Insurance for new drivers
You have to have motor insurance to drive in public places. It protects you, your car and other people against liability in the event of an accident and provides financial compensation for damage to property and/or injury to people.
There are three types of insurance;
Third party only – this is a legal requirement that covers other people and property, but will not cover any of your costs.
Third party fire and theft – cover the same as above and insures you should your car be damaged by fire or stolen.
Comprehensive – cover the same as third party fire and theft, but also covers you should your vehicle be involved in an accident. Many insurance companies will add in extras with this type of cover, such as courtesy car, legal expenses insurance, etc.
When providing an insurance quote the companies take into consideration; the make and model of car; any changes made to the car; how old the car is; your age; how long you have held a licence for; your claims history; where you live and the level of car crime in that area; the type of security systems on the car; where the car is parked overnight, etc.
Answer all questions honestly. Any information found to be incorrect will invalidate the insurance policy and prevent any claims being paid out.
Insurance companies tend to regard new drivers as high risk due to their lack of experience on the roads which means the cost of the insurance is relatively expensive. You may find a discount will be given if you have done some additional or advanced training. DRM driver training offer the following options.
Pass Plus is a Driving Standards Agency (DSA) course covering 6 topics. It builds on the knowledge you have gained in your driving lessons and includes motorways, which you are not allowed on as a learner. You do the lessons with your instructor who completes a form confirming the course has been completed. The form is sent to the DSA who sent you a certificate. Ask your instructor to book you in or call your local DRM centre who will arrange your first pass plus lesson.
Diamond Advanced Driving test is another test you can train for. It is an hour in length and will test you on all roads types to a higher standard than the learner test. Your instructor will advise you on the number of lessons you will need to take to be ready for the test.
Always shop around for your insurance, there are many companies and price comparison web sites to get quotes from and some companies specialise in new/younger drivers.
