Adding new driver to car insurance policy

parahandy

My car insurance policy (Aviva) is due for renewal shortly. My daughter will hopefully be sitting her driving test in a couple of months, and will be 18.
I've priced up some quotes with her added (as if she was 18 and passed), these are obviously extortionate... anyway, whichever insurer I go with, if I then need to add her at a later date, will I be forced to add her to this policy and have no option to move elsewhere? I’m assuming so, but just wanted clarification.

chrisw

You will be perfectly free to cancel your current insurer and switch companies when she passes her test if needs be.

However, you need to factor in a few costs. There will be a cancellation fee of around £50, the premium refund might not be proportionate, ie if you switch after 2 months you may not get the full 10 months premium back, and you will lose any no claim discount you have earned on the current year, although that probably won't make any difference if you already have 10 years or so.

It's really just a question of doing the sums.

MovingForwards

As a new driver premiums are always extortionate, deemed to be a higher risk as not loads of driving experience and also 'flying solo' ie no instructor / qualified driver in the passenger seat.

As said above, you can cancel, there will be an admin fee for doing it and you should get a pro rata refund, depending on when you cancelled.

Be careful putting in incorrect details now for your daughter when getting quotes as the information is retained by insurers and could cause problems getting quotes / cover when you need it.