words Al Woods
If you’ve just passed your test, we understand that you’ll be desperate to get behind the wheel of your very first car. However, it’s important to have the right car insurance in place before you can hit the road.
In this article, we’ll be providing a handy guide to buying car insurance as a first-time driver.
How do insurers decide on your premium?
There are so many different options when it comes to taking out car insurance. You can use comparison sites to work out which deal best suits you, but you’ll need to fill out a form first to get a quote.
Insurers will take into account several factors to decide on the cost of your premium. These include:
- Your age, occupation and address
- The type of car you own, alongside its engine size, value, and how old it is
- How often you use your car
- Where you keep your car at night
- Any additional drivers using your car
Cost of cover and excesses
As a new driver, insurers will consider you as inexperienced and therefore, may hike the price of your premium in the event of any accidents. That’s because 1 in 5 drivers crash within a year of passing their test.
There are a few ways in which to reduce the cost of your new car insurance, such as the type of car you drive. Cars are rated by insurance companies based on how much they will likely cost to repair or replace in the event of a claim.
Ensure to keep your car parked on a driveway or in a locked garage, if possible. This is to let your insurer know that your vehicle is left overnight in a safe and secure place. Or, if you don’t have access to this, try to keep it parked in a well-lit area outside your home.
An excess is the amount you choose to pay if you find yourself having to make a claim. The size of your excess will be determined by your age, experience, and the type of car that is insured.
Top tips to help you decide
Firstly, you’ll need to decide what type of car insurance you want. There are three levels of cover available – fully comprehensive, third-party, and third-party, fire and theft.
We recommend you take out fully comprehensive insurance, as this covers you, your car and anyone else involved in an accident.
Some companies may include free add-ons or extras to make their car insurance more appealing, so look out for what’s included as standard to get an idea of what you’ll be paying for. You should also check what types of breakdown cover each insurer offers to get the best deal. However, you might not need this if it’s already included in your car warranty.
There are several special policies you can benefit from too, such as black box insurance, multi-car policies, and young driver insurance. Try to shop around to find the very best insurance for your circumstances.
