The do's and don’ts to help young drivers keep insurance costs down.

With many young drivers facing impossible motor insurance premium costs when they try to get insured to drive on the roads for the first time, there are a number of do’s and don’ts on offer that can help them get the best deal from their insurance company.

Many motorists under the age of 21 years old are finding it increasingly difficult to get insurance at all, let alone at a reasonable price, with some insurers refusing to provide cover for people under the age of 25 years old.

One insurance expert recently told an industry conference that, “One out of every five young drivers suffers a crash within their first year of driving and young drivers are 10 times more likely to be involved in a serious collision than experienced drivers.”

However, despite this he believes that not all young drivers should be penalised because of this and have to pay huge sums of money to get themselves insured, saying, “I believe the industry must work together to find a formula that recognises those who are able to demonstrate they take a responsible approach to driving.”

To reduce the cost of insurance premiums, a number of dos and don’ts have been suggested to help novice motorists afford this kind of cover.

Do – consider opting for third party, fire and theft cover as it is likely to be the cheapest insurance option for young drivers, but does offer far less protection than a fully comprehensive policy.

Do – choose a new car carefully as some vehicle cost more to insure than others. Cars with powerful engines and soft-top vehicles are generally more expensive to cover.

Do – improve a cars security by installing a car alarm or immobiliser or by making sure it is parked or left overnight in a secure area, such as a lit car park or in a garage.

Do – reduce the risk of an insurance company seeing you as an inexperienced driver by completing an advanced driving course.

Do – add an older driver to your insurance policy as a ‘named driver’ so the insurance company will believe that the car will be driven for some of the time by a more experienced motorist.

Don’t – make modifications to a vehicle as modified cars are generally more expensive to insure, even if the changes made have not affected the speed or power of the vehicle.

Don’t – name an older driver as the main user of the car if in fact it is used primarily by a younger driver. This is a serious form of insurance fraud and is known a ‘fronting’ by insurers