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Original poster

Did you put DC on your insurance so they could have driving practice?

17 replies

Bestseller · 08/10/2018 20:22

DS1 has done a handful of lessons and we're getting to the point where I thought we'd take him out for a practice now and again.

It's only a small hatchback with a one litre engine but it would actually be cheaper to buy him an extra hour's lesson per week.

Realistically, I can't see any of us finding much more than one hour per week and the teacher knows what he's doing!

What did you do?

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2018 20:24

We used Marmalade Insurance to cover him while he practiced in my car. Didn't mess with my insurance at all.

gobbin · 08/10/2018 20:24

No, as our BMW and Fiesta would’ve been too much on the insurance. He had weekly 2hr lessons from Dec to May and passed at the end of the May.

BiscuitDrama · 08/10/2018 20:25

Have you looked at learner insurance? You can get a stand alone policy for an hour or a week etc at a time, I think.

BringOnTheScience · 08/10/2018 20:36

Separate learner insurance here. It's great having DC1 driving bits now. They really enjoy having a purpose to it, rather than just going here for this roundabout.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 08/10/2018 20:37

Yes we put our DDs on our insurance. Spent hours taking DD1 out, practising test routes, and she only needed 12 lessons in the end.

FrettyFifties · 08/10/2018 20:42

Marmalade for us too. Recommended to me by a friend - great value and protects your no claims bonus too!

RememberUs · 08/10/2018 20:48

Standalone policy here too, can do it for a day, a week or longer.

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2018 20:52

DS1 had two hours a week of lessons and we took him out as much as we could.

I must warn you that to start with it was very nerve wracking and it took a while for me to relax (inwardly).
I was also shocked at how impatient other road users could be toward learner drivers.

BringOnTheScience · 08/10/2018 20:55

My DC1 really likes that I bought a big magnetic L sign that goes on the roof. It makes it so much more visible that it's a learner. Got friends with slightly younger DCs lined up to borrow it next!

bottledatsource · 08/10/2018 21:01

My insurance said no point blank to having him on mine. I just booked him on an intensive course and got it over and done with in a week

BackforGood · 08/10/2018 21:33

No.
Apart from anything else, instructors cars are set up differently.

I was quite shocked when I took each of my dc out for the first time after they'd passed their tests. Brought is up at a bigger gathering where quite a few new drivers were, and they all said the same.
I have my youngest dc just starting to learn at the moment, and she was scrutinising and picking fault with observing my driving when I was dropping her somewhere. She was arguing with me that I didn't need to put my foot in the celebrator, when about to move off. She maintained you only need to gently lift the clutch (as per instructors cars). I just think it simpler for them to learn to pass their test, then I will help them learn to drive my car after they have passed.

Sparklingbrook · 08/10/2018 21:43

DS1 had most of his lessons with the instructor and took his test in my car. Then he had use of the car once he passed his test.

I have been using Marmalade again to insure him in the Uni holidays as they do insurance specifically for that.

In the New Year it all starts again with DS2.

dawnacorns · 08/10/2018 21:44

brilliant backforgood that your dc was now telling you how to drive. Ask a teenager while they still know everything, as they say!

BackforGood · 08/10/2018 21:54

Indeed. this is my 3rd dc going through the 'learning to drive' process.
I'm amazed how I have managed to go out and about on my own for the first 30 odd years of driving

BringOnTheScience · 08/10/2018 22:26

Oh goodness Yes Back. Just lift the clutch to pull away 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Mine soon learned that my heavier car needed the accelerator too. Slightly uphill busy roundabout 200m from home soon sorted that one.

Stupomax · 09/10/2018 01:59

It's completely different here (I'm in the US). It doesn't cost anything to put your learner driver on the insurance. They do pretty much all their practice driving in your car rather than with instructors.

In my state, they have to do 10 hours with an instructor, then they have to do another 60 hours which they usually do in their parents' car, then they can take their test. They start learning at 15. Also, they go straight on to the freeway as learners.

I'm on my second child learning at this point, and I'm discovering it doesn't get any less nerve-wracking!

nicebitofquiche · 09/10/2018 02:16

No. I put neither of mine on my insurance. I need my car and if anything had happened I couldn't risk not having it whilst getting repaired plus I couldn't afford it. They both learned just using the instructor's car then waited until they bought their own cars to start driving independently.

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