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Insurance for new driver question

Hebrews12
Hebrews12 Posts: 162 Forumite
Tenth Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper

Hi all. I'm a bit confused about the best way to go about getting my 17 year old sons insured now he's passed his test. I've looked at getting his own insurance so he can build up so NCD, but it says that he has to be the main driver of the car (which is our car) and my wife and I alraedy have a policy on that car which states that I am the main driver. How do you get around this? I'm also looking at adding him to our policy but am aware that he won't get any NCD. Any thoughts or advice would be apprecaited. Thanks.

Comments

  • Woodstok2000
    Woodstok2000 Posts: 2,145 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper

    You can only insure him as the main driver if he is the main driver.

  • Hebrews12
    Hebrews12 Posts: 162 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper

    Thanks. But my question is what we would do about the other policy that my wife and I have as we have to put a main driver on that too.

  • paul_c123
    paul_c123 Posts: 1,162 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper

    In theory you could have 2 policies on one car but its pretty dumb to do that if it costs more (sometimes it might not - or your current insurer wouldn't even take him on), even if its "earning" NCB. It would be more sensible to save the money now and once he needs a car of his own, get a policy of his own and earn his own NCB.

    Also, I imagine most insurers would decline the business (on a second policy on the one car) because the policyholder wouldn't be the registered keeper. Also who would be the main driver? Technically he might not be the main driver of the car, even though he would be the only one on that policy.

  • GrumpyDil
    GrumpyDil Posts: 2,374 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker

    Not something I would do unless it works out cheaper overall but Marmalade seems to offer a suitable policy which acts as a bolt on for new/learner drivers and lets them build up their own NCD.

  • Aretnap
    Aretnap Posts: 6,193 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper

    NCD generally is awarded to the policyholder, not the main driver. In principle if you're determined to get him his own NCD and, don't want to buy him a car if his own to insure, you could cancel the policy on one of your own cars and let him insure it instead. He will have to declare that it's you that owns the car and you that is the main driver - not all insurers will offer cover in those circumstances but some likely will.

    However building up NCD is massively overrated. It's not actually that big a discount, and assuming he doesn't have any accidents/claims/convictions his premium will come down anyway next year, and the year after, NCD or no NCD, just on account of his being older and having held his licence for longer. There's no point paying over the odds this year just to get a small discount on next year's premium.

    From a purely money saving point of view by far the best thing he can do is to put his driving licence in the back of a drawer and forget that it exists for a couple of years, however you do have to balance that against the advantages of driving a car. Failing that, I would suggest just adding him to one of your policies if that works out as the cheapest way to insure him, and worry about next year's premium next year

  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 14,513 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper

    Some insurers also take into account being a named driver on another policy when the young driver takes out a policy in their own name for the first time.

  • Arunmor
    Arunmor Posts: 918 Forumite
    500 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper

    Don't worry about his NCD until he gets his first car. Otherwise you you will be paying four figures over a few years to save a some three figures.

    Have proced up how much it would cost to insure him as the main driver and/or how much a policy in his name with parents as named drivers. That should soon put you off the idea.

  • Bandy2023
    Bandy2023 Posts: 125 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper

    I may be too late with this recommendation, but our daughter passed her test two weeks ago and the difference in cost just for waiting a few days was marked.

    If we insured her on the day she passed her test on the Thursday it was going to be £1700.00

    Waiting until the Sunday, £1400.00

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