I am 21 without a provisional license...will it hinder me later?

SideWinder · 1 Sep 2009 at 23:17

As topic. I just haven't got round to sorting out a provisional license so will it hinder me later on in life when it comes to driving and insurance costs? Or do insurance companies take age into account as well as how many years i've had a provisional license/driving license for?

Dup · 1 Sep 2009 at 23:19

Having your provisional a certain time means nothing to insurance. Having a full license does however. Age is always taken into consideration. Darryn is your best man to talk to, he only started driving in his late 20's IIRC.

olv · 1 Sep 2009 at 23:19

Very few insurance companies take into consideration how long you've had your provisional license. The majority just take how long you have had your full license.

Begbie · 1 Sep 2009 at 23:34

Age helps with insurance, having a provisional does not.

Deleted User 234324 · 1 Sep 2009 at 23:44

Age helps a lot, more so than I even realised, didnt start driving till 29 myself, and the insurance on a fairly decent modern car was more than acceptable (focus 1.6 diesel 05 plate).

Insurance was ~750 fully comp, by comparison the same car would be 2k fully comp with 850 excess to insure at 20, over 4k at 18.

SoliD · 2 Sep 2009 at 09:34

I dont feel I have been hindered by not having a driving licence for that long, I was a late passer passing at 22, but managed to get insured on the ST220 with mods after driving for only a year and have managed to get insured again this year for a good price compared to others my age with much longer driving experience, I wish I had passed earlier so I had more NCB so I could get something quicker as I feel its mostly this holding me back now.

loltim · 2 Sep 2009 at 11:34

I passed at 22 too. I'm fairly certain my first insurers (Norwich union) were ok with me stating i'd had my licence for 5 years as I got my provisional at 17. I'm not sure they still do this.

stoofa · 2 Sep 2009 at 12:05

Tim said:
I passed at 22 too. I'm fairly certain my first insurers (Norwich union) were ok with me stating i'd had my licence for 5 years as I got my provisional at 17. I'm not sure they still do this.

You are usually asked "How long have you held a full UK driving license" - so stating you'd held that for 5 years was wrong.
If you'd needed to make a claim things could have got awkward.

miniyazz · 2 Sep 2009 at 12:14

Since you don't need to have any driving experience whatsoever to get a provisional, just to pay £15 or whatever it is and send off a form, it woudl be incredibly retarded for any insurance company to care when you got it.

bledd · 2 Sep 2009 at 12:23

just take a week off work and do a crash course driving school, a few of my friends didn't bother when they were 17, now they're 25 and it's a real hassle for them trying to squeeze lessons into their week.

even if you don't plan to drive, pass your test when you're 17.

LittleChimp · 2 Sep 2009 at 12:28

bledd. said:
just take a week off work and do a crash course driving school, a few of my friends didn't bother when they were 17, now they're 25 and it's a real hassle for them trying to squeeze lessons into their week.

even if you don't plan to drive, pass your test when you're 17.

Yeah as long as you pass early it makes it easier.

loltim · 2 Sep 2009 at 19:35

stoofa said:
You are usually asked "How long have you held a full UK driving license" - so stating you'd held that for 5 years was wrong.
If you'd needed to make a claim things could have got awkward.

I still have the e-mail saved in my inbox to cover my back.

Dear Mr Bailey,

Thank you for your email.

We do not ask what type of licence you have , it can be a full
licence or a provisional licence you just need to enter how long you have
held it for.

So in your case you can put down 5 years.

I hope this helps

Sam Day

Like I said, it's probably all changed now.

Fr0dders · 2 Sep 2009 at 19:53

my other half is 30 and hasnt passed yet.

Tbh im not even sure if she did. Every bad thing you think about stereotypical bad women drivers she's likely to do.

But be that as it may, once she passes her test, my insurance company were willing to give me a discount if i added her on as a named driver. Even with 0 days experience and me having over 8 years, she was still cheaper (not on the vectra however) but it does proove that they dont care at what point you started learning in life.

miniyazz · 2 Sep 2009 at 22:52

Tim said:
I still have the e-mail saved in my inbox to cover my back.

Dear Mr Bailey,

Thank you for your email.

We do not ask what type of licence you have , it can be a full
licence or a provisional licence you just need to enter how long you have
held it for.

So in your case you can put down 5 years.

I hope this helps

Sam Day

Like I said, it's probably all changed now.

How thoroughly bizarre.

whitecrook · 2 Sep 2009 at 23:43

When I was doing quotes for adding the missus onto my insurance most if not all asked how long she had held a driving licence. In her case it was about 10 years or something, but it was a provisional. They then ask when her test was passed. in hat case she hadn't yet. It did make a difference to the quotes.

Fr0dders · 2 Sep 2009 at 23:52

you're getting mixed up

when they're asking how long have you held a driving license, they arent asking how long you had your provisional for.

they're asking how long you've had your full car license for. ie how many years experience you've got.

The reason its changing is because your quoting 2 figures - 1 with 10 years experience and nother with less. Hence the difference.

They absolutely do not care how long you had a provisional for.

whitecrook · 3 Sep 2009 at 00:17

MrLOL said:
snip/QUOTE]

disagree.