17 year old son needs car insurance

PenelopePitstop2008 · 27 June 2011 at 5:08PM

My 17 year old son has passed his test and is looking for Car Insurance, Has anyone got any tips on the cheapest way to do it and whom are cheapest to go with?

Any Help would be greatly appreciated.

pinkclouds · 27 June 2011 at 5:48PM

Is it for his own car or so he can drive your car? It's much cheaper to put him on your insurance if he is just driving your car occasionally. If it's for his own car... I suppose the cheapest thing to do would be to get a really cheap old car and have third party only insurance. Otherwise, if he already has a car, you may get a discount if he does those advanced driving lessons - I think they are called "pass plus" or something like that?

pinkclouds · 27 June 2011 at 5:49PM

Ah, it's this thingy and it *is* called Pass Plus: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/Passplusdrivingcoursefornewdrivers/DG_4022426

iamana1ias · 27 June 2011 at 5:50PM

PenelopePitstop2008 wrote: »

My 17 year old son has passed his test and is looking for Car Insurance, Has anyone got any tips on the cheapest way to do it and whom are cheapest to go with?

Any Help would be greatly appreciated.

Check out the 2000+ threads on the exact same thing on the insurance and/or motoring forums.

PenelopePitstop2008 · 27 June 2011 at 6:23PM

iamana1ias wrote: »

Check out the 2000+ threads on the exact same thing on the insurance and/or motoring forums.

Thanks will do searched car ins in this thread didnt realise there was a motoring one, Thanks for the advice on the pass plus

katiepops_2 · 27 June 2011 at 6:37PM

Pass Plus isn't worth the paper it's written on, frankly. Most insurers will not give a discount because it's no proof of driving ability, just a piece of paper that says that you've done xx amount of driving with an instructor. He would be far better off going to the Institute of Advanced Motorists and doing their Momentum assessment (http://www.iam.org.uk/momentum.html), followed by the full IAM membership route - which does attract insurance discounts. The IAM are apparently very keen to get younger drivers on board.

To be honest, unless you or your son is rolling in cash, you're going to find getting insurance difficult. The quotes we were getting for our son were ridiculous - anything from £5000-£35000, and that was both for his own car, or putting him on my car insurance. Luckily for us we know someone who works in car insurance, and she managed to find a 'good' deal for us (I say good, it's still cost around £4000).

It's not fair really, insurance companies have youngsters over a barrel these days.

PenelopePitstop2008 · 27 June 2011 at 6:44PM

Thanks Katie I knew it would be expensive but didnt realise so much I thought maybe £2000. Its his own car and although his own car insurance will be expensive I guess he will build up his no claims etc and it will eventually get cheaper.

Ill search the other thread and see what by best options are.

viktory · 27 June 2011 at 8:02PM

No 17 year should be behind the wheel of a car in my opinion. The higher the insurance the better

jhe · 27 June 2011 at 8:18PM

lots of advice/tips in the insurance forum as already mentioned, admiral can be better for younger drivers, if he is to be the main driver adding a mature driver with good driving history can bring the price down, fully comprehensive is sometimes cheaper than third party. you are best off playing around when looking for quotes e.g if it is to be left on drive see what quote is for parking on roadside.

daveyjp · 27 June 2011 at 8:32PM

Does he NEED a car? If he needs it to go out and earn money to pay for running it fine.

If he has no income or is likely to go onto extended education such as college or uni wait until he is older. Use the comparison sites to see how much his insurance would be if he was 22 rather than 17.

When I passed my test in 1987 my first insurance would have been £800 (£1700 in today's terms so it has always been expensive, despite what the press say). I then went to Uni so had no need for a car, managed for two years without a car to save to buy one and my first insurance was £350. By then I was 23, but had 0 NCB.

caeler · 27 June 2011 at 9:09PM

I can vouch for pass plus, for 7 years after passing it always got me a small discount plus I did actually learn something. No way would normal driving lessons prepared me for motorways/higher speed driving. I think Davey raises a good question, does he need to drive. I fully appreciate 'wanting' but it needs to be paid for! I was able to get a car/insurance when I got my first job (to be fair most of my wage went on paying for it but I wouldn't of had it any other way, plus there was no public transport). I've always found having an older driver on my insurance has kept the premimum lower (by several hundred pounds before I was 21), so maybe you could be a named driver on his policy? Also limited mileage, under 8,000K that reduces their risk. I also understand the co-op have launched a policy where you get a black box and it monitors driving and adjusts your premimum accordingly. I'm not sure that it would work and I'd be suspcious but worth a check out.