Car insurance is cheaper on a provisional???

bailsofhay

Hi all,
I'm 31 and I recently got a 1997 clio from a friend with the intention of using it as my first car. When doing some sums to determine whether to take an intensive or insure the car and learn to drive in it I found that comparison sites were giving cheaper quotes for the car if I have a provisional. Some quotes jumped nearly 200 pounds a year if I have a full license and they jump even more if I have pass plus licence. This seems very backwards to me as I am surely more of a liability as a learner.

Anyone know why this might be? As it stands I may take an intensive and then insure the car right before I take my test therefore saving nearly 200 pounds.

jessie4109

Which company is that with? Remember though that once you have passed you will need to tell them and they will probably bump up the price again at that point. Can you add on another more experienced driver?

Also try and see if you can purchase the insurance through one of those cashback sites so you could get some money back too? Have a look on http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/cashback-sites-comparison/

RichardD1970

Insurance on a provisional licence will be cheaper because you should always accompanied by an experienced driver whilst you are learning, so less likely to go racing around, taking risks.

As for inuring the car just before your test, I'm not sure but would have thought you would have to notify your insurance company about the change of licence and then they would adjust the premium accordingly.

ic

I'd agree with the last poster - as a learner you'll always be accompanied, you'll have L plates on the car warning others to keep their distance, you'll be cautious and probably won't actually do that much driving. You also won't be on any motorways, and less likely to drive during peak times or on other high speed roads.

Once you've passed, you'll be able to do all these things, and probably become more blas! and relaxed in your driving - and there won't be an extra pair of eyes helping you.

bailsofhay

I hadn't really thought about it that way but it makes sense. I had been predicting my start up costs upon a provisional quote so I will have to adjust accordingly. Time to start saving some more.
@Jessie-the quote was through moneysupermarket with elephant
Anyway cheers for clarifying the situation for me there seems to be quite a lot for me to wrap my head around as a new driver.

InsideInsurance

bailsofhay wrote: »

Anyway cheers for clarifying the situation for me there seems to be quite a lot for me to wrap my head around as a new driver.

You ultimately need to "accept" that mass market insurers ultimately work not on logic but instead by their experience/ statistical analysis. Whilst you can try and rationalise it by coming up with ideas such as having an experience driver/ not allowed on motorways etc this is normally after the trend has already been spotted through segmentation.

People tend to take these things very personally when in reality 99% isnt just others in your area/ age group/ vehicle etc have had bad claims experiences

jessie4109

I had my quote with moneysupermarket 1st to find the cheapest company, then went on the cashback checker for the insurance company and the price at the end was the same (just had to go through a different comparison site) but all being well I should be credited with nearly £30 for basically nothing. Worst case scenario, if it doesn't eventually credit well at least I haven't paid extra for a policy due to the cashback offer (if that makes sence).

FreddieFrugal

jessie4109 wrote: »

I had my quote with moneysupermarket 1st to find the cheapest company, then went on the cashback checker for the insurance company and the price at the end was the same (just had to go through a different comparison site) but all being well I should be credited with nearly £30 for basically nothing. Worst case scenario, if it doesn't eventually credit well at least I haven't paid extra for a policy due to the cashback offer (if that makes sence).

This is true. I've found that if you visit the companies website via a comparison site then the insurance website remembers your details and quotes - so it's ok to close and go on it again via cashback site, expecting to see the same price come up. I found this when taking out home insurance.

FreddieFrugal

bailsofhay wrote: »

Hi all,
I'm 31 and I recently got a 1997 clio from a friend with the intention of using it as my first car. When doing some sums to determine whether to take an intensive or insure the car and learn to drive in it I found that comparison sites were giving cheaper quotes for the car if I have a provisional. Some quotes jumped nearly 200 pounds a year if I have a full license and they jump even more if I have pass plus licence. This seems very backwards to me as I am surely more of a liability as a learner.

Anyone know why this might be? As it stands I may take an intensive and then insure the car right before I take my test therefore saving nearly 200 pounds.

I took out provisional insurance because it meant I was earning no claims whilst learning. When I knew that I was coming up for my test, I did a comparison site search to get an idea of what prices should be for my details but with a full licence. Was something like £800. I worked out that because I'd done half a year on provisional, and had another half still to go, that if the insurer asked for more than £400 to make the change then i'd be losing money, and be best off switching to another provider. (I would have rather stayed to keep the no claims for that year)

Anyway - I was proactive and contacted my insurer before I had passed and told them the figure I had worked out - so they said based on my details the amount to pay would be £360. Score!
However I know that it wasn't the set amount, I only got that because I made it clear that I wasn't going to accept a ridiculous sum - some people are given shock figures of £1000s on the day they pass.

forgotmyname

If the insurer did offer no claims on a provisional policy and im not sure how many do. Dont forget you need that policy to run for a full year.

Are you going to be a learner for that long?

I only had 1 lesson a week and missed the odd one here and there, Started about April and passed in August. Mondey spent on buying and insuring a car could be spent on a proper instructor.

FreddieFrugal

forgotmyname wrote: »

If the insurer did offer no claims on a provisional policy and im not sure how many do. Dont forget you need that policy to run for a full year.

Are you going to be a learner for that long?

You can change licence mid policy and still get the no claims bonus for that year. But you're right, it needs to be decided on a completely individual basis whether it's better financially to insure once you've passed or bother insuring your own car to practice in.

I know that all the extra practice I had driving my own car made a big difference to how much progress I made with my instructor.