Passing your driving test can rank as one of the most significant events in one’s life, a signal for newly found independence and maturity.
But for young drivers this defining moment can be short lived as the growing realisation of the impending cost slowly dawns.
Extra costs
Rising fuel prices, car maintanance, a valid tax disc, a valid parking permit, a valid MOT the list is endless, but perhaps the most pressing and certaintly the most expensive for young drivers comes in the form of car insurance. It’s a well known fact that insurance premiums are extradonarily high for young drivers and in particuarlaly men. More recent research from AA Insurance has highlighted the fact that young men are paying around twice as much for their car insurance as young women, due to the fact that statistics show that women are safer drivers and thus less prone to insurance claims.
The average quote for a 17-year-old male driving a standard three door car has been estimated at £3,462 compared to the female equivilant quoted at £1,810.
When this writer first began driving, the cost to insure a humble white Peugeot 106, M reg, named stallion was a whopping 2500. Despite an engine size slightly bigger than an electric motor.
AA Insurance director, Simon Douglas, explains that men aged under 21 are ten times more likely to have an accident than men aged 35 or over but 21-year-old women are only five times more likely to have an accident than women aged 35 or over.
Once over 30, the average claim for men reduces to £1,400 and for women to £1,200.
Reducing premiums
So what can young drivers do to possibly reduce premiums in the future. Tips from various sources suggest that certain steps should be taken to avoid paying huge fees. Possible way’s to ensure lower premiums include, completing a Pass Plus scheme, which can shave at least 35% from an annual premium, paying a higher excess fee to insurers and completing an annual low millege in order to receive lower premiums year upon year.
If those cost cutting measures aren’t preferable, young drivers have also been advised to choose less powerful cars or to take out third party insurance as opposed to fully comprehensive. By choosing the latter option premiums are usually cut by a third although only the other party is covered if involved in an accident and by obviously choosing a car with lower horse power will cut the potential risk of a loss of control or excess speed on the roads.
New drivers have also been advised to do their research when acquiring insurance in order to secure the best deal.
Ian Crowder of AA Insurance says: 'The most important thing a young driver can do to cut the cost of cover is shop around and get as many quotes as possible using the internet or a broker. The difference in the cost of cover can be as much as 35%. Insurance costs for young drivers are astronomical and many insurers won't even quote for under-21s.’
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