you will still "live" at your parents address and can therefore take advantage of their insurance.

 

[megadave]

Got a friend who's address says they live in the countryside with a garage but actually live in a council estate in london. cuts the price in half

 

[- English -]

Got a friend who's address says they live in the countryside with a garage but actually live in a council estate in london. cuts the price in half

That will just invalid his insurance if he crashes though

 

[Elkie]

Got a friend who's address says they live in the countryside with a garage but actually live in a council estate in london. cuts the price in half

You're friend isn't the most intelligent of sort then I must say.

Also, you will find that as far as I know if you become a named driver whether it be your father or your mother. That there no claims will not effect the insurance, as no claims only affects one policy at a time. Also if you are the registered owner of the vehicle and your father or mother try to insure it and put you as a named driver it cannot be done. Or should I say shouldn't be done. If you however buy the car having either your mother or father as the registered owner and then have you on the policy you wont have any problem. But their no claims still wouldn't come into affect on that particular policy.

 

[eksdee]

1500? what are you trying to insure?

my first car was 1.1 rover 200 and it cost me about 750 the first year if i remember correctly. i honestly don't think being simply a named driver is a waste of time as you lose out on a lot if you're not building up your no claims.

i have had my own car, with my own insurance since i was 17. i'm now 22 and my insurance is down to around £200 (i'm with direct line right now, i was with norwich union when i first got a car) on a 1.6 astra.

 

[kiliarien]

Be a named driver until you're 25, then try again imo. Most other ways to bring the price down are either difficult because you don't have the facilities (garage overnight, moving to safe postcodes etc.), or having immobilisers (even though they're quite common, your first car should be low end and not have one probably).

And as already noted, you'll be at Uni and your folks' address will be your actual fixed residential address anyway so insurance will be registered under that. We all know that most student accommodation off campus are in the cheaper/dodgier areas of town too which never helps if you try and register it there - especially because you move a lot during Uni and changing all the paperwork is a hassle and if you happen to crash/be crashed into when it's at the wrong address they won't pay up.

Also avoid all the easily modded cars, some insurers add to their premiums based on the model even if it isn't modded for fear of you doing so.

Good luck though Bugz.

 

[Corran]

things to note... if you are a named driver on someone elses insurance:

If the car registered in your name, insured in someone elses name as primary driver and you have an accident they can refuse to pay out to you as you "scammed" them. Something alot of people fail to realise now days and cry when they get nothing.

Even if the car isnt registered in your name if they find out you are the primary driver they may be picky...

got to be careful now days because insurance companies love to find ways to take your money and not pay out

 

[Dudley52]

I'm 19, a named driver on my mums insurance. Drive a 1.2 fiesta. Cost me £135/month for the first year. I'm on the second year now and its £97/month. Should go down to £50/month for third. Thats fully comp too. With the co-op atm but i've heard quinn direct is the cheapest for young drivers.

 

[soze]

If you can't get named drive no claims buy a shitty car park it off road and insure it for 1000 miles a year I have a freind doing this while he has a compnay car. Having a dad in the motor trade helps though with the MOT ect.

 

[Jeros]

Could be worse, word has it where im from companys where refusing to insure people who happend to live on the bad estate in town

 

[Ctuchik]

I've had my driving license for about 8-9 months now and I've done the Pass Plus etc.

I was looking at cars a couple of days back; sizing up different motors etc. and getting quotes. But I cannot get ANYTHING below 1500 quid for insurance, with just me as a named driver.

either get a sex change or write the car on your parents and have them insure it for you in their names.

insurance companies hate young males that just got their drivers license. but they give female drivers pretty nice deals as they aint nowhere near as reckless as males on the road.

even if u used a CV2 u wouldn't get off much cheaper.

its all got to do with that "30% of all car accidents are caused by young males who's just got a drivers license".

best way to get the insurance down is to have the car written on one of you're parents. as you will never get a deal anywhere near what they have if they dont have any claims.

 

[Bahumat]

1500? what are you trying to insure?

my first car was 1.1 rover 200 and it cost me about 750 the first year if i remember correctly. i honestly don't think being simply a named driver is a waste of time as you lose out on a lot if you're not building up your no claims.

i have had my own car, with my own insurance since i was 17. i'm now 22 and my insurance is down to around £200 (i'm with direct line right now, i was with norwich union when i first got a car) on a 1.6 astra.

Oh don't lie Miri! I see you running around town on your little wolf!

 

[GReaper]

Keep looking around to see if there are any specials with particular insurance providers. Norwich Union do rapid no claims bonuses - so you get a years no claims in 9 months (as well as only paying for 9 months). This is what I used for the first 18 months, after that they put the price up and I switched elsewhere with 2 years NCD.

I know it's not the advice you're looking for - but is it worth it? Do you need a car right now? I didn't really need one until I was 21 - and the insurance before then was just too much. Remember all the other costs, the car itself, petrol, mot, tax, repairs, etc. To make the £1,500 insurance worthwhile you'd have to drive quite a lot, so look into it carefully.

If you're going to have to work a lot during the summer it almost sounds like you'll be working to drive instead of driving to work...