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Another Path - part IV

1000 replies

321zyx · 01/05/2021 20:24

Apologies if I've done this wrong! I seemed to have filled up the last thread, hopefully the abbreviated title is ok!

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11
quest1on · 22/06/2021 20:26

don’t know where that random “U.K.” came from!

Pumpkintopf · 22/06/2021 21:17

Thanks @MidLifeCrisis007 that's really helpful- and agree with chopc, well done you for doing all the instructing! I'll have a look at the comparison sites, presumably I could put him in as a provisional licence holder then as a newly qualified driver to get the options and see how much the cost would be impacted. Can't imagine he'll be using the car much (if we ever manage to get him a test!) apart from maybe hols at home but would be nice to have the flexibility.

@quest1on I agree, there appear to have been massive variations in how these TAGS have been handled, and the guidance from each devolved administration varies just to add to the confusion. As you say - one qualification! Meanwhile most poor schools and teachers are just trying to do their best for the kids I think, certainly based on the conversations I've had with DS's school who have worked so hard as they are a single academy trust, to get external moderation for their grades to ensure they're doing the right thing.

Bowbridge · 22/06/2021 21:32

I am friends with a Head of English at a local Grammar. They had to send samples of work as requested by the exam board today to verify grades. It is good to see exam boards requesting work so grades will be fairly awarded.

chopc · 22/06/2021 21:39

Must admit I have managed to hide my anxiety about the total chaos of the TAG's for a while........ what a horrendous process for everyone.

Have run out of things to say about them

BigWoollyJumpers · 22/06/2021 21:47

Well done to driving test passers. Took DD out again today in mine. It is going OK, but not brilliant. I have a Mini, but a Cooper, so she is finding it a bit powerful, it's very on or off, if you know what I mean. We insure that with separate learner insurance with Marmalade.

DD1 was insured on mine too when she learnt, but when she passed we couldn't insure her on it, and DH has a very large, powerful automatic, so she dipped into her savings and bought herself a Fiat 500, which she loves. We insure all the cars with Aviva at the moment, with DH and I on the Fiat, it reduced the premiums for her. Our three cars were about £1,500 to begin with, now three years down the line, it is £850, which is much better. We also moved from Direct Line to Aviva. I tend to move every couple of years to get better deals.

Pumpkintopf · 22/06/2021 23:10

@BigWoollyJumpers that's quite a reduction!

Is there an easy way of finding insurers who'll do the multi car thing - it sounds like a good way to reduce premiums.

Revengeofthepangolins · 23/06/2021 08:18

Even when you do multicast you still have to do the whole compare them market bore each year - I have found the discount evaporates in renewal (although admiral have both times met the other prices I brandished at them). V boring

BigWoollyJumpers · 23/06/2021 09:50

[quote Pumpkintopf]@BigWoollyJumpers that's quite a reduction!

Is there an easy way of finding insurers who'll do the multi car thing - it sounds like a good way to reduce premiums. [/quote]
So, I have used Direct Line and Aviva.

I got quotes from Admiral and LV. Admiral was just a pita to get a quote, and LV included lots of things we don't need like commuting on all cars. They have the same terms for the group of cars, which made it more expensive for us. They all have slightly different excesses too, so that's important to check. I always go for the minimum ie: no extra excess and full comp, and with legal protection too.

Aviva I have found to be the easiest to mess about with, all on-line and you can move things around and up and down, and for each car have different set-ups, which because our cars are all very different in speed and value, is important for us.

It IS a PITA, but set aside a morning and just hit the computer!!

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 23/06/2021 09:59

Ds hasn't had any driving lessons due to covid. The plan was get his provisional and start lessons then pootle around with me in my car until his test but covid put an end to all of it. He will learn later. Now I have to keep my oh sooo economical car, read she drives like an old lady, I don't actually need anything more sporty but I do miss the acceleration of my previous car.

He did do Young Driver though where you drive in a car with an instructor before you are 17 so he has driven a bit. The instructors he had said he was great. They were in a car park which had a roundabout, a hill for hill starts, junctions and parking bays. He started that at 14.

The only thing Ds was told about grades was if your mock grade was better than one of the assessment grades they were using for 20% of the final grade, they would use that. It did not benefit Ds at all as it was the same. So he knows what 20% of his grade is but that means nothing when you do not know your "non-exam" exam grades. So August it is. I wish we were in Wales, would give you so much time to react and plan if needed.

Ds is currently camping in a large group some of whom are going to bed at dawn but are playing music and not caring about those in tents trying to sleep. They are on an official camp site but sadly they are in a camping field which doesn't come under the shut the fuck up at 10pm. He is enjoying some of it and some of them but I think listening to people throw up at 3am isn't his idea of fun. It is all part of learning some people are not great people when they have been drinking. Grin

Second vaccine for me and Dh today, he was fine last time, I was very unwell. I am hoping I sail through it this time.

Obviously all this is completely off topic but I thought that is where we were all at now, this being a support thread for parents and what we have been through but also somewhere we can just share bits of our lives too. I love reading updates from everyone.

chopc · 23/06/2021 10:46

Absolutely @OnTheBenchOfDoom . I love reading people's updates too

Revengeofthepangolins · 23/06/2021 14:09

Agreed!

chopc · 23/06/2021 14:24

@BigWoollyJumpers is the insurance under your DC name or yours? I know it says better fir then to start building up their no claims but the cheapest quote we can get for him is around £4K

MidLifeCrisis007 · 23/06/2021 14:56

DD said a friend of hers is paying £4k to insure a small Audi. That's bonkers isn't it?!

As and when one of our kids passes, we will be adding them onto a policy in DH's name in the short term. For reference, attached are the 2 lowest quotes that came up from the Meerkats if adding my 17 year old daughter to the policy. Some other insurers came in with sky high quotes.

Another Path - part IV
chopc · 23/06/2021 15:19

Adding a learner driver is not actually not expensive. But insuring a newly qualified one seems to be.....

Thanks for the info. Will take another look

MidLifeCrisis007 · 23/06/2021 16:02

Just for clarification @chopc.... DD and DS1 are already insured as learner drivers (on a policy with GoGirl). The quotes I have provided are to insure my 17 year old daughter as an independent driver on DH's policy (it's a Mini One). So the point is - shop around. Some insurers seem keener to take on young, newly qualified drivers than others!

It's all hypothetical though. As she hasn't passed yet. And her teacher (me!) took 3 attempts to pass so heaven help her! Come to think of it, she could be in the much cheaper 26+ bracket by the time she passes!

chopc · 23/06/2021 16:20

Yes I got it after I read it again@MidLifeCrisis007 🙈. Just now I got a quote for £1100 odd with a company called general accident. Have not heard of them but that's a vast improvement on £4K!
Thanks for the tips

PS. I am sure your DD will pass in no time! A lot depends on luck as well

BigWoollyJumpers · 23/06/2021 16:24

[quote chopc]@BigWoollyJumpers is the insurance under your DC name or yours? I know it says better fir then to start building up their no claims but the cheapest quote we can get for him is around £4K [/quote]
Yes. We all have our own insurance, under our own names, and each own our own cars. The policies basically just give you a discount on all, for all three being together, and all t the same address. It does seem that it has worked out better that way. As Pumpkintopft said, the discounts each year, come quite quickly, so good for the DC's in the long run.

DD1's first year was somewhere in the region of £800, then second year £600, then this year £500. Not actual figures, because no paperwork these days.... but it does really come down. She only has a Fiat 500 1L though.

BigWoollyJumpers · 23/06/2021 16:44

OK.... got it more accurate now..... DD1 cost and extra £620 for seven months on her first year with Aviva, added to our multicar.

They were really expensive for the second year quote, so we moved to Direct Line, second year for all three £1,300. Third year, Direct Line then took the piss by increasing the quote (!), so moved back to Aviva £1,100 for all three. This year £995 for all three. A bit complicated, but DH also changed cars three time in those years, and all were very insurance heavy too.

My tip - you have to change every year as well, sigh.

chopc · 23/06/2021 17:02

Yep thanks for the info @BigWoollyJumpers

MidLifeCrisis007 · 23/06/2021 17:41

@chopc

Yes I got it after I read it again@MidLifeCrisis007 🙈. Just now I got a quote for £1100 odd with a company called general accident. Have not heard of them but that's a vast improvement on £4K! Thanks for the tips

PS. I am sure your DD will pass in no time! A lot depends on luck as well

General Accident are v reputable - originally a Scottish company that's merged and merged again over the years and is now one of the car insurance brands of Aviva, rather than a standalone company if you get my gist.
chopc · 23/06/2021 17:52

Oh really @MidLifeCrisis007? That's fab news actually. Think we are done! 👏🏽👏🏽

Pumpkintopf · 23/06/2021 21:14

Am also loving all the updates! Feel very invested in all of you after the rollercoaster we've been on together. Would love if we could meet one day and see if @chopc 's mental pictures of us all are anywhere near correct 😁

Also thanks for all the car insurance tips, will take your advice and hit the computer!

chopc · 23/06/2021 21:40

You know what @Pumpkintopf , would love that too!

MidLifeCrisis007 · 23/06/2021 21:58

Well Ratty & Mole are hitting the river again tomorrow.

Won't be long before we put Helen Glover and Polly Swan out of a job! Wink

Pumpkintopf · 23/06/2021 22:32

Amazing! Enjoy you two - shall look forward to the latest instalment of Tales from the Riverbank.

In other news - wtf? Saw this on Twitter and assumed it was a joke- apparently not.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jun/23/uk-education-secretary-mocked-for-one-britain-one-nation-day-song

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