Insurance for my 17 year old son - options?
Discussion
My son has just reached 17 and started driving lessons. As we live in the middle of nowhere I'm as keen to get him mobile as he is.
Looked at group 1 cars insured in his name - £ 1800 per year

Heard that co-op have a black box for the car to monitor the driving.
Looked at adding him to my car - £900 additional until the January renewal.
They were also very suspect about it being a 'cloaking' scam where he would be the main driver.
A friend has his car and his 2 young daughters cars on an Admiral multi-car policy for £1200.
Any other options or experience on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
J4CKO said:
They are obsessed with "fronting", we are going to insure my eldest on our C1, it isnt his car, he will have occasional use of it but of course we will be accused of lying.
If it's legit I wouldn't worry about it. It's only the ones who know full well they are lying will sweat a bit.£1,800?! Sounds bloody good, I'm paying more than that after two years and a clean license on one of the cheapest cars to insure I know of
first year was a whisker under 3k, dread to think what it would be now.
FWIW poverty-spec 80's/early 90's hatchbacks seem to all be very cheap but the trim level can make a huge difference.
first year was a whisker under 3k, dread to think what it would be now.FWIW poverty-spec 80's/early 90's hatchbacks seem to all be very cheap but the trim level can make a huge difference.
vrod said:
Looked at group 1 cars insured in his name - £ 1800 per year 
Snatch their hands off......that's cheap.
It is important he starts building a ncb up ASAP, so that when he is 22 he will be laughing.
There's no easy route, been through this with my three lads, and forget any ideas of "fronting", it will only end in tears.
How about a classic car or kit car policy?
Think its a case of ringing around absolutely everyone, a few say they do special deals for young drivers.
http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/young-drivers/?rw.cm=G...
But normally if they can't quote you happy, they give you a number to call, I did that with my first Civic Type R and I ended up speaking to about 20 different brokers, and in the end I got it about £1k cheaper than initially quoted.
Fiat Seicento I think are cheap to ensure, not the sexiest of cars, but apparently not bad in the handling department. As mentioned classic mini's or beetles.
Also the more boring the car, the less boy racers want them so Chevrolet - Matiz and Nissan Micra.
Personally if I were a young lad, I would probably won't the Ford Ka or if I could get the insurance a sportka. Great chassis, well made, not very nickable, should be fairly cheap to insure.
http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/young-drivers/?rw.cm=G...
But normally if they can't quote you happy, they give you a number to call, I did that with my first Civic Type R and I ended up speaking to about 20 different brokers, and in the end I got it about £1k cheaper than initially quoted.
Fiat Seicento I think are cheap to ensure, not the sexiest of cars, but apparently not bad in the handling department. As mentioned classic mini's or beetles.
Also the more boring the car, the less boy racers want them so Chevrolet - Matiz and Nissan Micra.
Personally if I were a young lad, I would probably won't the Ford Ka or if I could get the insurance a sportka. Great chassis, well made, not very nickable, should be fairly cheap to insure.
C2james said:
£1800 is very good, my insurance was £2000 and that was a few years ago.
Going by the context of the OPs post, where it was stated that the son had just started lessons, I should imagine the quotes were for insurance while he had a provisional licence (correct me if I mis-interpreted your post OP).Insurance is usually cheaper while a driver has their provisional licence because the insurer knows the driver has to be accompanied, and the price jumps when the learner gets a full licence.
From my own experience, I found that unusual cars not often driven by young folk had cheaper insurance. Look for something like a small engined Ford Focus saloon, Volvo S40 1.6 or similar.
I've said this quite often, but remember insurance cost is based on statistics.
Ford Kas and Fiat Seicentos are both slow. But say last year, that insurer had 500 Kas on their books insured by 17-18 year olds, and 40% of them were crashed; 500 Seicentos for 17-18 year olds and 20% were crashed. Which will have cheaper insurance this year? The Fiat, by a mile.
Ford Kas and Fiat Seicentos are both slow. But say last year, that insurer had 500 Kas on their books insured by 17-18 year olds, and 40% of them were crashed; 500 Seicentos for 17-18 year olds and 20% were crashed. Which will have cheaper insurance this year? The Fiat, by a mile.
If he's going to be a policy holder, try adding his mother (or other middle aged female relative with a good driving record) as a named driver. Some insurers offer substantial discounts for this - definitely worth playing about with the options around older relatives as named drivers on the opera singer/meerkat/not-too-sure websites.
arollingstone said:
buy an mg midget, i was fully comp on that at 17, for £300!
Unfortunately, insurers have gotten wise over the last 10 years or so. I remember paying £1650 to insure my 1.1 Mk3 Fiesta when I passed back in 2001. At the time, a friend had insurance on a Vauxhall redtop Fisher Fury kitcar for a quarter of that. My 2 litre barge of a Cavalier at 18 cost well under what my Fiesta renewal would have cost, and a granddad car Saab 9000 2.3 turbo would have been even cheaper.It seems now that looking at unusual cars, old cars, classic cars (etc etc etc...) makes no difference. I'd go so far as to say that the £1800 the OP was quoted was a bargain and would only apply with the lad on a provisional. My guess would be another grand being added on top once he's passed

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