Finding cheap car insurance for young drivers can be a real headache for the drivers themselves and their parents alike. The odds are quite staggeringly stacked against young drivers when it comes to getting insurance, and while in the past this has been largely due to perception, these days there is an ever growing mountain of historical traffic information that strongly supports the penalizing of young drivers.
The fact is that the costs of road traffic accidents caused by young inexperienced drivers each year has now spiraled into the billions. More distressing than this is the steady rises in fatalities of young people during these accidents, which are now one of the more common causes of death among young people today. What could once have been considered age discrimination, backed only by the perception that the young are naturally less responsible for their actions, and therefore more of a risk on the roads, is now irrefutably supported by cold hard fact.
It is no wonder then, that finding cheap car insurance for younger drivers is so difficult. Most young drivers will have probably struggled to finance the cost of their lessons, their car and all the other additional but necessary expenses that come with becoming a motorist. Paying huge premiums on their car insurance is often the expense that puts many would be drivers off the idea for good and even with help from parents the cost of the whole enterprise can be overwhelming. There is some hope however, if you know what factors are used to create your quote then you can significantly reduce your costs when it comes to car insurance.
So, if you have slung your coat on the coat stand, put the electric kettle on, and positioned yourself at your corner desk comfortably, we can begin.
1. Do your research
Do not discount the benefit of shopping around for the best quote, as this could save you a great deal of money. Not all insurance companies are created equally and some of the larger ones especially may have the margin to offer substantially better deals. Not only will you find better out right quotes but occasionally you might find an insurance company that uses factors to determine the price which could benefit you personally because of your particular circumstances.
For no other reason than their delightful “Compare the Meerkat” advertising campaign I am happy to recommend comparethemarket.com as a good starting place, but there are more price comparison websites appearing online all the time so try several until you find something you like.
2. Think twice about Formula 1
When it comes to achieving cheap car insurance for young driver status it really helps if you are not driving a status symbol. However impressive your turbo-charged, naught to sixty in a heartbeat, dual cylinder engine may be to your mates and – you hope – to the ladies, it really will not look the same to an insurance company. Particularly when it comes to young drivers, insurance companies like to see something a great deal more conservative, with a great deal less speed and power, which are often the downfall of an inexperienced driver. Really the benefits are twofold – saving money on the purchase of your car will usually lead to cheaper car insurance too. It is better to put off the purchase of your dream car until you have proved yourself to the insurance company.
3. Prove you are a safe and responsible driver
While it may sound obvious the best way to prove you are a safe driver is not to have an accident. Simply by maintaining a clean driving record over time without having an accident is probably the easiest way to get cheap car insurance for young drivers. One way to speed up and compound the benefits of this concept is to enrol on additional driving courses once you have passed your main driving test. Although these courses will involve effort and cost on your part there are long term benefits that should be balanced against this. Not only will many insurance companies reduce your premium on receipt of proof of certification, but the course may well realize its intended purpose and save you from a costly accident. You should also remember that having such a safe driving qualification on your record may well benefit you for years to come.
4. Cover the bare essentials
Getting cheap car insurance for young drivers gets easier when you can customize your cover. Although the starting price may cause some alarm most insurance companies will include the kitchen sink initially, and depending on the company various cover can be opted out of. As a young driver looking to cut costs you should consider what is legally required, and then any particular cover you feel you really do not want to go without after that, everything else can be removed from the final quote.
5. Consider having a sex change
When it comes to finding cheap car insurance for young male drivers, things are a little more difficult than getting cheap car insurance for young female drivers. This can cause some outrage and indignation among young men who feel this is rather unfair, especially considering our modern values of equality among the sexes. Sadly, the insurance companies have more than enough factual data to back up their gender policies and, as perception and tradition would imply, young male drivers are indeed less responsible and more likely to cause traffic accidents than young female drivers, and cheap car insurance quotes for young female drivers are a little easier to come by.
6. Do well at school
It is highly questionable that there is any real evidence to support the theory that good students make better drivers than poor students, yet nevertheless some insurance companies will consider an excellent academic record as an indication of excellent future driving performance. If you want another way to source cheap car insurance for young drivers then ability at school may help you. If nothing else it does provide an extra incentive for young people to study harder.
So, there you have it, these are the ways to get cheap car insurance for young drivers. It is by no means the easiest thing in the world to shop for but at least be reassured that it is not simply a myth, and if you know how to give the insurance companies what they are looking for, you can get yourself a bargain.
