Car insurance required, short term, young driver?

miamoo

Hi, my son aged 19, passed his test last month, and is in the army based aboad at the moment.
His licence has just come through from the DVLA so when he gets home next week (for 2-3 months for training) he wants to get a car just for the period he is home as he does not need one when he goes back to his unit.

Where should I look for short term car insurance, thats suitable for someone who is based abroad?

He is on the electoral roll at home, so would this satisfy the 'permanent UK resident' question? or does this mean he has to physically be in the UK all the time?

Thanks for reading.

lindens

You'll be lucky, short term insurance is rarely available to drivers under 21 and often 25

barnabee

Because of his age, occupation, being a new licence holder and is not normally resident in the UK his premium will be astronomical even if you can find someone to take him on.

An alternative option of hiring a car would also be unlikely because of the above. If a hire company agreed the excess charges would be massive.

Considering the cost of purchasing a car, insuring it, running it and the potential for it to breakdown he would be better off using public transport and taxis to get about. He will get a discount on trains with his Forces railcard and one of his mates is bound to have a car he can cadge lifts in.

If he is going to be with you at your home for sometime during his course you could consider adding him as a named driver to an existing family insurance policy.

If he did purchase a car for short term use he would have the hassle of selling it when he returns to his unit. Worse, if he was unable to sell it then he would have to comply with the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) requiring every vehicle to either be insured or registered with the DVLA as off the road SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification).


Good luck, hope he sees some financial sense will prevail against convenience.