New Car deals with free insurance for 2011

roysmissus wrote: »

We are having the same problem for our son. He passed his test this year and said we would buy him his first car, however the insurance quotes are unbelievable, anywhere between 17 and 44 THOUSAND pounds. I understand that because of his age (18) and probably because he is a male driver which is unfair as i have seen some shocking young female drivers aswell, insurance comanies will consider him high risk but he just wanted a small 1L runaround. He now feels like he has wasted his money on driving lessons because (in his words) would need to win the lottery just to insure a car. I was told one car company would give free insurance if you bought a new car but as someone pointed out it was for 25's and over. Unfortunatly i can see him driving anytime soon and i will continue to be his free taxi lol.

have you read the many many threads on how to get the cost down,

Rather than not driving is there any advantage to being a second named driver on a policy which would earn 2nd or 3rd named driver no claims bonus? I guess the range of insurers that offer this may be more limited and so the policies more expensive?

Clearly you would have to avoid any risk of the 17 year old being seen as the main driver invalidating the lower cost insurance, presumably 1 mile per annum by the 17 year old against a parents mileage would avoid any such risk though? That way at the end of the 1,2, 3 or 4 years a no claims bonus would add to the expectation of now older son being safer on the road from the insurer's viewpoint?

Personally I was lucky at 18 I did get a car which came with free insurance, even after the 1st year the insurance was still very expensive for me.

Ultimately I guess it will limit the number of new drivers, (or just the honest ones?) which might in the long term reduce numbers on the road, increasing road safety?