Can’t get car insurance for 18 year old son - anyone else having this issue?

[Picklemeyellow]

DS18 passed his test a year ago and has been driving his own car since then.

All year he has been insured with a black box. Has had no issues with his driving, no convictions, penalties etc and drives well.

However, his insurance is up for renewal and his current insurer has said he doesn’t meet their criteria and therefore can not insure him this year.

We are now struggling to find an insurer. We’ve tried a few comparison sites and they are quoting ridiculous amounts, at least £400 per month (currently paying £180 per month). Other companies we have called are repeating the same, that he doesn’t meet the criteria etc.
I’ve just called my insurer, Direct Line to see about getting him on my insurance but again he doesn’t meet the criteria, the guy I spoke to at Direct Line has said it’s because the insurance will be way more than the value of the car and it’s not worth them insuring him.

What on earth can he do? He is a very careful, competent driver and has had no issues with the black box. He drives a 16 year old, 1.4ltr Fiesta which has had no modifications etc. It’s book value is only £800.

He has just been offered an apprenticeship in an industry he has wanted to get into all year and needs his car to get to and from work (it’s 30 miles away and not on a public transport route). I don’t know what we can do.

Can anyone recommend any insurance companies that we may have missed?

Increased costs (wages, technological, heating and lighting, legal, car parts, courtesy cars, personal injury claims).

That is definitely fronting. It’s textbook.

Try Admiral?

Try Acorn insurance?

Insurance has absolutely shot up in the last few year. It will likely be the age and low value of the car. We are looking at getting DS his first car. The insurance quotes are coming out cheaper for newer more expensive cars. So I think looking at the cost of insurance and cost of the car together is the way to go. It could be he is better off buying a newer car to get the cheaper insurance. The good news is as he is 18 he can get a car on finance. DS is having to buy his outright as he is only 17.

God, what a day. Been spent on every comparison and insurance site we could think of. So many wouldn’t quote or quoted ridiculous amounts.
Even contacted my own insurer (Direct Line) but they wouldn’t insure him either, the guy said it would be either due to his age or the car.

Managed to have (eventually) found a company who will insure him, it’s called Hedgehog insurance, costing £1400.

Its all so very frustrating. I appreciate young male drivers are statistically more likely to be ‘at risk’ drivers but how on earth are young people supposed to start making their way in life, to make their way to work locations and training. The location of DS’s apprenticeship job is quite off the beaten track and he starts very early in the morning, getting public transport would be a nightmare. He’s just trying to get himself a career and earn a living, so many bloody stumbling blocks in this shitty country.

Hellocatshome I’d very much doubt ds would qualify for finance just yet as he’s only just started his apprenticeship but we will look into it. He also doesn’t have any deposit for a new car other than his old cheapy Fiesta.

It will be that it's a 1.4.

All
Insurances are going through the roof this year.

Sell
It and buy a 1 litre or 1.1/1.2

If you go online and put in quotes for a fiesta that engine size youl def get insurers that will take him

What lenalamont is suggesting is illegal unless you're genuinely the main driver... Google fronting

That's cheap tbh mine was 1.8k on provisional license and 2k when qualified on a 1.2L ancient fiesta (I'm now 32)

It must be because it’s a Fiesta more than anything because we got quotes for him with my car (out of curiosity), it’s a 2011 1.6 diesel Mini and was quoted approx £1200 via several companies yet his 1.2 07 plate Fiesta either will not quote or ridiculous figures given, some were £500/600 per month!

Destiny123 just hope they are reputable, their Trustpilot reviews are ok so fingers crossed.

Since ford stopped making the Fiesta they’ve become popular cars to steal. That won’t be helping.

Here in NI the company my 18 year old son was with pulled out recently. His insurance went from 1800 in his first year to 3100 on renewal. Black box and no problems. All down to that company withdrawing from NI.

Not true anymore. When looking for my son 1.4s were coming out cheaper than 1.0 the same age. They have lots of data about young people crashing 1.0s so the premiums are sky high.

Sons are a few years older but basically it’s the 1.4 litre car plus the low value - £800 is peanuts for a car and combined with his age makes him a huge risk!
Please don’t try fronting by pretending it’s you driving. If he crashes into someone you could be classed as uninsured.

Our insurance has rocketed massively because of people driving uninsured.

Wouldn’t dream of doing that Tracker1234 hence the reason I’ve spent all day trying to find him someone who will insure him.

That’s awful. I hope he manages to find an insurer?

Could he get third party insurance instead of fully comp? That way the cost of the car perhaps won't come in to the equation?

When I looked into 3rd party it was more than fully comp.

OP check the dates!!!! Select insure for a months time and see if it goes down. I saved hundreds by waiting.

Gosh, my DS is due to renew next month after his first year driving and I’m dreading it for him, he has and old VW Polo, I will be using your thread to help with it so thank you and I’m glad you finally got sorted even though it was an absolute pain for you.

can I ask, is your DS’s new insurance with a black box?

How can you wait though? You can't be uninsured.

I think Dd is currently on her second year of insurance so I’m hoping next renewal it won’t be horrendous as she should hopefully have two years of ncb. She’ll also be 23yo by then and maybe age helps.

Georgieporgie29 it is with a black box, ds was hoping to be without one this time but it’s virtually impossible to get a quote without. Hope your ds manages to get a decent quote, it’s been a nightmare.

orangegato the insurance runs out on 19th Jan so sadly we can’t wait.

We use a broker and the best they could do it for was 2800. Had to go for it (in tears!) as his was almost up and it was much needed. They said there may be new companies come in which would help but this was a week before Christmas so nothing was going to change in time for us. Hopefully will be better by next year.

Going by what I see on here, our young people’s insurance seems to be higher than England anyway as I’d have been happy with anything below 2000.