argh help??? [car insurance nightmare!!!]

k8eh89

I'm a new driver and completely new to the whole 'owning a car' thing and insurance etc etc.

I bought my car in October 2008 and insured it as a provisional driver, so I could practice in it outside of my driving lessons.

I went on a price comparison website and was amazed to find a whole year at £900 with one insurer, a good few hundred pounds cheaper than rival insurers. Certain I bagged myself a good'un I paid my £150 deposit and then the monthly payments were £50odd.

Now, I passed my test 1st April 2009 and thought I let my amazing insurers know. I was horrified when they told me my insurance would go up by £700 and my last 3 monthly payments (may/june/july) would be £234.35 each!!!!

Obviously i've already paid May... but this is ridiculous!!!!
I really cant afford the next two.
Does anyone have any advice?

Once I've paid these two months I have no more insurance to pay until I renew in Oct 2009....but I just don't think I can afford it.

Would it be worth adding my partner as a named driver? (he's had a licence for 5 years and 5 years no claims).... would that bring it down????

Or could I cancel my policy? without having to pay these final months??????

If anyone could help me I would be eternally grateful

rudekid48

Quinn by any chance?

k8eh89

same problem?

Tigsteroonie

Adding a second named driver does seem to reduce the cost ... not sure why ...

rudekid48

No, it's just a common situation that people find themselves in, there have been numerous threads on here about people having the same problem.

Unfortunately you only have 2 options - pay it or cancel. Neither is particularly helpful but there is nothing else that you can do.

If you can pay it then at least you can complete the year and earn some bonus (if you don't claim!), which should help to make things more affordable at renewal. It may help adding your partner on, you'd have to check with them to see.

I can understand why they do it as drivers are a higher risk when they first pass their test as they are let loose on their own for the first time but that doesn't really soften the blow does it?

I know you won't want to hear this but this is why cheapest isn't always best. It pays to check what you are getting for your money.

Quinn are not the only ones that do this, so people need to be careful when they have a provisional.

Hopefully someone else may be able to come up with a solution for you, but personally I think that you are stuck with the 2 options I mentioned.

Good luck anyway....

k8eh89

What happens if I cancel? Will they charge me a hefty sum anyway?

Quentin

There will be a cancellation charge - it varies from company to company, so you need to ask them how much it will be to cancel.

Matthew_W

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Adding a second named driver does seem to reduce the cost ... not sure why ...

It does depend on who the second driver is.

If someone other than you is driving then they are using the vehicle for a proportion of the time you would have been, so the exposure of you driving is lower. If they are less of a risk statistically, then your premium would reduce in proportion.