n00b question: driver insurance

singloud

Evening all, sorry if this thread seems horribly n00bish but I'd appreciate the advice.

Basically I'd love to learn to drive, but there's one thing that'd be a pain: insurance.


I would have applied for my provisional licence long ago except I'm worried about the insurance.

Once I have my provisional licence, would I unable to learn to drive until I paid insurance? As in, I'd be unable to driver a driving instructor's car until I had paid insurance?

I'm an 18 year old male, non drinker if that makes any difference, and I heard somewhere that it's horrendously expensive as a young male on a provisional licence.

the_syco

singloud wrote: »

I'd be unable to driver a driving instructor's car until I had paid insurance?

The driver instructor will have insurance for his own car.

You'll only need insurance to drive your own car.

singloud

sound, just acouple more queries:

Would I need insurance to drive someone else's car, or just to drive my own?
If not, do you have a rough idea of how much it would cost for me to be insured under someone else's car insurace (I've heard that lowers the price)



Would I be able to pass a driving test and obtain a full licence without ever having to pay for provisonal insurance (pass the provisional test, get driving lessons, pass the driving exam,then obtain insurance under a full licence)

Wishbone Ash

singloud wrote: »

Would I be able to pass a driving test and obtain a full licence without ever having to pay for provisonal insurance (pass the provisional test, get driving lessons, pass the driving exam,then obtain insurance under a full licence)

If you are a young male driver, whether or not you have passed a driving test will not really make much difference in the cost of your insurance. If you have never had any insurance policy, you will be considered to be a first time young male driver and therefore a very high risk.

Having a full licence may reduce the cost by a slight margin but you'd be lucky if it were 10%.

Gavin "shels"

If one of your parents drive, try going on there insurance as them as a named driver for a year or two.;)

daveharnett

singloud wrote: »

Would I need insurance to drive someone else's car, or just to drive my own?
If not, do you have a rough idea of how much it would cost for me to be insured under someone else's car insurace (I've heard that lowers the price)

As a rule, yes. The car owner would have to put you on their insurance policy as a named driver. Some policies will cover un-named fully licenced drivers, but not provisional licences.

having you as a named driver would increase the cost of a policy, beacuse you are considered high-risk. On the other hand, naming your mother (or any low-risk driver) on your policy might reduce it's cost a little.

singloud wrote: »

Would I be able to pass a driving test and obtain a full licence without ever having to pay for provisonal insurance (pass the provisional test, get driving lessons, pass the driving exam,then obtain insurance under a full licence)

As others have said, a full licence won't make a huge difference - lack of experience is the big deal. You can always call your insurer once you get the full licence, and they will discount your policy for the remainder of the year.