Can anyone advise about getting car insurance for a 17 yr old boy?

[SmellsLikeTeenSweat]

He drives a moped & is taking driving lessons.

My own insurance company have quoted £2600 to add him on as a named driver to my (very cheap) policy.

A friend has offered us a car, an old Peugeot, for £300. I've just had a quote to insure it for ...£4700

Any ideas please, or is this just a pian barrier we have to go through - ay up or he doesn't drive until he's 45 20?

What we do with our 18 year old (who has passed, so not a provisional driver) is put him on for a block at a time (say a month over the summer, or a week at half term). This way, it's a one-off payment,he gets to keep up his skill, and the payment doesn't go on all year.
The companies are happy to do this.

Nonno - I didn't know you could do that. He has a job to do next year that will involve commuting a long way for a while, so that might be an idea. Then back to the moped!

Rupert thanks for that - I've had a quick look and it looks interesting. Will have another lookwhen I get back from work tomight. I heart MN!

We put DS (age 17)onto our insurance in the summer for my 09 1.2 Fiesta, he is still learning, and there is a £500 accidental damage excess, but the insurance was "only" £400 for the year. This is with Frizzell, so they might be worth looking at.

useful information here, thanks lady. Am in the same boat and it is ridiculous money to insure DS. Am trying to persuade DH to get rid of his stupid subaru and get a little run around that DS1 can drive but he doesn't seem keen

Glad to be of assistance (actually - think I learnt this little morsel from Mumsnet!)

And NO driving after midnight...

lol re little runaround - I'm told that a car is only as good as its alloy wheels and the bass on its stereo...

I work for a large car insurer and to be honest the insurers aren't being unfair - the claims stats really do warrant the prices that young male drivers as a whole 'risk' group are charged. I do sympathise cos a) the figures quoted do often seem beyond belief and b)I have 3 boys myself so I know I'm going to hit this issue in the future.

Some things to look at which have already been mentioned are:

• pass plus - about a further 12 hours of driving lessons (I think) but it can bring premiums down by 10% with some insurers. Often the local council can give you advice as to how to go through a pass plus course.
• naming adults on the policy as additional drivers can help as mentioned
• household multicar disounts (try your own insurer obvioulsy for this)

• don't assume third party will give a cheaper premium than fully comp. Logic would say it should but the profile of a third party customer is sometimes riskier
• please don't go down the 'fronting' route. It's classed as a fraudulant claim if found out and insurers will be looking at this if the child is responsible in an accident in their 'parents' car. By making a fraudulent claim your own house and car insurance could be declined in the future.
• if you do put your son on your car rather than his own some insurers will let him accrue no claims discounts to use for when he does get his own car

- don't let your kid 'modify' his car cos you'll pay through the nose for this. - I thnk it's aviva who is trying to help by offering restricted insurance only in certain hours i.e before 11pm to help combat the problem for some young drivers (i don't work for them btw)