Insurance for sprogs, thinking outside the box
Discussion
Eldest brat 17 soon, l have a vague notion that car insurance group rates aren’t the be all and end all to get a cheap quote (I.e I’m sure I read a 21 yr old insured a Noble cheaper than a Ford Focus simply as hardly any Nobles had been crashed and lots of Focus had; hence the insurance regarded a Focus as more of a “risk” than a sports car.)
I want it to be in his name for obvious NCB accrual and don’t “front it” aspects, nor can I stomach paying 200 a month for a tin box with “free “ insurance.
I did a play about and for example got a Suzuki Jimny (slowest thing I could find) quoted cheaper than a Ka despite being groups apart; any one got any left field suggestions of what may be insurable for a 17yr old boy or legal ways to reduce the premium (apart from the obvious excess, black box, add his mum as a named driver).) I’d consider anything classic, no street cred, embarrassing or bizarre. Saves giving it lifts.
I want it to be in his name for obvious NCB accrual and don’t “front it” aspects, nor can I stomach paying 200 a month for a tin box with “free “ insurance.
I did a play about and for example got a Suzuki Jimny (slowest thing I could find) quoted cheaper than a Ka despite being groups apart; any one got any left field suggestions of what may be insurable for a 17yr old boy or legal ways to reduce the premium (apart from the obvious excess, black box, add his mum as a named driver).) I’d consider anything classic, no street cred, embarrassing or bizarre. Saves giving it lifts.
I get the argument with the 200 a month cars to a degree, but most are 200 a month over 3 years and not all have the insurance past 1 year which is a bit cheeky.
Assuming I wait until he’s had his licence 6 months with him as the owner and main driver, on 5k per annum with his mum as named driver I got a Suzuki Jimny for 1069 per year fully comp (based on a 2k valuation and 1000 excess) which to be fair I didn’t think was outrageous. Not as bad as one company quoting nearly 7k.
Assuming I wait until he’s had his licence 6 months with him as the owner and main driver, on 5k per annum with his mum as named driver I got a Suzuki Jimny for 1069 per year fully comp (based on a 2k valuation and 1000 excess) which to be fair I didn’t think was outrageous. Not as bad as one company quoting nearly 7k.
Durzel said:
Will those leases include 17 year olds? I’d have assumed that they have a minimum age requirement themselves since the risk doesn’t just disappear when it’s a lease car, it gets shunted onto them, and almost certainly isn’t modelled into their profit and loss on £200 p/m.
They will with an 18yr old on most. That’s another reason to put me off, he’d have to wait a year. I can’t help but think there’s a market for some type of mass quote app.
So rather than having the ball ache on laboriously submitting quotes for individual cars wouldn’t it be helpful if you could put in a long list of vehicles (or even it suggested some to you) to give you an indicative or “ball park” figure that you could then chase up.
This figure need not be a “quote” per se but use car groupings and industry data to outline a figure that you could firm up. Wishful thinking I guess although I’d argue it would actually help insurance companies to get young people their own policy rather than be named drivers or fronted.
So rather than having the ball ache on laboriously submitting quotes for individual cars wouldn’t it be helpful if you could put in a long list of vehicles (or even it suggested some to you) to give you an indicative or “ball park” figure that you could then chase up.
This figure need not be a “quote” per se but use car groupings and industry data to outline a figure that you could firm up. Wishful thinking I guess although I’d argue it would actually help insurance companies to get young people their own policy rather than be named drivers or fronted.
Flooble said:
What about a Smart ForTwo?
Only two seats - so that minimises the "mates taxi" aspect, plus may help if insurers rate on number of seats (more seats = more injuries = higher premiums?)
Zero credibility for being "Max Powered" so most of the "fleet" is likely to be driven by people who don't make a habit of crashing
Just about fast enough to do some damage if you really tried hard - so any fault claims that are made on them are probably small amounts
Doddle to park - so unlikely to have any parking ding claims against them
Even old ones had ESP (I think) - so bonus points for "active safety"
Tiny engine - if there is any rating on engine capacity
Not really a long distance car - so most of them will have had a quiet life in the city, less chance of whopping claims for multi-vehicle motorway pileups
Plus the kid will probably only use it when they really have to, so your fuel bills will be lower!
I like that idea, was sort of in the same line of thinking as my Jimny idea (not driven by young people, rarely goes near a motorway and more likely to be used in the countryside than the towns and ergo have not many claims)Only two seats - so that minimises the "mates taxi" aspect, plus may help if insurers rate on number of seats (more seats = more injuries = higher premiums?)
Zero credibility for being "Max Powered" so most of the "fleet" is likely to be driven by people who don't make a habit of crashing
Just about fast enough to do some damage if you really tried hard - so any fault claims that are made on them are probably small amounts
Doddle to park - so unlikely to have any parking ding claims against them
Even old ones had ESP (I think) - so bonus points for "active safety"
Tiny engine - if there is any rating on engine capacity
Not really a long distance car - so most of them will have had a quiet life in the city, less chance of whopping claims for multi-vehicle motorway pileups
Plus the kid will probably only use it when they really have to, so your fuel bills will be lower!
Must admit hadn’t given much thought to going large (Mondeo etc) so I might give that a try. Or a Morris Minor !
mikeveal said:
I would guess that a honda insight (1st gen, the one that looked like a baby CRX) would be a cheapie to insure if you can find one. Any of the early hybrids probably fall into that category.
How about a nice (cough) Nuova M.go or a Q-pod?
Are those those weird French under 500kg car but not a car things? I couldn’t do that to him, just from a safety point of view. I’m thinking the suggestions about saloons is good, or maybe a Prius or such like? How about a nice (cough) Nuova M.go or a Q-pod?
TwigtheWonderkid said:
OP says son is 17 soon. Assume he will be learning / practicing in it.
I wasn’t planning on this tbf. The idea is he passes his test via an intensive course and I’d only insure something once he’s a full licence. No intention of giving him lessons. Tried with my sister once; in my experience teaching family to drive is a recipe for disaster. Noted re the Prius. Forgot about cabbing. Maybe an late 80’s or 90’s Volvo as I guess not many teenagers do that. Or any one tried this with an old Land Rover (or a more modern thing like a four track?) Thinking built like a tank and whilst it may expensive to purchase it’s got some residual value behind it which would make owning it for a few years relatively cheap.
beerexpressman said:
I saw someone on here suggest a Volvo C30...
I just got a quote of £1700 for my 17 old lad.
I'm not sure I'll find anything significantly cheaper to insure?
Cheapest thing I found is a Suzuki Jimny manual hardtop. 1069 fully comp with licence for 6 months. An earlier one as it’s slightly lower powered (tried a few group 1 things so Corsa, Polo, Citroen C1 and some odd ball things such as a Vauxhall Meriva , a 90’s Toyota Corolla and a Toyota IQ)I just got a quote of £1700 for my 17 old lad.
I'm not sure I'll find anything significantly cheaper to insure?
Most of that list was between 1700 and 1800. No clue why the Jimny is so much cheaper but it’s winning thus far.
Wingo said:
Junior (@17) is in an Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 16v Insured in his own name with a black box for £700 for the year, fully comp with Tesco. Limited to 6k miles per year but 100 "bonus" miles per month for not upsetting the spy under the bonnet. Directors of BOMAD also on the policy.
Suzuki swifts of a similar age were the same to insure but got the thumbs down after a sitting
Blimey are you in the Shetland Isles or similar? That’s cheap!Suzuki swifts of a similar age were the same to insure but got the thumbs down after a sitting
Edited by Wingo on Friday 29th November 14:24
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Anyone who puts their teenage kid in a classic car, especially something like a BL Mini, must be crazy. At that age, and with the claims record of teenagers, mine went into something modern and comparatively safe.
And before anyone posts "I drove on old mini thru my teenage years and didn't die", well so did I, but plenty did die, and they aren't going to be posting to tell us about it.
What did they end up in? And before anyone posts "I drove on old mini thru my teenage years and didn't die", well so did I, but plenty did die, and they aren't going to be posting to tell us about it.
Leading the race so far are a Suzuki Jimny (slow, basic and cheap to fix- minus of not a lot of safety) Similar for a diesel Smart car, same good/bad as the Jimny. Bit more money to insure (and thanks to someone pointing it out) is a circa 2001/2002 1.4 engined Honda Civic or a Daihatsu something or other (so boring I can’t currently recall what’s it’s called. Truly ugly thing so not sure I can do all the plastic chrome to him!) but at least both of these more substantial and a better (but still not great) safety rating. Decisions, decisions.
Pip1968 said:
If this isn't left field then I do not know what is: Get him to move to France where he can drive an electric car without even having a driving licence. He can then build up his driving experience, learn French, experience the pleasures of a French girl and come back when insurance is cheaper over here.
By then we will be in those automated sh#t self driving cars anyway.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35210572
Pip
His mum said “non”. Merde. Back to English insurance prices. By then we will be in those automated sh#t self driving cars anyway.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35210572
Pip
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Some of the suggestions on here, for a young inexperienced driver who statistically may well crash, BL Mini, kit car, Westfield, Renault Twizzy. I don't know about thinking outside the box, but these are far more likely to put your kid in a box!
Is anyone, apart from me & Bert, remotely concerned about their kid's safety? Their likelihood to walk away from a big accident?
Is anyone, apart from me & Bert, remotely concerned about their kid's safety? Their likelihood to walk away from a big accident?
To be fair I have referenced safety as a concern on the cars I’ve found. Hence my reticence to push the button on a Jimny. Whilst it seems built like a tank and with a ladder chassis and straight corners I guess reasonably impervious to lower speed damage I’m also conscious it doesn’t have a) a good safety score or b) much in the way of a safety kit.
Having said that my first car was an 80’s escort and his mum’s an older Talbot. We are both still here.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The thousands who aren't will be unlikely to be posting about it.
Agreed, which is why I won’t put him in some of the suggestions on here. However, there is also a middle ground. Go any any teaming wet motorway and count how many “invincible” 4x4’s go past at warp speed as the owners erroneously believe two driven axles defy the laws of physics.There is probably some psychological merit in being in something with less safety equipment and/or size encouraging you to be more considered; as some people have suggested. So for the same reason I wouldn’t put him in a twizzy I wouldn’t (even if I could afford it) put him in a Range Rover as a first car.
BertBert said:
Just as an additional idea which I don't think has been mentioned is to try multi-car cover. Works very well for me with a mix of cars and offspring. I don't have teenagers on it any more, but for my 25 year old it's under half the price of independent quotes.
And from the beginning of the kids driving activities, it has worked well.
Bert
This is popping up time after time and isn’t something I’ve ever looked at. I’ll give it a whirl. And from the beginning of the kids driving activities, it has worked well.
Bert
TwigtheWonderkid said:
But if you are funding it, either in full or in part, which most are, then you have an absolutely entitled to impose conditions. And they then have the right to say "stuff your money, I'll go without a car". Which is unlikely to happen, in my experience.
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