Insurance for your first car is expensive. According to Quotezone, the average annual car insurance premium for a 17-21-year-old driver is £948.95*. So first car insurance is going to hit hard. But the affordable cover is out there, and we’re going to help you find it.
There’s no getting around it, as you have to have valid insurance to keep your car on the public road. As a minimum, you should have third-party cover, which will take care of the cost of damage to someone else’s car but not your own. Third-party fire and theft add, you’ve guessed it, cover for fire and theft. But fully comprehensive is really your best bet. It covers you and your car as well as third parties.
You’d think that fully comp would be the most expensive type of cover, but this doesn’t always follow. Some insurers see car owners opting for low levels of cover as riskier, so fully comprehensive won’t necessarily cost more than third-party fire and theft.
Most new drivers will find a telematics insurance policy cheaper than the conventional cover. This type of insurance uses a ‘black box’ to keep tabs on how you drive. Careful, law-abiding driving leads to a lower price for your first car insurance.
First car insurance tips
- Consider a telematics insurance policy.
- Shop around for the best price and deal.
- Pick a car with a low insurance group rating.
- Keep the car on a driveway if there’s space at home – or better still, in a garage.
- Use a steering wheel lock or some other form of extra security.
- Don’t modify the car – the standard spec will cost less to insure.
- If you are only going to cover a few miles each year, go for a limited mileage policy.
- Consider a bigger excess (the amount you chip into the cost of a claim) to bring down your premium.
- Don’t claim for minor damage if the cost of repairs is barely more than the excess – you don’t want to lose your no-claims bonus.
*This is based on car policy purchases made via Quotezone by 17 to 21-year-old drivers on Jan 21. The prices you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances.
This information is intended for editorial purposes only and not intended as a recommendation or financial advice.
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FirstCar has teamed up with QuoteZone to help new drivers find a great deal from the UK’s top insurance providers.
