Getting out onto the road in your first car is exciting. However, at the same time, it is also expensive. Insuring your first car is notoriously costly due to lack of experience and age, with most first-timers being under the age of 25. Here we are going to take you through choosing your first car insurance and keeping the premiums down as much as possible.
One of the first things you will want to know is whether you fall under the category of young driver insurance.
Technically speaking you are considered a young driver or first time driver if you are under age 25. Of course, you might have decided to take your driving test at an older age. You might be 40+ and only just starting out taking lessons with the hope of passing. In this case, while you are not classified as being a young driver, you might still benefit from an insurance company specialising in first-time car insurance, as you do not have any experience.
Why is insurance so high for younger drivers?
You might be wondering why it is so expensive to insure your first car. This is a good question and we will try to answer it here.
On average, car insurance for a twenty-year-old will cost twice as much as for a 40-year-old, which is a huge increase
The younger the driver the higher the risk
When insurance companies give quotes for car insurance one of the biggest factors is risk. This is the risk you, as a driver, pose when on the road.
As a driver with not much experience, insurance companies see you as being a higher risk than someone who has many years of driving experience.
Younger drivers are often seen to take more risks while driving. This applies to such as speeding, overtaking, drink driving or using drugs when driving. The THINK campaign run by the government revealed that 7% of 18 to 24-year olds believe there is nothing wrong with having a drink and then driving. This is compared to only 1% of people aged 55 to 64. (https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/young-people-seven-times-more-4584238).
Insurers, therefore, believe there is more chance of you having an accident. This conclusion is reached based on statistics. Around 25% of claims come from drivers that are under the age of 25. Basing everyone on past statistics is unfair, but sadly it is the truth of the matter and it is how insurance underwriters work.
So, there is no getting away from the fact that if you are a younger or new driver you will have to pay higher premiums for car insurance than someone over the age of 30.
However, there are some things to consider that may help you to obtain the lowest possible first car insurance quote, so let us check them out.
The different types of car insurance
Car insurance for young or new drivers falls under different categories. For instance, you can get learner insurance for if you are taking extra practice outside lessons with a driving instructor. However, when you pass your test you will have to pay for different insurance. This means you may have to pay twice in the same year for your insurance, which is unfair.
Therefore we offer hybrid learner insurance. This type of insurance policy is not offered by many insurance providers, we are one of the few that do.
What is hybrid learner insurance?
With hybrid learner insurance, you have cover when you are on a provisional licence and you are learning to drive. The same policy also covers you once you have passed your test with no extra premium to pay. Therefore, you do not have to take out two different policies, which will help you to save money as you pay for just one policy instead of two.
Therefore, a hybrid learner insurance policy is something to consider when taking insurance for a provisional licence and starting out on your quest to become a qualified driver.
Short term learner insurance
Another type of insurance we offer is short-term learner insurance as a choice for first car insurance for younger drivers.
This may be a good choice if you have had plenty of lessons from a qualified driving instructor and believe you just need a little more practice outside of your driving lessons.
This allows you to get as much experience driving as possible in the short term. Of course, once you pass your test you would be required to take out another insurance policy which will cover you as a qualified new driver.
Three main choices for insurance
Your next choice is choosing between the three main types of car insurance and these are:
- Third-party only – the policy only covers damage that you cause to other people, property or their vehicle and does not provide cover for your vehicle
- Third-party fire and theft – This type of policy provides cover for the third party and damage to property and their vehicle along with offering cover for your vehicle in the event it is stolen or damaged due to a fire
- Fully comprehensive – This type of insurance provides cover for third party, theft, fire and damage to your vehicle in an accident.
Our advisors can discuss your insurance needs with you to help you find the correct policy for your needs.
Third-party only car insurance is the least amount of cover you can have in the UK to drive on the road legally. As it provides the least amount of protection and none for your vehicle, you might think it is the cheapest. However, you might be surprised to find this is not necessarily the case. Therefore, it is worth checking out fully comprehensive cover. Bear in mind that this could be worth taking out if you would struggle to replace your own vehicle if it is written off in an accident.
Insurance quotes are based on numerous factors
There is no one quote fits all for all young or first-time car insurance. Providers will need to consider many factors before giving you a quote based on your information. These include:
- Age;
- Gender;
- The job you do;
- How long you have been driving;
- The amount of excess you are willing to pay;
- The model of the vehicle and make;
- Any named drivers on the policy;
- Where you park the vehicle;
- The postcode of the area in which you live (some areas are considered higher risk than others are).
Add-ons could boost up insurance premiums
If you are taking out comprehensive car insurance, you may believe that it covers all aspects of your driving. However, this is not necessarily the case.
If you want breakdown cover to get your vehicle towed in the event of an accident that leaves your vehicle damaged, this would be an extra that you would have to add-on. This of course would boost up the insurance premiums. The same thing generally applies if you would need a courtesy car while your own vehicle was repaired or if the windscreen of the vehicle was damaged.
Always check what is included and what is not in the quote for car insurance.
Things to consider before purchasing your first car
You can affect how much car insurance may cost even before purchasing your first vehicle. Here are some of the things you might want to take into account.
The engine size of the vehicle
The size of the engine in the vehicle will reflect on the quote for your car insurance.
This is in fact one of the biggest influencers and the bigger the size of the engine the more powerful the vehicle and the more expensive it will be to insure.
Again, risk comes into play here. The more powerful the car the bigger risk there is for an inexperienced driver and the more likely you are to be involved in an accident.
The make of the vehicle
The make of the vehicle can even affect how much you have to pay for car insurance. Different makes of vehicles fall under different categories.
Some carmakers are classed as being among the luxurious, for instance:
- BMW;
- Porsche;
- Mercedes;
- Tesla;
- Maserati.
These vehicles are all on the list of being high to insure. This is generally because repairs are more expensive if the car is involved in an accident, they are higher performance and the vehicle costs more to purchase.
Even buying a good quality used vehicle from these car makers will see the insurance premiums jump higher than for a simple Ford or Kia.
Vehicles classed in the cheaper to insure range for younger and first-time drivers include:
- Seat;
- Renault;
- Skoda;
- Suzuki;
- Kia;
- Dacia.
Security features of the vehicle
How secure the vehicle is will reflect in the cost of insurance.
If you purchase a vehicle with such as automatic braking, car alarm, immobiliser and other security measures, it can help to keep down the cost of your insurance premiums as the vehicle is seen to be at lower risk of being stolen.
Where you park your vehicle overnight can also affect how much you pay for your insurance as it affects safety.
For instance, if you park the car in a garage overnight instead of leaving it by the side of the road it may shave some of the cost of your insurance. This is because there is less risk of it being damaged by passing vehicles or vandalised and less chance of it being stolen.
Tips to cut down car insurance costs
Now we have covered some of the many things you might want to take into account when purchasing your first car, let us look at some tips to help you further keep down the costs.
- Specialist insurance providers such as us, specialise in offering first car insurance for new drivers and learner drivers. This can help you to find the perfect insurance for the right price. As mentioned before you can make big savings with a single hybrid learner insurance policy, which also covers you when you pass your test.
- By proving you can drive safely and not getting points on your new license when you come to renew your insurance your premiums should drop down, plus you are another year older;
- There is always a certain amount of excess to pay if you have to make a claim on your insurance. This is the sum of money paid by you towards the claim. For instance, if you have comprehensive insurance and your car were to become damaged and it costs £600 to repair and the excess is £150, you have to pay this amount and the insurance company pays the rest. You might be able to pay more excess to lower the insurance premiums. However, keep in mind you pay the excess out of your own pocket;
- You might have the option to pay for your insurance monthly or yearly. However, it may work out cheaper to pay upfront in one go rather than spread the cost over 12 months;
- You might be able to get a cheaper quote for car insurance if you take an advanced driving course and pass it. By doing so it proves you are responsible and a good driver;
- Always tell the truth when applying for car insurance. While it might be tempting to tell a white lie if you think it will lower your premiums, if you have an accident and make a claim and the insurance company finds out, it will not pay out;
- If you have an additional driver added to the insurance, it might help to keep down the costs of coverage. Your parents are a good choice, providing they have a good driving record and no claims bonus.
Obtain your first car insurance with our help
At MyFirst, we specialise in finding young and first time car drivers the most suitable and affordable insurance. We have specialists who realise how expensive insurance can be for first-time drivers and who will work with you to find the right policy for your needs.
Applying for insurance for first-time drivers is easy. All you have to do is fill in your details online and provide us with information about your vehicle and any additional driver.
Alternatively, you can give us a call to speak to one of our expert advisors and obtain your quote. There is no obligation and we can help you to find the best cover for the best price whether you are still learning or have passed your test and are ready to go out on the road alone.
