New driver car insurance

Learning to drive is as an important milestone in life as finishing school, your first job or even marriage. No longer dependent on friends or family for lifts or unreliable public transport to get around, the freedom and convenience that comes along with a driving licence is unparalleled. After you’ve got your licence and are ready to face the road alone for the first time comes the prospect of buying your first car insurance policy. As new drivers, particularly young ones, present the highest risk to insurance companies, your first policy is likely to be your most expensive. However, there are some things to bear in mind when shopping for new driver car insurance that can help keep the costs down. Here are some things to consider:

The car you buy

The price of new driver car insurance is determined by several factors including your age, your gender and where you live, but the most influential factor is the vehicle you buy. Each and every car that is built to UK standards is evaluated by the Group Rating Panel, based on research by Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre for a number of things that determine which insurance group or band the car falls in. There are 50 groups and the higher the group number, the higher you can expect your quotes to be.

Spend time researching different cars and the respective groups they fall into; you may be surprised that some cars are higher up the scale than you might have thought although a general rule of thumb is the size of the engine and the likelihood of the car being involved in a crash, the higher the group number. Therefore, try to look for cars with a smaller engine as possible and a low purchase price. Cars with environmental considerations such as hybrid cars can also bring additional discount or cheap premiums.

Further qualifications

Once you’ve passed your test, you’re allowed to drive legally for life. However, there are further driving qualifications you can take which can affect the price of insurance, particularly new driver car insurance. These can include a Pass Plus qualification or courses designed for night driving.

Not all insurance companies will recognise all courses when it comes to providing quotes however, so be sure to check with any potential companies before paying for courses.

Finding the best deal

The best way to find a great deal is by researching the market. With so many providers, the prospect of checking them all can quickly become daunting. However, by going online and using a car insurance comparison website, you can define the type of policy you require and filter out all the companies that cannot meet your requirements.

Once you are left with just a few, use review sites to compare each company on not just their price, but their customer service reputation and any optional extras they might offer, including breakdown cover, international driving and windscreen replacement.