Car Insurance for learners - any suggestions ?

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stevewestern

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Miss Western is learning to drive and wants to get some short term cover so she can practice between her lessons - any thoughts about insurance ?
Some say it is cheapest to get a short term policy especially for learners, and I'll be asking my broker about adding her to my policy shortly, but anyone got any experience ?

Thanks in advance as always !
 
Adding a learner driver to an adult existing policy should be quite cheap. We've done it before - It was a while back but I think it only cost about £100 extra per year. After they pass their test it's different story mind.
 
drounding said:
Adding a learner driver to an adult existing policy should be quite cheap. We've done it before - It was a while back but I think it only cost about £100 extra per year. After they pass their test it's different story mind.
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Hmm - that's what I thought, but having just spoken to my broker it seems some insurance companies will not add a 17 year old to an existing policy.....
 
How long before she plans on getting a car? It could work out cheaper to get a car now, insure it with your daughter as a learner driver and a few mature qualified drivers , once she passes her test, you will have to notify the insurance company and they will want more money, but it will only be for the remainder of the policy. Probably a lot cheaper than a full years insurance after she passes a test. You can also save a considerable amount if her insurance is part of a multicar policy where the ncb's are earned as separate policies.
 
nilagin said:
How long before she plans on getting a car? It could work out cheaper to get a car now, insure it with your daughter as a learner driver and a few mature qualified drivers , once she passes her test, you will have to notify the insurance company and they will want more money, but it will only be for the remainder of the policy. Probably a lot cheaper than a full years insurance after she passes a test. You can also save a considerable amount if her insurance is part of a multicar policy where the ncb's are earned as separate policies.
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Might be a couple of years if not more with university looming..

Raincloud said:
Also depends on her age.
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Silly of me not to mention that she is 17.
 
If she had her own car ,insurance companies that fit trackers to the car are often cheaper for teens
 
My old man (driving instructor) advises getting her own policy now.
As a learner, because she can't drive without supervision, and will not rack up the road hours, it's not as expensive as after passing, and she'll start building a no claims history which will be looked upon favourably when she does pass.

But still be prepared for that second mortgage to insure her after passing. :D
 
viv1969 said:
My old man (driving instructor) advises getting her own policy now.
As a learner, because she can't drive without supervision, and will not rack up the road hours, it's not as expensive as after passing, and she'll start building a no claims history which will be looked upon favourably when she does pass.

But still be prepared for that second mortgage to insure her after passing. :D
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If she is going to be away at university for 2yrs and isn't getting a car until she is finished, she will most likely have lost any ncb she would have earned as very few insurance companies will honour an ncb if you haven't had your own insurance for a 2yr period. The only way around this would be if the OP has a policy where all named drivers earn their own ncb and the daughter is included as a named driver whilst she is away at uni.
 
nilagin said:
If she is going to be away at university for 2yrs and isn't getting a car until she is finished, she will most likely have lost any ncb she would have earned as very few insurance companies will honour an ncb if you haven't had your own insurance for a 2yr period. The only way around this would be if the OP has a policy where all named drivers earn their own ncb and the daughter is included as a named driver whilst she is away at uni.
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If she's 17, chances are she may have passed prior to leaving for uni, and may have a car of her own, so it's still a valid suggestion.
 
I have found that plenty of insurance companies won't insure a learner at all, like Direct Line.
Elephant/Admiral are fine with learners though.

Another consideration is whether it will actually be helpful at all.
My instructor maintained that it was actually unhelpful for a learner to drive their parents car between lessons for two reasons:
1) unless you have exactly the same model car as the instructor, everything will be different, clutch, brakes, engine power, size, manouvering.... all of which will make it tricker to build up skills and confidence
2) driving with someone who isn't an instructor can be stressful and even if the parent is only 'supervising' they can end up teaching bad habits which doesn't help practise the skills that the instructor has taught.

I would suggest if you really want to do it, wait until she's had a number of lessons first so that she has the basics down properly. And even then only do it if you have a good, calm relationship and have tons of patience.
 
ABTog said:
I have found that plenty of insurance companies won't insure a learner at all, like Direct Line.
Elephant/Admiral are fine with learners though.

Another consideration is whether it will actually be helpful at all.
My instructor maintained that it was actually unhelpful for a learner to drive their parents car between lessons for two reasons:
1) unless you have exactly the same model car as the instructor, everything will be different, clutch, brakes, engine power, size, manouvering.... all of which will make it tricker to build up skills and confidence
2) driving with someone who isn't an instructor can be stressful and even if the parent is only 'supervising' they can end up teaching bad habits which doesn't help practise the skills that the instructor has taught.

I would suggest if you really want to do it, wait until she's had a number of lessons first so that she has the basics down properly. And even then only do it if you have a good, calm relationship and have tons of patience.
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Her instructor has said that she is ready to be taken out with us, and I am very keen for her to tell me what the instructor says so as not to pass on my habits (I refuse to accept that I have ANY bad habits....!)
My wife does have the same car as instructor, albeit with a slightly larger engine, so it ought to be fairly similar..

And thanks to everyone for the replies !
 
stevewestern said:
Her instructor has said that she is ready to be taken out with us, and I am very keen for her to tell me what the instructor says so as not to pass on my habits (I refuse to accept that I have ANY bad habits....!)
My wife does have the same car as instructor, albeit with a slightly larger engine, so it ought to be fairly similar..

And thanks to everyone for the replies !
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The trick is to simply allow her to drive.
Do not offer tips or advice of any kind.
Let her instructor get her through the test...then she can really learn to drive in the real world.
 
viv1969 said:
The trick is to simply allow her to drive.
Do not offer tips or advice of any kind.
Let her instructor get her through the test...then she can really learn to drive in the real world.
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I agree totally Ruth - the only things I will do is explain when she asks, which is what she does when I am driving - ie which gear at what time and why etc..
 
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