Car insurance premium increase after passing test

[OOOTTAFVGVAH]

I'm learning to drive at the moment and am buying a car this week to practise in so will be insuring it on my provisional license.

I'm just wondering how much people had to fork out to insurers after they informed them they'd passed there test?

I've compared quotes for provisional and full licenses but I'm concerned that insurance companies are going to charge me more than a new customer would pay for a full license insurance because I've basically got no choice!

New drivers are charged a fortune because new drivers are more likely to have an accident. Learner insurance takes account of the learner being supervised by another driver all the time.

I'm dreading DC1 passing their test and the resulting hike in my premiums!

Exactly!

Just spoke to Churchill and the advisor said he'd never heard of it costing more than a few hundred extra when their customers pass. Going to go with them - Hastings were much more cagey. Dreading being given a bill of £1000 on the day I pass.

Some companies charge less if you have their 'black box' installed. It will cost you a small fortune though, because of the statistical risk. I'm expecting around £2.5k for DC1. I pay £165 for me plus DH.

How old are you? I was 31 when I passed my test,my insurance went from £700 as a learner to £1450 second year it dropped to £950 so only the first year it was really high.

Another asking how old you are? I’m 35 and passed last year and my premium actually went down once I’d passed. We’re with Aviva

It absolutely costs more once a driver passes the test as they’re no longer accompanied as they are when they’re learning. Shop about using the comparison sites, don’t just go on the word of what someone’s said on the phone

I was 33 when I passed. 34 when I bought my first car. I've never paid more than £400 for insurance. Being relatively old (compared to a 17 year old at least!) definitely counts in your favour where car insurance is concerned

From what I can remember from when I worked for Churchill and Direct Line about 18 month ago, they didn't put your premium up when changing from provisional to full license holder

I’m nearly 21. Done comparison quotes for full vs provisional and there are only a few hundred pounds in it which I’m happy with - my query was whether when updating your policy they stick to close to this or charge over the odds as you’re trapped. I’m in a very low risk area.

Thanks for the replies - really helpful for a complete newbie.

JustBeen thank you for that - that really helps.

Mine didn't change at all.

Do you have any police in your family/in-laws?

I passed in September, I was 25. Mine went up to about £700. I have a small car which in the grand scheme of cars is fairly inexpensive.

gamerchick

No police in family although now I'm intrigued - does that change cost?

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver

Would you mind if I ask which insurance company that was with?

And also whether this brought the cost up to more than a new quote/policy would have been for you as a fully licensed driver?

@OOOTTAFVGVAH I'm with admiral. I ran quotes on comparison sites with my provisional and then pretended I'd just passed and ran another and they averaged out better over all. They were slightly dearer before I passed but cheaper after.

It was about the same price as I was getting running a new quote at the time I passed.

Also no black box so that's a bonus

The insurers the police use are just bog standard insurance with no bells and whistles, no upfront cost etc, no frills or other crap. Members of the family can access it as well.

smartcarnotsosmartdriver

Ah that's really good to know. That's what I've been trying to do but wasn't sure if the online quotes for a new customer reflect the price you pay when you change your policy midway through to full license (if that makes any sense...)

I asked them when I took the policy as a learner if they would take what I had seen online into consideration when I passed and they said that they would. So if I had a quote from a comparison site when I called and they were dearer then I could speak to them about it but I don't know if there was any truth in it. They offered a good price anyway.

Police Mutual is the company.

If you don't like the figure after you have passed then you can cancel but there will be a fee. Check cancellation fees when you get the initial insurance on the provisional.

Ps if you don't like the figure and try to cancel, the may well bring it down.

smartcarnotsosmartdriver

Thank you so much for your help - that's exactly what I needed to know. 6 hours of frantic forum searching and phone calls hadn't got me any closer!

The police insurers sounds like it would be great for anyone applicable. Interesting to know about.