Car Insurance-Insuring a provisional driver

malarky

Hi,

My partner and I have just bought a new car and we are looking to insure it. I have not passed my test yet but have a provisonal licence and I am planning on driving the car when she is in the car.

We are just about to get a quote for insurance and we are unsure whether we have to divulge that a learner driver will be driving in the car when she is also in the vehicle or whether her insurance will generally cover this anyway?

Sorry if this is an obvious question but have looked for an answer and cant find it anywhere.

Cheers,

robnye

you will need to include yourself as a named driver but with a provisional licence when you are getting quotes....... use one of the internet shopbots that will do all the leg work for you.
one thing to remember, who'se name is the car to be registered in?
who will be the main driver?
if it is you, then tell the insurers, otherwise they can get shirty

muddyboots

I recently added my son who has a provisional licence to our Focus Ghia as a named driver with myself and wife for a very reasonable £650. Most search engines came up with anything from £1200-£3000! Try NFU Mutual, they do not have a website where you can get a quote, you have to ring there local office. Definatly worth a try as they were several hundred pounds cheaper than the next best (Norwich Union) may only apply if in a rural area.

bigmikejobo

I insured my daughter on her provisional licence today, but beware as lots of companies dont tell you that the price will increase if they pass their test during the year.
Ended up insuring her with Right Choice (0845 555 0666) who have said the price will remain the same, check the small print and ask them if the price will increase as my friend has just been stung with a 300% increase on his daughters policy with quinn when she passed

dunstonh

bigmikejobo wrote: »

I insured my daughter on her provisional licence today, but beware as lots of companies dont tell you that the price will increase if they pass their test during the year.
Ended up insuring her with Right Choice (0845 555 0666) who have said the price will remain the same, check the small print and ask them if the price will increase as my friend has just been stung with a 300% increase on his daughters policy with quinn when she passed

Was the increase because she passed or was it because she took over as main driver of the car being insured? I suspect the latter.

If she is main driver and isnt disclosed as main driver but parent is then this is known as fronting and is insurance fraud. It may keep the premiums down but usually results in claim being rejected. Prosecution can then follow for not being insured and potentially fraud depending on the severity of the accident.

MarkyMarkD

I think that many insurers increase the premium even if the car was legitimately insured in the true driver's (learner's) name. The problem is that the risk whilst a learner is actually relatively small - they are supervised by a supposedly responsible adult - but as soon as they pass, they can go out on their own or with their dodgy mates.

When I was 17, companies didn't increase premiums when you passed, but it seems widespread now.

As others have suggested, it's essential to check if that's going to happen before opting for an insurer based on their price as a provisional licence holder.

smc789

Since insuring my car for me 17 yr old son to drive to get some practice is too expensive I wondered of anyone had heard of any car rental companies who would hire out a small car for a few hours at a time?
Someone told me that you could hire a dual control car from Arnold Clark for this purpose but the website doesn't mention it.
Thanks

soolin

I would just echo something mentioned earlier on the thread. I got quotes for my son when he had a provisional license and also when he then went on and passed his test, the quotes once he passed his test were much much higher than when he held a provisional license. In fact it was so dear that I couldn't actually afford to add him to my policy now he has his license.

I am with Direct Line and having asked around they aren't known for their liking of young drivers, so as soon as my insurance comes up for renewal I will get quotes elsewhere and try adding my son again.

There is a very logical reason though why premiums increase once the named driver passes their test..when they hold the provisional license there will always be a more experienced driver in the car who might just possibly stop them doing anything reckless and cause an accident. Once there is no requirement for there to be a more experienced driver in the car there might be a tendency for the new driver to be slightly more of a risk.

silvercar

You'll be OK with Directline.

I just insured my 17 old initially on a provisional licence as the main driver of his car. When I did the comparisons I did it on the basis of a full licence so that I wouldn't be stung with a massive increase. Directline came out cheapest for him (though our postcode makes it expensive), they didn't increase the premium at all once he passed his test.

soolin

You were lucky there. I was quoted £475 for the remaining 5 months or so to insure my son as a provisional driver. Yet when he passed his test they wanted around an additional £1800 for a full year. I would remain the main driver and he would only have been driving occasionally, but we decided it was easier to get him a rail card instead and an oyster card.

silvercar

Not that lucky, the insurance was nearly £2000!

I guess they are taking a stand against having 17 year olds as named drivers.