Any of you 17 and insured?

Barks · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:32

I'm trying to help out a family friend who is 17 and has just passed his driving test. He can't for the life of him find a decent insurance quote on a 1.4 Polo. They're truly ridiculous despite the post code being sound. The quotes have ranged from £3000 - £15,000. Is there anything he is doing wrong or is this the reality of what car insurance has become? Any tips? They might as well raise the driving age to 18 if that's what you're expected to shell out :rolleyes:

Cheers

benjo · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:34

Avoid the comparison sites. Take a look at Bell/Admiral/Elephant and add his parents as named drivers. Knocked loads off the price of mine.

iaind · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:34

Seriously? The amount this sort of thing gets asked is getting silly.

Phone around, specialist insurers, add parents to policy blah blah blah

If he can't afford it, get a bus pass

Memphis · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:35

iaind said:
Seriously? The amount this sort of thing gets asked is getting silly.

Phone around, specialist insurers, add parents to policy blah blah blah

If he can't afford it, get a bus pass

Wrong side of the bed this morning?

iaind · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:36

Memphis said:
Wrong side of the bed this morning?

Hung over. But seriously, there's almost a daily thread about insurance for young drivers

Ricochet J · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:38

scott212 said:
They might as well raise the driving age to 18 if that's what you're expected to shell out

Why? It's still high if you're 18. It's a fact, younger drivers are more at risk at stacking a car than say a full time working 35 year old with 3 children, a wife, a mortgage with 10 years no claims and 15 years driving experience.

If you want cheap insurance, you have to start at the very bottom and prove to insurers you're responsible by racking up the no years bonus.

Antipasti · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:38

1st one ive seen

Begbie · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:40

Tesco was cheapest for me at 17.

Janesy B · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:41

Another scott212 and I hate insurance companies but don't understand why young drivers are such high risk thread.

Jonners · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:41

I'd say Bell with a couple of named drivers.

iaind · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:44

Janesy B said:
Another scott212 and I hate insurance companies but don't understand why young drivers are such high risk thread.

Exactly. I don't get why people turn 17 and decide they can't possibly live without a car. Yes, I've been there - its really exciting to be able to drive but if you can't afford it, you can't afford it. You just have to wait until you've either got more money or become a lower risk,

miniyazz · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:45

iaind said:
Hung over. But seriously, there's almost a daily thread about insurance for young drivers

What happened to that sticky idea, btw?

benjo said:
Avoid the comparison sites. Take a look at Bell/Admiral/Elephant and add his parents as named drivers. Knocked loads off the price of mine.

+ directline. And ask Janesy_B, he's an expert

jesta · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:45

Morethan was pretty cheap for me for my 1st year. £1300 for TPFT and £1800 for Fully comp on a Honda Civic 1.5.

miniyazz · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:47

scott212 said:
I'm trying to help out a family friend who is 17 and has just passed his driving test. He can't for the life of him find a decent insurance quote on a 1.4 Polo. They're truly ridiculous despite the post code being sound. The quotes have ranged from £3000 - £15,000. Is there anything he is doing wrong or is this the reality of what car insurance has become? Any tips? They might as well raise the driving age to 18 if that's what you're expected to shell out

Cheers

Why a 1.4 Polo? Surely he hasn't gone and bought one without checking things like insurance costs first?

iaind · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:49

miniyazz said:
What happened to that sticky idea, btw?

It's on the to-do list somewhere - been effectively doing 4 jobs at work for the past 2 weeks so haven't left much time for things like that!

benjo · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:49

miniyazz said:
Why a 1.4 Polo? Surely he hasn't gone and bought one without checking things like insurance costs first?

I didn't

Completely backfired when I found out my Golf was insurance group 9 :/

miniyazz · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:52

benjo said:
I didn't

Completely backfired when I found out my Golf was insurance group 9 :/

Mistake

Janesy B · 15 Nov 2009 at 12:58

You have to spend more or less a whole day on the phone calling every specialist you can whilst playing them off against each other. When I started getting quotes online I was looking like I had to pay £2000/£2500, after a day on the phones I managed to get it down to £1300. You have to put a bit of work into it.

I didn't check quotes before buying my car, but then again my first car was only group 4.

Also see how much difference pass plus makes, it can make a big difference.

OpenToSuggestions · 15 Nov 2009 at 13:00

Janesy B said:
Also see how much difference pass plus makes, it can make a big difference.

My pass plus made no difference

I only did it though because parents insisted (and paid for it).

Unless you are a named driver on a car your parents frequently use, insurance at 17 simply is not worth it.

Janesy B · 15 Nov 2009 at 13:10

I did it and it saved me a few hundred. You probably got a quote from an insurer that does not give any discount for Pass Plus.