Young Driver Car Insurance – All Is Not Lost

You may recently have read one of the many articles published announcing that several leading motor insurance providers have taken the decision to refuse quotes to young drivers.

Leading brands such as Swiftcover, More Th>n and Esure have apparently decided that young drivers are more trouble than they’re worth.

And when you look at some of the statistics being thrown around you can see where they are coming from:

• An eighteen year old is three times as likely as his/her parents to have an accident whilst driving.

• 17-25 year olds hold just 10% of all driving licenses but cause more than 20% of car accidents.

• One in three young male drivers will write off a car in their first year of driving.

• 25% of the convictions for causing death by dangerous driving are for drivers under 20

You can read even more of these “alarming” statistics here and here.

Other car insurance companies to take this step include; Sheilas' Wheels, Marks & Spencer and AXA and with more providers likely to follow suit this isn’t a small problem than can simply be ignored.

Now why these articles and stats make for good reading the truth is there are many young drivers out there, who drive responsibly and safely, who are suffering higher car insurance premiums due to actions of the minority.

Car insurance premiums for young drivers have historically always been high and this latest development will only make it more difficult to secure a reasonably priced policy.

But as the title says, all is not lost; there are many steps young drivers can take to help lower the cost of their insurance, such as:

• Avoiding modifications

• Driving a car with a smaller engine

• Going on your own insurance and building up no claims bonus

• Taking the Pass Plus course

• Offering a higher voluntary excess

• Shopping around online

• Limiting your mileage

• Looking for rapid bonus schemes to build no claims bonus more quickly

• Paying upfront rather than monthly

• Improving security

• Looking for worthwhile cash back offers

• Considering specialist insurance companies

• Insuring Third-Party Only if the car is relatively cheap

All these options are covered in greater detail in our ultimate guide to young driver car insurance.

Safety Or Savings? - Striking The Right Balance

Looking back on a previous TCIB post urging people to bin their renewal to save money on car insurance it seems consumer lethargy is still a huge problem for UK motor insurance customers.

Research from Tesco Finance has found that just under one in three motorists moved their car insurance to a new provider in the last 12 months.

Even more worrying was the statistic announcing that 10% of drivers had either never switched their car insurance premium or had stayed loyal to the same insurer for over 10 years.

Those who have switched put price as one of the most important factors when choosing a car insurance quote while those who had stayed with the same provider said price was less important compared to the features and level of cover offered by their policy.

These figures create a split market, those who are concerned with saving money and those who feel prepared to pay more for the safety of ‘knowing’ they have the right policy.

Both sides make very good points. After all a motor insurance policy is there to provide protection so obtaining the right cover is hugely important.

However with the huge range of insurers now offering policies the opportunity to make a saving on your premium should not be overlooked; especially in the current climate of rising mortgage repayments and utility bills.

In my opinion a mix of the two is the ideal mentality when shopping for car insurance.

Make sure your policy has all the features you need but don’t restrict yourself to one insurer and one quote.

Loyalty is rarely rewarded in today’s market and with comparison sites such as confused.com you can easily find motor insurance policies that match your needs on both policy features and price.

So, if you currently care more about price double check that your policy offers the protection you need; the consequences of not doing so could be potentially disastrous. AND, if you haven’t switched your car insurance for a while be sure to have a look at the options available, you can easily lower your premium without compromising on quality.

How To Get Your Vehicle Ready For A Trip On The Road

If you're going on a trip and driving your vehicle, keep in mind there are some preliminary things that should be done, especially if you're driving several hundreds of miles. This will help you to escape the problems that arise if you don't get your vehicle checked out beforehand.

Take your vehicle to your mechanic to find out what may need to be done. You should start this at least a month to two months prior to your trip. This is when any major repairs should be taken care of. Having this done a month or two before time gives you a chance to correct any additional issues related to the repair(s).

Make sure your tires are inflated properly and that they have enough pressure. Your tires can blow out while you're driving if they don't have enough pressure in them. Checking the tire treads is important. This is another way your tires can experience a blowout.

The way to check this is to put a penny between the tire's grooves. On the penny, the head of Abraham Lincoln should be pointing downward. If the space above Lincoln's head is visible or you can see the words "In God We Trust", new tires are needed. Your spare tire should be inflated and the tools should be available in the event you'll need to use it.

The vehicle's manual should be in the glove compartment. You will need that in the event the vehicle experiences trouble on the road. If you don't have one, check the manufacturer's website to see if they have one in PDF format. With technology as it is, it wouldn't be surprising if they did. At least you wouldn't have to wait weeks to get a replacement.

Any minor maintenance such as oil changes can be done a week prior to your trip. You should also check your tires again for pressure and tread efficiency. If there are any abnormalities that weren't there before, take it to your mechanic for a look.

You should have a clean air filter in your vehicles. If it's not clean, it will affect your vehicle's mileage and suck up gas. This means you will have to stop for gas more often for your vehicle. You will definitely need to change the filter if it's been in the vehicle over 12,000 miles.

Remove any items from your vehicle that you won't need for the trip. This will give more room to the items that you will need or are planning to take. You should have a clean vehicle before you leave. Take an hour or two to clean and vacuum the inside.

Have a map or if you have a newer vehicle, consider getting a GPS (Global Positioning System). This will help you get to your destination without getting lost. It would be advantageous for you to fill up the tank before you leave. When you get on the road, nine times out of ten, you will pay more for gas outside of your area.

Make sure that you have packed everything you need for your trip. More importantly, make sure you have your toiletries and prescribed medicines. Check through your suitcases and garment bags. It's not good to overload your vehicle with a lot of stuff.

Doing all these things will help you have an enjoyable trip.