Five Ways For Young Drivers to Earn Cheap Premiums

If you're a young driver looking to save money on your car insurance there are five simple steps to keeping your premiums at an affordable level.

Step one: Think before you buy.

If you're yet to purchase a vehicle, buy smart. Car insurance companies will penalise you if you buy a vehicle with a large engine that is likely to be driven at fast speeds. Insurers also penalise motorists that drive modified cars because parts can be difficult to replace and some modifications make vehicles more attractive to thieves. So keep your car choice conventional.

Step two: Enhance your driving.

Take a Pass Plus course immediately after passing your driving test. This gives you tuition in a number of different driving scenarios such as driving at night, on motorways and in cities. Completing the Pass Plus course could slash premiums by as much as 35 per cent with some insurers in your first year of driving.

Step three: Look for specialist policies.

Many car insurance providers now offer specialist policies to young drivers with unique schemes aimed at keeping their premiums low. These include pay-as-you-drive schemes, where you agree to have a black box style device installed into your vehicle to record your driving habits. Another is the rapid bonus scheme in which young drivers can earn a full year's no-claims discount in nine or 10 months.

Step four: Ask your parents.

If your parent, or an older friend, has a good driving record, ask if you can add them to your policy as a named driver. With an experienced driver on your policy you could cut your premiums by around five per cent. Do be aware however, that you cannot ask an older driver to front a policy for you as this is illegal.

Step five: Shop around.

As your car insurance premiums are likely to be high you must shop around. You can compare car insurance from as many as 90 providers with a comparison website so use these tools to your advantage.