Student car
insurance - does it have to cost a fortune?
Getting student car insurance at an
affordable price is something of a challenge. People under 25 pay more
to insure their cars as they are a greater insurance risk, while, at
this age, most have not had the time to acrue a full no claims discount.
Students, of course, tend to have limited resources; so it is
especially important to put in place all that can be done to reduce the
premium. So what can be done to achieve this?
It starts with the choice of car in the first place. A car insurance
group less than 10 is wise, while the lower the better. (This relates
to the Thatchem 1-50 rating system. The older 1-20 rating is no longer
in use). We tend to suggest cars such as a Corsa or Clio as a good
choice for students.
And, once you have a sensible car, don't modify it by, for example,
adding alloy wheels. This will only increase your premium.
'Fronting' whereby an older person - usually a parent - claims to be
the primary driver is a big mistake as this is easily identified by
insurance companies and renders your cover invalid. However, including
an older driver as a second driver is legitimate where a possibility
exists that that individual may occassionally drive the car as, for
example, when he or she is visiting the student. The latter can reduce
the premium.
Security for the car is worth looking at too. A Thatchem-approved
device - on which your local dealer can advise - will help, as will
improved parking security. So, if it is possible to garage your car or
park it off road in an alterntive secure environment, that will also
help.
If your annual mileage will be low, you can cap your annual mileage.
Policy adjustments include increasing your voluntary excess and taking
a very pragmatic approach to what you consider essential in terms of
the cover. While better avoided by older drivers, a no frills policy
may be acceptable as a good way to reduce costs but it remains sensible
to check over the cover carefully to determine whether the limited
cover is acceptable.
Clearly, the more quotes that you can get, the greater your opportuntiy
to save money. Most, therefore, choose to compare
car
insurance using a
price comparison system. Another valid approach is to use the young
driver specialist, Endsleigh. (The above link provides acces to both of
these options).
If you have the time and inclination, you can even render yourself
lower risk by taking (and passing) an advanced driving test, after a
suitable driving course. More..
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