Car insurance

..

CT: Bigger discussion on finding cheap car insurance here

(edited 5 years ago)

Been looking for car insurance as ive recently passed my test and will need a car to commute to work. Im 17 and getting quoted between £2,600 and £4,000 (main driver, fully comp and with named drivers. 3rd party is more expensive). Car is a 1.7 astra. Getting a 1.2/1.4 only makes a £100/£150 difference. More Than quoted 2.6k with a black box for a 6k mile policy but their top up miles are expensive. Next cheapest is direct line black box 2.9k for 6k miles but increasing mileage is very cheap. Cheapest without a black box is £4,000. Making it clear that choosing a smaller engine car is not making much difference. Area is rated D. Any tips? Anyone had a black box from direct line and how strict is it?
Thanks

See this thread: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4825738

I suspect the main problem is your age and vehicle choice. You're simply going to have to choose a different car if you want to get a reasonable insurance quote.

Reply 2

Carnonse

Original post by IWMTom

Car choice barely changes the price. A golf 1.9 is actually £50 cheaper. A 1.2/1.4 corsa/fiesta/ibiza is only around £100 cheaper. The fact that a 1.9 is cheaper to insure amazes me!

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 3

IWMTom

Original post by Carnonse

Car choice barely changes the price. A golf 1.9 is actually £50 cheaper. A 1.2/1.4 corsa/fiesta/ibiza is only around £100 cheaper. The fact the a 1.9 is cheaper to insure amazes me!

Vehicles aren't all about engine size - as my thread describes, it's about insurance groups, and popularity.

Reply 4

Richard0328

the more popular a car is the more they get crashed. If ford sell a million fiestas and Kia sell 10000...whatever their equivalent is then the ratios show that more fiestas will be claimed for because there are more of them around

Reply 5

Carnonse

Original post by IWMTom

Vehicles aren't all about engine size - as my thread describes, it's about insurance groups, and popularity.

Tried loads of cars between group 1 and 5 and even less popular cars such as a yaris, clio etc. Not making too much difference to sway me. I dont mind getting a black box as long as its not too strict. Ive heard direct line arent too strict so that is an option.

Reply 6

carrotstar

Have you tried Admiral? They gave me the best black box deal I could find when I started to drive.

Reply 7

IWMTom

Original post by Carnonse

Again, see my thread for warnings on cheaping out with a black box.

Have you tried all the tips?

Reply 8

Carnonse

Original post by carrotstar

Have you tried Admiral? They gave me the best black box deal I could find when I started to drive.

Will give them a ring. Not sure if they will insure me as Bell (part of admiral group) said they dont insure young drivers in my area. How strict is the admiral black box?

Reply 9

Carnonse

Original post by IWMTom

Again, see my thread for warnings on cheaping out with a black box.

Have you tried all the tips?

Will keep the warnings in mind but i think saving £1000 is a better option as with a black box id already be paying close to £3000. And yes, tried all the tips. I must say, its a very informative thread!

Reply 10

IWMTom

Original post by Carnonse

The problem you've got is you could very well end up paying much more than the £1,000 you'd save with penalties and add-on miles.

The fact you're asking how strict the boxes are say to me that you're not exactly going to be the model driver, meaning you're risking a policy cancellation on your record too!

If you're in a high risk area, insurance is something you're going to have to deal with. You may find yourself better off waiting till you turn 18, as that is the first of three thresholds for insurance savings (the others being 21 and 25).

Reply 11

Carnonse

Original post by IWMTom

Direct line dont seem to have any penalties and dont require top up miles. Increasing mileage for example 2k miles was under £100 according to the person i spoke to.

In terms of strict i mean do they allow the 10% + 2mph which we are normally allowed.

Waiting until 18 in my area makes no difference unfortunately, infact no difference until 21! As mentioned il be commuting so a car is the best option. By bus it is 2 hours!

Reply 12

zero766

This is really strange. You should be able to get insurance for like £1300 first year with black box on a 1.2 car. Either you live in a weird area or you're not looking on the right sites? I don't recommend a 1.7 for a newbie though... probably best to get used to real driving in a smaller car (real as in, a lot of what you do in a test you won't ever do again)

Reply 13

IWMTom

Original post by Carnonse

Top up miles are charged as a percentage of your annual premium, not at a fixed rate. They are proportional to your risk.

10% + 2mph is a myth referring to the ACPO guidelines, which many forces now do not adhere to - as the black boxes use GPS (which is generally accurate to within 2mph) there will be very little if not no leeway.

Reply 14

carrotstar

Original post by Carnonse

Will give them a ring. Not sure if they will insure me as Bell (part of admiral group) said they dont insure young drivers in my area. How strict is the admiral black box?

Not strict at all! And they give you an online login so you can keep track of how they rate your driving and make improvements if need be. I think you might be able to get a quote online via their website?