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Learner drivers – insurance overviewDrivers who’ve just turned 17 and obtained their provisional license may find getting car insurance is an up-hill struggle. A fair number of the major players in the car insurance market will not even cover to young people who are just beginning to learn to drive. |
| If you take lessons as a learner from a professional driving instructor, you have nothing to worry about – the instructor’s own insurance covers you during your lessons. However, if you are going to chalk up some extra practice time in a relative’s car, it is important to ensure you have adequate insurance cover. For some people, this is easy enough – if the relative has an ‘any driver’ policy, this will typically include coverage for a properly-supervised learner driver. The law defines a properly-supervised learner as one accompanied by someone at least 21 who has held a license in the same category for a minimum of three years. |
| There are a number of insurers who specialise in offering coverage
to younger drivers – most of these will offer quotes to learners,
but often the quotes are quite high. It is a case of shopping around,
comparing the quotes you can get and using the online application
process to your advantage – most insurers will knock 10% or
more off just because you applied online. Ultimately, you may find
that getting your own car insurance policy as a learner driver is
just too expensive. |
| So, if you’re going to have your mum, dad, uncle or a family friend teach you to drive (or they’re willing to let you practice driving in their car), be prepared to consider getting them to add you to their existing policy and just paying them the difference. You can also try to add one of your parents as a named driver on your learner insurance policy, which might reduce the premium a bit. |
Always remember that you are obligated to inform the insurance company any of the particulars associated with your car insurance cover change – for example, if you become the main user of the vehicle because your parents buy another car for themselves and cast aside their dodgy old Metro for your exclusive use. Also, you’ll need to let the insurer know as soon as you’ve passed your test – it won’t necessarily reduce your premium overnight, but it might help a bit. |
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