Older adult - getting insured on a provisional

JimmyCorkhill

Hey, looking for some advice, I have given a bit of background.

In the 35-40 age bracket, never really driven before apart from 15 years ago for a couple of months on a provisional licence on parents car.

Need to get back driving and going to go with an automatic car (not comfortable driving but feel the automatic will make it a bit easier to get back into it with less stress, aware of the downsides).

Will look to purchase my own automatic car for say around 4-5k if possible, maybe more.

My questions are on what is my best approach re: insurance & to keep the costs down.

I only have a provisional licence(received it before the lockdown).

1. To reduce insurance costs, is there a way to get one of my parents or a family member insured on the car I plan to purchase as the main driver or something? Even though they have their own cars?
2. What type of insurance should I look for?
3. In terms of a car, should I look for a car below a certain engine size to reduce insurance costs?
4. Again in terms of car, should I get a car off a certain age? i.e no more than 15 years old for example or does that make a difference?

Any other advice is much appreciated, hoping with age on my side my insurance might b a bit cheaper but probably not.

Thanks

biko

Trolling removed

treascon

JimmyCorkhill wrote: »

Hey, looking for some advice, I have given a bit of background.

In the 35-40 age bracket, never really driven before apart from 15 years ago for a couple of months on a provisional licence on parents car.

Need to get back driving and going to go with an automatic car (not comfortable driving but feel the automatic will make it a bit easier to get back into it with less stress, aware of the downsides).

Will look to purchase my own automatic car for say around 4-5k if possible, maybe more.

My questions are on what is my best approach re: insurance & to keep the costs down.

I only have a provisional licence(received it before the lockdown).

1. To reduce insurance costs, is there a way to get one of my parents or a family member insured on the car I plan to purchase as the main driver or something? Even though they have their own cars?
2. What type of insurance should I look for?
3. In terms of a car, should I look for a car below a certain engine size to reduce insurance costs?
4. Again in terms of car, should I get a car off a certain age? i.e no more than 15 years old for example or does that make a difference?

Any other advice is much appreciated, hoping with age on my side my insurance might b a bit cheaper but probably not.

Thanks

1. Don’t do this. Known as fronting & insurance co will come down on you like a tonne of bricks if caught doing this. By all means name a parent or similar as a named driver & might bring the premium down.
2. Get quotes for both comprehensive & Tpft & see which is cheapest.
3. The smaller the engine size the better.
4. Try not to purchase over 10 years old.

Good luck with it. You mention paying between €4-5k for the car. I fear that’s what you’ll pay in premium!

JimmyCorkhill

treascon wrote: »

1. Don’t do this. Known as fronting & insurance co will come down on you like a tonne of bricks if caught doing this. By all means name a parent or similar as a named driver & might bring the premium down.
2. Get quotes for both comprehensive & Tpft & see which is cheapest.
3. The smaller the engine size the better.
4. Try not to purchase over 10 years old.

Good luck with it. You mention paying between €4-5k for the car. I fear that’s what you’ll pay in premium!

Thank you for your reply.

1. Didnt even know they had a term for it. Is "fronting" illegal?

Oh wow, 4/5k for insurance is outrageous.

Was hoping for 2/3k.

Need to get driving though.

treascon

Yes fronting is illegal and could result in cancellation of a policy and/or a fraud conviction. If you had a couple of years named driving experience I believe 2-3k would be a more realistic figure. Without any I would imagine you’ll be looking at closer to 4-5k

Turbohymac

Possibly another option would be ..to be included as a named driver in one of your parents policies..but of course they would have to be the owner of the vehicle also..this would help build up a no claims bonus.. you should also price around to see what quotes you get before purchasing a car..and stick with as close to 1 litre engine as possible but again this might not be so easy when you want automatic transmission
If I were you I'd go insurance pricing first and maybe as already mentioned go as a named driver if one of your parents aren't doing much driving you could get them to change their car for an automatic.. either way you're still going to need a full license holder with you even if you buy your own insurance and car.. that's going to be expensive op..10/15k for any half decent automatic and insurance.. named driver won't cost much extra for one of your parents
Good luck

JimmyCorkhill

Turbohymac wrote: »

Possibly another option would be ..to be included as a named driver in one of your parents policies..but of course they would have to be the owner of the vehicle also..this would help build up a no claims bonus.. you should also price around to see what quotes you get before purchasing a car..and stick with as close to 1 litre engine as possible but again this might not be so easy when you want automatic transmission
If I were you I'd go insurance pricing first and maybe as already mentioned go as a named driver if one of your parents aren't doing much driving you could get them to change their car for an automatic.. either way you're still going to need a full license holder with you even if you buy your own insurance and car.. that's going to be expensive op..10/15k for any half decent automatic and insurance.. named driver won't cost much extra for one of your parents
Good luck

Thank you for your reply.

One parent has an automatic car, the other a manual. The automatic is a large car & I would not feel comfortable driving it.
I will look to start off in a small car like a Toyota Yaris for example.

If I have not done any lessons but have a provisional, could I still get insured as a named driver on the parents automatic car for the benefit of a few months no claims bonus before purchasing my own car? Is a few months no claims bonus even worth it or would I want at least a year?

I will indeed go insurance pricing in the next couple of days, just to try get a ballpark idea.
Thinking the criteria for the insurer will be - a small 1/1.2 litre car, 8-10 years old, automatic, say I only have a provisional licence, will be looking to be the policy holder/main driver.

God knows how high the insurance estimates will be.

Eggs For Dinner

As a named driver, you don't earn a no claims bonus, you gain "named driver experience" . It is helpful, but not of the same value as a bonus with insurers. To be of any use, it needs to be in blocks of 12 complete, consecutive months

Bass Reeves

Eggs For Dinner wrote: »

As a named driver, you don't earn a no claims bonus, you gain "named driver experience" . It is helpful, but not of the same value as a bonus with insurers. To be of any use, it needs to be in blocks of 12 complete, consecutive months

Not totally correct. If you have get driving experience some companies will match it year for year on a no claims bonus. My son had two years named experience and an insurance company gave him a NCB for two years.

As a provisional driver technically you cannot be fronted so there is no issue in being a named driver. You cannot drive unaccompanied therefore another driver can be main driver. However insurance companies have made it very hard for fronting to take place by loading second car's, expecting drivers to be in the one household and not allowing existing NCB on a second car.

Ideally you should learn to drive on a car owned by another person. Consider learning to drive and doing your test on an instructor car. However with COVID expect it to take you 12-18 months before you sit your test. You should consider getting insurance in one of your parents cars and do your test in it as you cannot drive unaccompanied buying s car before you have completed a test is of little benefit

My son when he was 19 had two years driving experience as a named driver and got insurance for 1700 euro in his own name.

El Gato De Negocios

JimmyCorkhill wrote: »

Hey, looking for some advice, I have given a bit of background.

In the 35-40 age bracket, never really driven before apart from 15 years ago for a couple of months on a provisional licence on parents car.

Need to get back driving and going to go with an automatic car (not comfortable driving but feel the automatic will make it a bit easier to get back into it with less stress, aware of the downsides).

Will look to purchase my own automatic car for say around 4-5k if possible, maybe more.

My questions are on what is my best approach re: insurance & to keep the costs down.

I only have a provisional licence(received it before the lockdown).

1. To reduce insurance costs, is there a way to get one of my parents or a family member insured on the car I plan to purchase as the main driver or something? Even though they have their own cars?
2. What type of insurance should I look for?
3. In terms of a car, should I look for a car below a certain engine size to reduce insurance costs?
4. Again in terms of car, should I get a car off a certain age? i.e no more than 15 years old for example or does that make a difference?

Any other advice is much appreciated, hoping with age on my side my insurance might b a bit cheaper but probably not.

Thanks

Its going to be expensive no matter what you do. Best long term option is to just take out a policy in your own name. First port of call is to decide what kind of car you are going to get, something 1 litre and less than 8 years old, for €5k you should be able to find something decent in that space. Year 1 will be the most expensive but there are providers out there that specialise in first time drivers. As far as I know boxymo are still going, they put a telematics box in the car to help keep costs down. Some people dont like the idea of big brother watching but as you are older and just want to get on the road, I doubt you will be out doing donuts trying to impress the lads so the box shouldn't be an issue. Take as many lessons as you can and sit the test as soon as is allowed. Good luck to you.

anplaya27

First car was on a provisional, a 1.4. 3 years ago. Was 34. Cost about 800.

2nd car was 2l, on full license 6 months later was 970. I would recommend going for your full license as soon as you can.

It varies. Shop around it my advice. People were telling me 2,3, 4 grand. None of them were correct. I think its just a lottery really.

treascon

anplaya27 wrote: »

First car was on a provisional, a 1.4. 3 years ago. Was 34. Cost about 800.

2nd car was 2l, on full license 6 months later was 970. I would recommend going for your full license as soon as you can.

It varies. Shop around it my advice. People were telling me 2,3, 4 grand. None of them were correct. I think its just a lottery really.

Who was the insurer on the first policy at €800? With zero named driving experience?

Bass Reeves

treascon wrote: »

Who was the insurer on the first policy at €800? With zero named driving experience?

Lads coming back from abroad with s full licence and no NCB are often pay well over double that

JimmyCorkhill

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Not totally correct. If you have get driving experience some companies will match it year for year on a no claims bonus. My son had two years named experience and an insurance company gave him a NCB for two years.

As a provisional driver technically you cannot be fronted so there is no issue in being a named driver. You cannot drive unaccompanied therefore another driver can be main driver. However insurance companies have made it very hard for fronting to take place by loading second car's, expecting drivers to be in the one household and not allowing existing NCB on a second car.

Ideally you should learn to drive on a car owned by another person. Consider learning to drive and doing your test on an instructor car. However with COVID expect it to take you 12-18 months before you sit your test. You should consider getting insurance in one of your parents cars and do your test in it as you cannot drive unaccompanied buying s car before you have completed a test is of little benefit

My son when he was 19 had two years driving experience as a named driver and got insurance for 1700 euro in his own name.

Thanks for your reply.

I am going down the automatic route & am adamant on that, the only automatic in the house is too large a car and I would not feel comfortable learning or driving in that, so it won't happen in that car I'm afraid. I am well aware I am limiting myself going automatic and wanting to learn in a small car but I'm comfortable & clear in what I want & it is the only way I will consider getting back in a car.:o

Unfortunately nobody else has an automatic I can learn to drive in, so ultimately I need my own automatic car. The other reason for having my own car is so I can do my test in that also, having had 6 months accoompanied experience in the car.

I presume I can be the main policy holder as a provisional driver?

The 12/18 months is a bit of disaster in terms of waiting for a test, the plan was to learn and sit the test after the 6 months or so period I needed to wait.
If I have to wait that long (12/18 months) and can only drive accompanied in the meantime, it's not really worth my while doing anything until the waiting time reduces.

Statutory Ape wrote: »

Its going to be expensive no matter what you do. Best long term option is to just take out a policy in your own name. First port of call is to decide what kind of car you are going to get, something 1 litre and less than 8 years old, for €5k you should be able to find something decent in that space. Year 1 will be the most expensive but there are providers out there that specialise in first time drivers. As far as I know boxymo are still going, they put a telematics box in the car to help keep costs down. Some people dont like the idea of big brother watching but as you are older and just want to get on the road, I doubt you will be out doing donuts trying to impress the lads so the box shouldn't be an issue. Take as many lessons as you can and sit the test as soon as is allowed. Good luck to you.

Thanks for your reply.

Yep something around 8 years old, automatic, & 1 litre sounds good to me.

The idea of a telematics box would not be an issue for me.

Yep the plan was to do a load of lessons, and try sit the test ASAP but a 12/18 month wait for a test was longer than I expected.

anplaya27 wrote: »

First car was on a provisional, a 1.4. 3 years ago. Was 34. Cost about 800.

2nd car was 2l, on full license 6 months later was 970. I would recommend going for your full license as soon as you can.

It varies. Shop around it my advice. People were telling me 2,3, 4 grand. None of them were correct. I think its just a lottery really.

Thanks for your reply.

What company's did you find best for someone in your situation?

Turbohymac

Named driver under my wifes policy worked fine for me..but yes op its each year of driving experience while driving under a parents/wife/partner etc.. unfortunately for you right now op..going as a named driver only for a few months won't help..unless as I've already stated that one of your parents were willing to downsize.. but if they already have a big automatic car that you're not confident to dtive..which is totally understandable..well then your only option left is phone around for insurance quotes. And have your mind set..at least for the insurance quote on a specific type car and engine size. As said already its going to be expensive and like other posters already mentioned.. buy a decent car well under 10 yrs old..yaris would b good