subject: How To - Young Car Insurance [print this page] How To - Young Car Insurance
These days, young drivers can face some of the highest car insurance premiums around. Even those with low value vehicles can be paying over $3500 for their car insurance! With such high prices, and trends unlikely to change in the near future, young drivers need all the help they can get when it comes to lowering their car insurance premium.
The main reason for these lofty premiums is that young drivers are seen as very high risk customers for insurance companies. They are assumed to have a higher exposure to alcohol and illicit drugs; are more inclined to overcrowd their vehicles; more likely to drive irresponsibly, and consequently more likely to be involved in an accident.
While it is obvious that this does not truly represent all young drivers, and there are plenty of young drivers who drive responsibly, their premiums are being raised by the growing number of young, reckless drivers who taint the statistics.
But as well as these (possibly unfair) assumptions that the insurance companies make, there are other factors they take into consideration when calculating your risk, and therefore the price of your insurance. It is these factors that you can do something about to help lower your insurance costs.
Claims & Convictions
If you are driving for the first time, or are a very young driver, you hopefully will not have been able to build up any claims or convictions. Like any driver, try not to make any claims or get any convictions at all.
If are unlucky enough to have made a claim already then your insurance is likely to be even higher. If this is the case, try a specialist in young driver car insurance who can offer discounted policies for younger drivers and high-risk cases.
Keeping Your Car Safe
The less chance there is of you needing to make a claim, the lower your premium will be. Therefore the insurance companies want you to keep your car as safe as possible.
If you can, keep your car in a locked garage as this makes it a lot more difficult for your vehicle to be stolen or vandalised. Keeping your car on a driveway can still help to lower your premium slightly, whereas leaving your vehicle on the road will not help your premium at all.
Other ways of securing your vehicle include having an immobiliser or a tracker installed. These can help to make a noticeable difference to your premium, but you must make sure your immobiliser is approved and your tracker is professionally installed.
Where you live
Although this isn't necessarily something you can change, you should be aware of the effect it can have on your premium. When calculating your insurance, your insurance company will look at the area you live in and price your premium accordingly. They will consider the crime-rate of the area to give an idea of the chance of your car being stolen or vandalized. They will also assess the traffic-density of the area - heavier traffic flow means you're more likely to be involved in an accident.
Pass Plus
The Pass Plus scheme may be one of the best ways for young drivers to save money when they first start driving a vehicle. It is run by the Driving Standards Agency and consists of a short course of further driving training after you have passed the standard driving test. The course covers town and country driving; dual carriageway and motorway driving; and all weather and night-time driving. Not only is it a great way to improve your skills and confidence, but because of the increased knowledge and safety you will learn, most insurance companies will discount up to 40% from your insurance premium! This is a lot of money you can save, but it is worth noting that the Pass Plus discount is only available for the first year of you driving. However, after this first year, you can still save a great deal with a "No Claims Bonus".
No Claims Bonus
Drivers who do not make any claims are rewarded with cheaper insurance costs. They are seen as a much lower risk and pay a lower premium accordingly. Every year of claim free driving earns you 1 years No Claims Bonus. These bonus's can offer huge reductions on your premium, from about 30% for 1 years NCB up to around 70% for 5 years NCB from some insurers. This means that if you get your Pass Plus certificate and do not make any claims during your first year, you can continue to make a saving in your second year because you will have earned your first years No Claims Bonus.
It is also worth noting that many young drivers remain under their parents insurance policy to save them money. This may work out in the short term, but in the long term it is much better for young drivers to get their own policy and start building up their own No Claims Bonus. This way they will have built up a sufficient discount within just a few years.
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