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Haven't driven since I got my license :(

I haven't driven for about 4 years since I got my license because I've been at uni and haven't been able to afford the insurance. Am I corrrect in assuming my insurance will be sky high if I get a car now, and do driving instructers do refresher lessons- I'm obviously going to be very rusty and need to brush up on my driving skills.
Thanks

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Reply 1

NuclearFusion

I don't think your insurance will be any higher (it should in fact be lower) than if you drove at 17, but it will of course still be alot. Instructers will take you for refresher lessons, it is fairly common and of course they wouldn't refuse extra money :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2

TheCurlyHairedDude

Original post by shenzys

No it will make it cheaper. Biggest factor in insurance prices isn't age, it's how long you've held the license, assuming you've got 4 years experience driving, which is a big flaw in the system.

As for refresher lessons? Why? Waste of money it's not as if you can fail anything now, you're allowed to drive, just get in the car when you get one and drive....

Reply 3

Joanna-Marie :)

It'll be lower than it may have been because you've aged 4 years/had a licence for 4 years but as you haven't built up any no-claims bonus then it will still be quite alot. It soon goes down tho as soon as you start building up NCD, just shop around for the best deals :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 4

ROG.

Original post by shenzys

Can you find a calm experienced driver to sit in with you for a few drives?

Reply 5

shenzys

Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude

Thanks. And I'm thinking of my fellow drivers mainly when I talk about refresher lessons! I don't want to be a dangerous driver and I'll be risking it if I hop onto the road straight away. Hopefully it'll only be a couple of lessons just to get used to the feeling- safely! Not that much of a waste.

Original post by ROG.

Can you find a calm experienced driver to sit in with you for a few drives?

I could but I'd rather someone with brake pedals in the passenger seat next to me! Just in case lol.

Reply 6

Juno

I passed in 2004, didn't drive til 2009 - and then my insurance was less than £400 for the year

Reply 7

shenzys

Original post by Juno

I passed in 2004, didn't drive til 2009 - and then my insurance was less than £400 for the year

Wow - what car did you drive? And which insurance company were you with?

Reply 8

Juno

Original post by shenzys

Wow - what car did you drive? And which insurance company were you with?

Direct Line, silver Corsa

Reply 9

ROG.

Original post by shenzys

I'd rather someone with brake pedals in the passenger seat next to me! Just in case lol.

you know where the brake pedal is and if STOP was said then you will stop - start driving in easy places first

Reply 10

JC.

Get a car and crack on.
Driving is like riding a bike.

Reply 11

oo00oo

Only thing you won't be able to put on the insurance application is no claims bonus. Apart from that, all your details are the same whether you've driven before or not.

It won't be as cheap as it would be if you drove the past 4 years without claims, but it will be cheaper than it would be if you had just passed your test.

Reply 12

Converse Rocker

Original post by shenzys

do driving instructers do refresher lessons- I'm obviously going to be very rusty and need to brush up on my driving skills.
Thanks

They sure do. There are courses like the AA's 'Pass Plus' that is specifically designed for people that passed their test but want help getting back into it/perfecting something. Instructors would probably do it themselves as well I would have thought.

Good luck, I'm sure it will all flood back :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 13

Michaelj

I wouldn't bother with a driving instructor, just get a friend or family member to help out.

Reply 14

Emma:-)

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Original post by shenzys

Your insurance might be a bit more expensive than normal for a start, because you dont have any no claims or anything, but it wont be as expensive like it is for younger drivers.
I think most instructors do things like refresher lessons and pass plus, so id get in contact with an instructor (maybe your old one?) and go from there.

Reply 15

JustRollingAlong

I passed my driving test in the UK, didn't drive for a year, then moved to the U.S. and drove there for 4 years. When I moved back here I did one two hour refresher lesson with an instructor because it is very different to driving in the States and I was nervous about driving on the narrower country roads, dealing with roundabouts with multiple lanes, etc. It was more for peace of mind rather than an actual necessity (I did have plenty of driving experience, just on very different roads) but I think it was worth the small cost of the lesson. The instructor was great about covering the things I felt unsure of and not wasting time practicing stuff I was comfortable with (parallel parking is parallel parking whichever country you do it in).

Reply 16

username568974

Original post by shenzys

I don't think ur insurance will be way to expensive that u can't afford it and don't worry every instructers do refresher lessons and it depends whether u recall u driving skills u got taught 4 years back and how quick u pick on knowledge being taught
remember "all is well" :smile:

good luck!

Reply 17

Shultana18

Hi i passed in 2012 and bought car straight away a peugeot 307 n it was 1.4 i had insurance i held for 2 weeks, n then cancelled as it was ski hi.. i then sold the car to somone else as the car was too big for me,i was about 19 wen i passed n havent driven n had insurance since,does that mean my insurance will be really cheap now if i bought a car n did insurance??

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 18

dhr90

Original post by Shultana18

Just put your details into a comparison website to find out. We can't tell you anything more than a vague guess that it probably will be cheaper.

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Reply 19

v.k.gomes

I promise you'll be fine! Just remember you passed once, so its just a matter of being a little rusty. Its not that you can't do it! I have just had the same dilemma, not needed a car since I passed (3yrs ago). Now I'm ready to start placement, I found myself in the same predicament. I drove around my street for a few laps, then went out to McDonalds at 10;30pm. The roads are quiet and it just gives you a chance to get used to the pedals and remembering where to look. Confidence is key, I was a little shaky picking up my friends, but it honestly comes back to you so quickly. I reckon it will take a few weeks at the most to get the swing again. Besides you can't be any worse than me, stalled 3 times. Although rowdy friends and night time driving after so long probably didn't help. Best of luck, just go for it!