Insurance or lessons?

caseyjones_2

I'm learning to drive now, about 4 years late, and I'm looking into the tedious world of car insurance for the first time, specifically as a named driver with a provisional licence.

It's turning out to be quite expensive to do this, even just for the 3 months I should need it. Would I be better off just paying for more lessons? From what I can see, I could get at least 10 hours worth with the money insurance would cost. Would this be of more benefit?

I'm doing 4 hours a week ATM. Both would obviously be better if I could afford to.

jimmo

Sorry but I’m really struggling to understand your question.
When my children were learning to drive I sent them to a school of motoring for their first 5 or 6 lessons until their instructor advised me that they had the basics and it was relatively safe for them to drive my car under supervision. Then I contacted my insurance company and added them as named drivers (with provisional licences) onto my existing insurance. The cost was pretty minimal.
I can’t help the feeling that you have bought your own car and whilst you see yourself as a named driver your insurance companies see you as the main driver.
If that is the case then I am afraid you have started out on the wrong footing. You need to be a named driver on a car which is owned by someone else who has the maximum No Claims Bonus on that car.
Hope that helps but for further information my children both had continuing lessons with the school of motoring, took their test in the school of motoring cars and passed first time.
When I took them out in my car I concentrated, not on the technicalities of driving to pass a test but just to get them used to driving.
It was not unusual for my kids to drive 100 miles in an evening by the time they took their tests and I was happy that they were comfortable behind the wheel of any car.
I’m sure many people would argue that what I did with my kids was over the top but it worked.
In my opinion you simply can’t beat lots of miles behind the wheel before you take your test.

caseyjones_2

Thanks for the reply.

I probably should have clarified that although I've been looking for the insurance, it isn't my policy I'll be on, nor my car I'll be driving.

It looks like my addition will cost at least £200 per annum. So my question is whether or not I'd be better off putting that money towards more driving lessons?

Bob63

At a recent Bikesafe event near Yeovil I was lucky enough to spend a while chatting to some people from the DSA. Because my eldest daughter has just turned 17 I was really interested to find out what they thought about things like Pass Plus and also about learning to drive. The told me that young drivers who also get to use a parent's car in addition to the regular driving lessons are more likely to pass their test first time.

Unfortunately my wife's car is group 16 so adding my daughter as a full-time named driver is impossible, however we have found that Provisional Marmalade offer a great scheme for short term provisional driver insurance meaning we'll pay around £80/month to let a 17 year old drive a turbo-charged Subaru. Good value IMHO as she'll probably only need provisional cover for a few months and then she will have her own low insurance group car once she passes her test.

FlameCloud

caseyjones wrote: »

It looks like my addition will cost at least £200 per annum. So my question is whether or not I'd be better off putting that money towards more driving lessons?

Thats cheap for insurance! When you pass, be prepared for it to add probably £1000 to the cost, depending on the car of course.

laurajayne

That's really cheap!

I insured my Citroen C3 1.4 with me as the main driver and my parents both as named drivers for £600 for a year, however I'm 24. In my opinion, it really helped; I drove pretty much everywhere, to get my confidence up mostly.

Now I've passed my test, it's £800 for the year, typical!

caseyjones_2

cheesy.mike wrote: »

At a recent Bikesafe event near Yeovil I was lucky enough to spend a while chatting to some people from the DSA. Because my eldest daughter has just turned 17 I was really interested to find out what they thought about things like Pass Plus and also about learning to drive. The told me that young drivers who also get to use a parent's car in addition to the regular driving lessons are more likely to pass their test first time.

Unfortunately my wife's car is group 16 so adding my daughter as a full-time named driver is impossible, however we have found that Provisional Marmalade offer a great scheme for short term provisional driver insurance meaning we'll pay around £80/month to let a 17 year old drive a turbo-charged Subaru. Good value IMHO as she'll probably only need provisional cover for a few months and then she will have her own low insurance group car once she passes her test.

That's interesting.

I have looked into Provisional Marmalade. I think in my case it was more expensive, but I'll have another look. How do you find out what insurance group a car is in?

caseyjones_2

FlameCloud wrote: »

Thats cheap for insurance! When you pass, be prepared for it to add probably £1000 to the cost, depending on the car of course.

There's the fees to cancel mid-term though. Which will probably have to be done twice.

Quentin

If you do go on as a named driver whilst you are learning, then once you pass your test come off that insurance, then (depending on how long remains of the policy up to renewal) you should get a pro rata refund (less the insurance company's change of policy admin charge).

If you will be able to get lots of practice it will be worth it.

And start saving for when you have to buy your own insurance (after you pass and want your own car) - as everyone says it will be lots more than £200.

caseyjones_2

laurajayne wrote: »

That's really cheap!

I insured my Citroen C3 1.4 with me as the main driver and my parents both as named drivers for £600 for a year, however I'm 24. In my opinion, it really helped; I drove pretty much everywhere, to get my confidence up mostly.

Now I've passed my test, it's £800 for the year, typical!

The lowest quotes I got for myself as the main driver were over £600, including named drivers. I'm 21.

Thanks for the input. From the practice I've done away from public roads, it does seem to help with confidence.

BillScarab

I'd spend the money on getting insurance and gettiing in as much practice as you can. It's a long time since I passed my test but I spent a lot of time driving with my parents and just had 8 hours of 'proper' lessons to learn how to do the various manouvres (3 point turn etc.) you need to do to pass the test.