What is young driver insurance?
Young driver insurance is the type of car insurance that you will need if you are aged between 17 and 25, have only been driving for less than three years, and want to drive your own car instead of having to rely on your parents or other family members for transportation during your studies or work placement.
Although young driver insurance may seem like something that you can skip because you’re just starting out on the road to independence, this type of policy may end up saving you money in the long run as well as helping protect your car from damages that may be caused by inexperience behind the wheel.
Young driver car insurance comparison
Choosing your car insurance policy based on price alone might not be a good idea. If you want cheap car insurance, but don’t need all of its benefits, it’s important to make sure you know exactly what kind of policy will meet your needs.
When young drivers are looking for their first car policies, they’re often guided by price rather than type or coverage.
After all, if you don’t have any claims under your belt yet,
why pay for something that won't benefit you?
This is an understandable line of thinking, but it may cost you in terms of protection in the future.
Cheap car insurance is not always the best; There are a lot of other factors that can influence your decision when choosing between different options.
What is Young Driver Insurance?
Young drivers insurance refers to any auto insurance policy designed specifically for people between the ages of 17 and 25.
Insurance companies offer a range of insurance policies that can help drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 get back on track after making mistakes as new drivers.
It should take into account everything from your driving history and license status to the value of your car, helping you find cheap car insurance without sacrificing quality.
Types of young driver car insurance policies
There are two main types of car insurance policies for young drivers. It’s important to be familiar with both.
- Third party, fire, and theft: For those who have just passed their test, third party, fire, and theft insurance are probably most suitable.
This kind of policy covers third party claims in case your car causes damage or injury to other people as well as damage to property (e.g. walls) or personal belongings in another person’s vehicle that results from a collision caused by you.
If your car burns down or gets stolen, then there will also be some coverage for these occurrences too – hence why they call it ‘fire and theft’!
- Comprehensive: As the name suggests, comprehensive covers more events than third party insurance does. Your insurance company will pay out if your car is damaged in an accident if it gets stolen or even if it breaks down.
However, unlike third party insurance, comprehensive doesn’t cover any injuries to you or anyone else involved in an accident caused by you.
You might think about getting comprehensive cover if you want extra protection against damage to your own car.
However, bear in mind that sometimes companies charge higher premiums for getting comprehensive cover so make sure you shop around first before committing yourself to anything.
- Insurance policy documents: Most insurance companies offer different kinds of documents for different kinds of policies and many customers aren't sure which one applies to them. o avoid confusion, here's a quick guide on what each document means.
- Green card: A green card is basically proof that you're insured under your chosen car insurance policy.
What's included in it depends on what type of policy you've taken out but typically it'll include details such as:
- your name,
- address,
- contact details:
_how much you paid for your premium;
_whether or not you had to take a medical examination when applying;
_information about any discounts offered to new customers
.
In addition, depending on your circumstances, it may also include information about any restrictions placed on your policy.
These could be related to things like driving at night or driving abroad.
- Policy booklet: The policy booklet contains all of the terms and conditions of your car insurance agreement. Read through it carefully before you sign up to check that everything looks right and matches up with what was explained to you when you applied for coverage.
How much will it cost me?
This depends on many factors. In general, we offer some of the cheapest new driver insurance policies available on any market. It’s important to remember that even with great young driver quotes, it still makes sense to compare quotes across a few insurers as policies differ between companies.
Within minutes you will have an idea of which company offers the best value deals for renewing your current insurance policy.
Renewal quote comparison will include:
- cheap quotes for young driver insurance renewal;
- cheap car insurance renewal rates;
- cheap motorcycle insurance renewal rates;
- cheap truck insurance renewal rates;
- cheap home insurance renewal rates;
Any system will provide you with quotes for renewal from leading auto insurance providers operating in your area.
Compare renewal rates on the spot - just select the type of coverage required (ie comprehensive, fire, and third party theft) and specify other necessary details (eg vehicle registration number).
Once you submit your application, the selected insurance company will contact you and they will email you their renewal quote directly within 24 hours or less.
Is my premium tax deductible?
As a 17-25-year-old, you may have access to cheaper insurance with an ‘under-25’ policy. These policies are also tax-deductible up to $500 per year (for tax years 2016–2017).
However, ‘under-25’ policies might not include comprehensive cover for your car or any third-party liability so it pays to check that your policy provides everything that you need.
Comprehensive car insurance covers damage to your own vehicle as well as other vehicles, property, and even people if they are injured as a result of an accident.
Third-party liability means that if you cause an accident and someone else is injured or their property damaged, they can make a claim against your policy for compensation.
If you don't have comprehensive coverage on your policy then there's no guarantee that either of these will be covered by your insurer if something goes wrong.
Without comprehensive coverage, you'll only be covered in cases where another driver causes damage to your vehicle in an accident – but accidents do happen!
How long does my cover last?
There are two parts to your policy;
- your legal liability (this pays for any damage that you cause to other people’s property or vehicles)
- third party cover (this pays for any damage that other people cause to your property or vehicle).
Your cover starts from when you’re added as a named driver to your parent’s policy until 31 December of your 24th year. So, if you’re 18 now, your cover will last until 31 December 2022.
If you pass your test before turning 17, then you will be covered under someone else's policy for 12 months after passing your test.
This means that if something happens in those first 12 months, their insurance company will pay on their behalf rather than you having to claim from them later.
However, once you pass the test and qualify for full coverage, there are no restrictions on how long you can remain insured. You can keep driving until your 31st birthday!
How do I make a claim on my policy?
If you have any questions about making a claim on your policy, get in touch with us today. Our expert claims advisors are always happy to provide ...
- What happens if I cancel my policy?: If you’re thinking of canceling your policy before it expires, remember that if anything happens to you or your car between now and when it runs out, we won’t be able to cover it. So make sure you know exactly what’s covered by your policy before deciding whether or not to cancel. You can find out more about our cancellation terms here.
- How do I renew my policy?: To renew your policy, simply contact us. We'll ask you for some information so we can check everything's OK with your car and current address. Then we'll send you a renewal quote so you can choose whether or not to go ahead.
- When will my renewal date be?: Your renewal date will depend on when your current policy ends. It could be up to one month before or after that date depending on which renewal option you choose.
- Can I pay monthly instead of yearly?: Yes! You can also spread the cost of your premium over 12 months if it suits you better than paying up front. Just let us know at the point of purchase.
- Will my premiums increase every year?: No! As long as you don't make a claim, your premiums shouldn't increase each year. Even if they do, though, they'll only go up in line with inflation (RPI).
- Will I have to take another test every year?: No – once you've passed your driving test, you're automatically insured under our standard Young Driver Policy until age 25 or two years from passing your test (whichever comes first). Once you've reached age 25 or two years after passing your test (whichever comes first), we may ask for proof of identity again but there's no need to re-take another driving test.
- What does third party fire & theft mean? Third Party Fire & Theft means that if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, we'll pay out up to £2,000 towards repairing or replacing it. However, we won't pay out for damage caused by vandalism or accidents (unless you have comprehensive insurance), and neither will we pay out if your car is stolen from a locked garage or secure parking space.
- What do third party, fire & theft, and personal possessions mean? Third Party Fire & Theft and Personal Possessions means that if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, we'll pay out up to £2,000 towards repairing or replacing it.
We'll also ensure any personal possessions inside your car like laptops and mobile phones against loss caused by theft while they're in the vehicle too.
Is there anything else I should know before I buy my policy?
Many young drivers are confused about excess and their no claims bonus (NCB) because of all of these extra things that affect it.
Here are a few simple explanations to get your head around them What is an excess?
The amount you pay if you make a claim before your insurer starts paying out. It's usually based on how much coverage you have or how much damage was caused by an accident – but there are other factors involved too.
For example, some insurers might increase your excess if you've had an accident in the past or if they consider your car more expensive to repair than others in its class.
How does my NCB work?
Your NCB shows how many years of accident-free driving it will take for every £100 of premium to be refunded on comprehensive car insurance policies from Aviva, so every year without making a claim counts towards getting money back from us.
