Seeking affordable insurance for mature (41 YO) first time driver

rreeve

Could anyone recommend any affordable car insurance companies. I'm a 41 year old man who is a first time driver. I've very recently passed my test and I'm looking for an affordable quote for a small VW Polo 1.1 2006.

As this will be my first ever insurance cover as a driver the price is my most important requirement. After a few years of driving, the price of my insurance may not be the most important consideration but right now, this is my main focus.

I have tried the usual comparison websites and I've requested individual quotes from Direct Line and Admiral. All quotes seem to be in the same ballpark between £900 - £1600 depending on the size of the excess. What I find rather disheartening is the fact that a first time 41 yo driver is getting the same quote as an 18 yo first time driver.

ANY advice would be very gratefully received.
I am planning on taking an advanced driving course to bring my premiums down as much as possible as quickly as possible. I'd be more than happy to have a blackbox fitted to measure my speed if this reduces my quote.

I don't mind paying a high excess if it means my monthly repayments are much lower.

Billy_Bullocks

As you're finding out experience and a proven driving record is more important than age.

Why should you be any cheaper than an 18 year old? You've no more driving experience and slower reactions.

AdrianC

An 18yo with a new licence would be doing very well to get a £900 quote...

Joe_Horner

It's a little-counter intuitive but have you tried the comparison sites with a low voluntary excess? Start at no voluntary excess and work up. Putting the excess too high causes some insurers to stop quoting and they're often the cheaper ones!

Personally I've found that the sweet spot is around £200 voluntary but that may be different for you.

DCFC79

I wouldnt have a black box fitted, they were featured on watchdog at some point.

Have you enquired if any insurers will offer a reduced premium if you do an advanced driving course.

forgotmyname

Joe_Horner wrote: »

It's a little-counter intuitive but have you tried the comparison sites with a low voluntary excess? Start at no voluntary excess and work up. Putting the excess too high causes some insurers to stop quoting and they're often the cheaper ones!

Personally I've found that the sweet spot is around £200 voluntary but that may be different for you.

It will differ for everyone but searching for younger drivers i found an excess of over £500 pushed the price up. Having a car over 10 years old again pushed the price up.

Cheapest cars when they first passed their test were sub 1000cc engines cars, Fiat Seicento and Daewoo Matiz etc. Little one didnt want/need a car right after passing so waited over 12 months and the cheapest cars then were in the 1300cc engine group.
Cheapest car then was a KA.

If the cost of insurance is the only real criteria then choose the cheapest car to insure, dont choose a particular car.

Looking for insurance for the little one I put so many cars through the comparision site in such a short space of time they banned me
But i got her a quote on the KA for 900, 10 month bonus builder.

Slubberd

I'm 43 and a first time driver and mine was around £750 with a £150 voluntary excess.

Have you considered your job and how you input it. I work in a call centre - returns for that came back at approx £1200 - when a friend said ou should put government officer - which I am - it dropped £500. EH?

I also checked at weekend and it was higher then during the week.

usernameisvalid

As a 42 yo first time driver, I got my husband to become named driver ( 30 years no claims)

What was really weird, he put me as named driver on his policy (high performance sports car) and his insurance dropped by over £100

Joe_Horner

Slubberd wrote: »

I also checked at weekend and it was higher then during the week.

That's another good point - timing.

Unless you really have to, don't ask for quotes staring in the next few days. Again, it's personal experience but I've suggested it to a few friends who've found the same.

If you ask for cover starting in a week or so time then the quotes usually come in cheaper than if you're asking for them at short notice - presumably because they know they've got you by the curlies if you "need cover now".

rreeve

Billy_Bullocks wrote: »

As you're finding out experience and a proven driving record is more important than age.

Why should you be any cheaper than an 18 year old? You've no more driving experience and slower reactions.

I'd like to think maturity counts for something. I'm surely less likely:

• To be a boy racer,
• Use the car to pick up girls
• Play very loud music
• Get easily distracted
• Drive my friends around all evening
• Drink/drugs and Drive
• Show off to people
• Do donuts & wheel-spins

I'm sure I could think of more areas that SHOULD make a difference. Of course, I know that some 40 Year Old's could be guilty of each of the above but not everyone is a man-child.

forgotmyname

I remember reading an article on a clampdown on boy racers, quite a lot of older guys because they can afford the cars and the insurance where an 18 year old may not have the savings to bo and buy an evo or imprezza and modify it.
One of the guys pulled was in his 60's.

You are likely to cover way more miles than you think, little one said it will just be for work and maybe popping into the shop on the way to from work, she passes them on her route. Didnt take long for just popping out for a meal or shops further afield. Miles soon build up.

Not sure why an older person is less likely to drive around to friends? I belong to several clubs and cover more miles doing that than anything else.

You will wheelspin at some point in time, wait until you hit that patch od oil/diesel or when the snow arrives.

Not every older or for that matter younger driver. Back to my little one 31 in a 30 is a whoops as is 41 in a 40. She sticks to the limits.
The insurer wont know which you are until you prove your worth to them.

You think £900 is bad now.. Think back to the 90's and i paid £800 for a years insurance. No point no accidents etc. A hot hatch. well it was back then.