Car insurance for single mom of 2 unemployed

5abi

Hi all

Hope I can get some help with a situation I have. I am doing this on behalf of my sister who has recently separated and is on her own with 2 little uns. No support from partner as it was a bit of a complicated case. She is on benefits and has recently moved into a council property. As she needs to get around and is living in a remote part of town, she needs to get a car. She has a full UK license for 4 years now but no NCD as she was a secondary driver on the policies. I am contributing in getting a cheap car for her to run around with but we are stumped with the insurance quotes. Quotes are insanely expensive and are going into the thousands. The cheapest so far on the 3 comparison sites are around £2300. This is TOO expensive for her to afford on benefits. She cannot work until her kids are in school and she has a 3 year old that does not have a place in nursery. I thank god I am here to help her in these times but she needs transport.

What advice can you guys give me on this? What techniques / methods can we use to get these quotes down to under £1000?

5abi

BTW, we are looking for the cheapest running cars on the market. Something around 1ltr engines and cheap road tax... around the £500-700 mark.

ukpete79

Unfortunately, I think the bus is going to be the more affordable option.

From an insurers point of view, she is still a relatively new driver, with no driving history, they also don't look favourably on benefit claimants/ unemployed persons.

There really are no 'techniques' for practically halving the premium, not without telling fibs anyway... the postcode she lives in can make a huge difference though.

forgotmyname

I found a Daewoo Matiz to the be cheapest car for a younger newly passed driver.

Under £1000 though maybe not. Postcode plays a big part in the premium.

Adding you or an older female. But you must make sure that any claims, or points etc the named driver gets are updated on her policy also.

rs65

5abi wrote: »

BTW, we are looking for the cheapest running cars on the market. Something around 1ltr engines and cheap road tax... around the £500-700 mark.

Try something like a 10 year old 1.6 Volvo S40 or similar. Smaller engine cars may be a bit more economical and newer small cars may be a bit cheaper on road tax but it looks like insurance will be her biggest expense so I guess that's where the focus has to be.

mills705

As said above someone unemployed is seen as high risk unfortunatly. Depending on the car this could also affect the insurance. Cheaper cars can be more expensive to insure as they are more than likely to be written off as a result of an accident.
Have you tried any telematic schemes ie black boxes

laurel7172

Have you tried the company that insured the car she drove as a named driver? Sometimes they will offer a no claims discount when the named driver takes out their own policy.

Please don't overstretch yourself trying to provide this car. I know you're trying to support your sister, but it isn't worth her or you struggling financially. When you're at home with a three year old, you have time to take the bus. I know I did.

whatmichaelsays

Talk to a specialist broker who may be able to find an insurer that will take her years as a 'named driver' into consideration.

However, they will want some proof of this and if she and her partner are not on speaking terms, this might be difficult.

ripplyuk

Is there any difference if you list her as 'homemaker' or something similar and not unemployed? Sometimes this changes the price and after all, it's more accurate since she's not looking for a job right now when she's already got a full time job looking after the children.

cycloneuk

Have a look at the CO-OP car insurance, they don't ask for an occupation and came in cheapest when I passed my test 2 years ago. After 1 years of no claims you will see the cost drop by nearly half.

forgotmyname

She can put home maker if she doesnt claim benefits.

If she claims benefits then she is unemployed. Job seekers, Income support or whatever its called now.