Getting insured as a new driver
Help reduce the cost of your car insurance.
Why is insurance for new drivers so expensive?
One of the main reasons car cover can be costly for young or new drivers is the risk attached to insuring you.
The cost of your insurance is set by actuaries who calculate risk, and underwriters who assess your individual circumstances.
So to an insurer, young or inexperienced drivers are more likely to claim on their insurance – meaning they’re a higher risk to insure. And the higher the risk, the higher the cost of insurance.
What type of car insurance do I need?
Generally, there are 3 different types of car insurance to choose from – Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) and Third Party Only (TPO).
Comprehensive
Comprehensive cover is the highest level of cover you can choose. You’ll be insured against any damage to a third party and their vehicle, as well as to your own. So if you're in an accident, you'll be able to claim for the damage to your own vehicle.
Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT)
Third Party, Fire and Theft offers additional cover for any damage caused by fire, as well as costs if your car is stolen or damaged in a theft or attempted theft.
Third Party Only (TPO)
Third Party Only is the minimum level of cover you can choose. It only covers costs of repair or injuries to a third party following an accident that you cause. It won’t cover any costs to your own car. This option isn't available for Aviva Signature car insurance.
Choosing your level of cover
Firstly, don't assume that the most basic cover is necessarily the cheapest. Take a look at the specific details of each policy as well as things like no claim discounts, to find the most suitable cover for you. You'll start to build up a no claim discount if you don't make any claims within the year, and your insurer will apply a discount, up to a limit, to your premium the following year.
Remember too that if you are able to, paying your premium annually (in one go) rather than in instalments can often be cheaper over the course of the year as there may be additional charges for paying monthly.
Top tips that may reduce the cost of your car insurance
Ultimately, you want to demonstrate to insurers that you're less of a risk than the average new driver. Here's a few things you could do to try and help reduce the cost of your car insurance. Please note, you should always provide complete and accurate answers to the questions asked by your insurer.
Choose a car with a low insurance group rating
Every car made for the UK market is assigned a car insurance group rating of between 1 and 50 by the Association of British Insurers. Ratings are based on things like the value of your car, the performance, the security features it has and how much replacement parts cost.
Typically, cars in a lower insurance group will be cheaper to insure than those in the highest group. So it might be more sensible to go for a practical car rather than something luxurious if you want to keep your insurance premiums down.
Check the size of the engine
Choosing a car a with smaller engine will likely result in lower insurance premiums.
Reduce your mileage
Put simply, the less time you spend on the road and the fewer miles you cover, the less of a risk you pose to an insurer.
Driving only for leisure (and not commuting) is a simple way to reduce the number of miles you cover.
Even if you’re not sure exactly how many miles you’ll drive, your insurer will still ask for an estimate. Try to be as accurate as possible – underestimating your mileage or choosing ‘Social, Domestic and Pleasure’ (SDP) cover when you also commute could mean your policy isn’t valid when you need it.
Consider a Multi Car policy
If you have 2 or more vehicles at your home address, insuring them all under one policy could reduce your premium – as most insurers offer a discount compared to individual policies.
Most comparison sites aren’t able to show these discounts, so you’ll often need to go to providers directly.
Take a look at our Multi Car insurance to see if you could save on your policy.
Keep your car safe and secure
It’s not just the type of car you have, but where you keep it – and how secure it is – that contributes to your car insurance cost.
Parking your car off the road on a secure driveway or in a locked garage at night can help reduce the risk of your car being damaged or stolen.
Additional security features such as immobilisers, tracking devices and car alarms can also bring down the cost of your policy by making your car less attractive to thieves.
Take a look at telematics
Telematics is a way to measure your driving. It's a black box or mobile phone app that monitors how fast you drive, how quickly you brake, and whether you're generally a safe driver.
Put simply, the more safely you drive, the lower the cost of your insurance could be.
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