The best way to insure my daughter whilst she's learning

[Sjmw]

I hope there are some people with experience on here who can help.

The first of my kids is now at driving age and has started lessons. I am going to but something like a 10 year old VW Golf with a manual gearbox which I and her mum can use to give her lessons in too.

I just spoke to Direct Line and explained the situation and they told me she would need to be a named driver - the quote they then gave for insuring (as an example) a 2004 Golf 1.6 third party/fire/theft was £3,200 (and no, that's not because of my own driving record!)

I realise DLine aren't the best for lots of things but I did wonder whether their approach was correct. If I buy and insure the car in my name and am the main driver (which I will be), does anyone learning in it need to be a 'named driver'?

I'm sure there's more than one (legal) way to skin a cat that doesn't mean we just have to use a driving school to teach her. I realise too that a 1.6 engine will be dearer and that I will need to look for something smaller than that.

Thank you in advance for any advice you might have

Stuart

 

[renault12ts]

Yep, 11 years ago we were quoted £3k for a 17 year old girl in a Polo...at least the car was free!!

But, she was insured on my wife's car, a Rav4, for a total of £100pm...and at one stage all three kids were insured on that car for the same cost.

 

[Sjmw]

Thanks. That's what I was trying to do - buy another car (for which I'll be the main driver) then add her as a named driver whilst she wears, and add the others in due course (stepdaughter turns 17 later this year then twin boys next year - this will get expensive))

Someone just PM'd me to say try Marmalade (Cars & Insurance for Learner and Young Drivers | Marmalade) - anyone have any experience of them?

Maybe I should buy a cheap, classic, manual Mercedes

 

[KennyN]

My son passed his test last week and we have just insured him on my daughters old 1.2 Clio ,which is a group 2, for £1700. The original quote from Direct Line was £5k

We are with Adrian Flux which ,after numerous calls, were by far the cheapest and the most helpful over the phone so it may be worth a call to them.

What we did was to get him a lesson once a week with a driving instructor and i would occasionally take him out in a dual control hire car from Arnold Clark who were doing a deal for students where you paid for an hour and they gave you an hour free , it worked out around £15 for two hours driving in a new Corsa with dual controls. This saved messing around with our insurance policies plus if it goes Pete Tong then you have some control of the car.

Dual Control Car Hire | Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental

Kenny

 

[BIG Sean]

my daughter is 21 and passed her test at Christmas time, she can't find insurance for anything less than 3k for even the smallest 1.0 car C1/107/Aygo etc tried the Marmalade link and its nearer 4k

 

[John]

The cheapest way in 1993 was for me to be insured on my mum's car as a named driver which was an MG Metro @ £130.

I suspect that is the cheapest way now although cheap it will not be!

However, I would bet insuring the learner on your own car will be cheaper than buying a specific car for the job. If that is not possible because you don't have a manual ordinarily - you might be stuffed.

I would consider using a broker!

 

[KennyN]

Some of the companies we contacted would not entertain my son for the group 2 Clio , anything else in a higher group may be uninsurable once they pass their test and are flying solo.

You / they will need a low insurance car once they pass their test anyway so my advice would to be get the lowest insurance car and let them insure it from the start.

Kenny

 

[BIG Sean]

in 1989 I don't think it cost my mum anything on her 1600L Cortina. Bought my own car, a £250 1979 Mk2 escort, soon after, cost me £500 to insure at nineteen. A tenner a week when beer was a quid - beer is now £2 or £2.50 for good stuff but insurance is £60+ for a 21 year old, not fair, no wonder there aren't that many bothering until later in life.

 

[dinoy]

pay for lessons and once she get license get her insured if u know any private land she practice 3 point turns n the like off road

after passing add her

 

[Sjmw]

Thanks for your replies. Just to be clear, the quote I had was for her to be a named driver on my (yet to be acquired) new car and even then it was silly money. I didn't ask what it would be for her to be insured as main driver.

The Marmalade website is giving her a quote of £161 for 6 months cover as a learner driver on a parent's car, so that may be the way to go.

I like the dual control idea but need to see whether any companies do that in Bristol, as Arnold Clark don't have an outlet there.

Doing stuff on private land is fine, but my cars are all autos and the least unsuitable one is a Discovery, so not really ideal. And none of them are getting their paws on the SL60 for some time to come!

Thanks again

 

[Sjmw]

in 1989 I don't think it cost my mum anything on her 1600L Cortina. Bought my own car, a £250 1979 Mk2 escort, soon after, cost me £500 to insure at nineteen. A tenner a week when beer was a quid - beer is now £2 or £2.50 for good stuff but insurance is £60+ for a 21 year old, not fair, no wonder there aren't that many bothering until later in life.

Where do you buy your beer?!

 

[Red C220]

Daughter passed last July with a driving instructor. Used the instructors cars right up to and including the test.

We bought her a 2007 1.4 Clio Dynamique manual the day she passed. Insured with Tesco insurance with a telemetry box fitted at a maximum mileage of 6K pa. She can buy more miles if she starts to run short of miles but it's turning out that 6k pa is about spot on.

Cost £1250 for a year.

We're an RH1 post code.

 

[stagwcb]

Went with swift first time we insured my daughter we me and my wife on it £1000 . 1.4 fiesta ghia . Then 1 daughter passed plus next daughter learning wife and me plus 1st daughter had slight bump same car . £750 with aviva .
Then son learning 2nd daughter on it me and my wife £730 . They won't insure more than 4 on a car so changing to LV .modus 1.4.

Hope this helps
Michael.

 

[400ixl]

Any person who does not have their own policy to cover their driving will need to be a named driver on the vehicle. There is no other way for them to be covered.

Now usually, whilst they are a learner and have to be supervised they are not as much of a price burden. Once they pass and can drive it unsupervised the policy will rocket.

Did you make it clear that they were on a provisional license?

The Golf is also a costly car to insure for youngsters, you want something unfashionable if you want a cheaper policy. Something like a Saab 9000 1.8 (non turbo) would be cheaper than a 1.4 Golf.

As others have mentioned, shop around to start with on the comparison sites trying a few different cars and see where you get.

I assume your wife has some no claims discount to apply? If not and she is a named driver on your policy, try a broker to see if they can find a company that will give her some based on no claims from your policy.

 

[SL300-24]

Just got a quote for my 17 year old daughter on a smart car value £1000. Normal insurance not a box fitted, £460 as a learner driver.

 

[Red C220]

Just got a quote for my 17 year old daughter on a smart car value £1000. Normal insurance not a box fitted, £460 as a learner driver.

Run the same quote for her with a full licence having just passed her test.

Sit down before you read the quotes.

 

[crockers]

Run the same quote for her with a full licence having just passed her test.

Sit down before you read the quotes.

Yes as Red says -- get a quote for when she has passed her test....be prepared to be sitting on the toilet when reading it......goes through the roof, as she is a far greater risk driving alone or with peers in the car.