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Original poster

Car insurance - 17 yr old

30 replies

MadMum2015 · 14/02/2021 11:44

Hello all
It's that time, DS turns 17 in the spring and is desperate to start driving. Problem is he has inherited my petrol headedness so will be a fussy bugger. We have a 5.5K budget for the car but the bigger concern is insurance - it seems impossible to get any kind of estimate on insurance costs until he actually has a licence, they will quote on the provisional licence but that is not really indicative of cost once he's passed his test. The 2 cars he most likes within budget are 2010-2013 Alpha Guiletta or Astra GTC but they are group 23 and 25 respectively. Does anyone have idea what this kind of level of car would cost to insure for a 17 year old? My gut is telling me that if he wants a nice car he needs to wait till he's earning but I don't have the evidence to quantify the difference at this point. I've been pressing him to consider the 5 door Astra with the same engine as the 1.6 GTC which is only a group 15 but I don't know what that difference of 10 groups means in insurance costs. I'm sure it will be an easier conversation once I can show him!

Anyone know what the costs would be or how to go about getting the data?
Thanks!

OP posts:
murbblurb · 14/02/2021 11:49

You could try a broker as I imagine the comparison sites won't work, as with his true date of birth he clearly can't be driving yet. Premiums will skyrocket once he passes his test as he won't be supervised any more, and of course freshly-passed youngsters are tree magnets even without a performance car.

I am intrigued at the results you will get, and also if you are in the UK, where he thinks he will be able to drive a performance car that it will get him there any quicker. Outside a racetrack, I suppose.

VanCleefArpels · 14/02/2021 11:52

You can get the quote for the car based on the provisional licence and basically double it to see what it will cost once they pass the test. This is what we found anyway! Also beware black box policies if the car is going to be shared with parents as it’s a real ball ache to keep compliance with the limitations!

NiceTwin · 14/02/2021 12:05

My dd at 18 has a group 5 car.
Her insurance is just over £1500 with a black box and us moving 2 cars and house insurance to the same company.

I would think long and hard about buying a 17 year old a fairly powerful car in comparison to their experience. I would be looking at a small engined car for him to gain experience in before upgrading.
However sensible you may think he is, he is still a boy.
We lost one 17 yr old from school this week and another 3 are in a serious condition after wiping out their 1.6 BMW 1 Series Sad

VanCleefArpels · 14/02/2021 12:21

I’d echo @NiceTwin - My DS is a complete petrol head, passed his test 3 mths after turning 17 having learned off road since he was 12. But drove a Fiesta powered by a hairdryer for the first year for exactly the reasons highlighted.

TooTiredToBeCreative · 14/02/2021 12:26

My son has a 1.4litre Corsa and the insurance was £2400. I think it’s group 6 so you would be looking at a fairly high premium I imagine.

Ginisatonic · 14/02/2021 12:30

Use a comparison website and change his date of birth and date test passed. This will give you a good indication of the cost. If he were my son I’d be insisting he get something much less powerful and depending on what you mean by ‘petrolhead’ I might insist on a black box.

Rhinosaurus · 14/02/2021 12:30

You will also need to bear in mind that once he gains his full licence the insurance will go up considerable as he won’t be driving under supervision like he is on his provisional licence. I think looking at powerful cars like that for a 17 year old is ridiculous - corsa / clio or fiesta is ideal as a starter car.

titchy · 14/02/2021 12:48

Why don't you just plug details into the comparison website for child born a year earlier with a full licence who has been driving less than a year? Confused

titchy · 14/02/2021 12:50

You may I hope find he's uninsurable on those sorts of cars. For good reason to be blunt.
A hairdryer powered fiesta Grin is a far better bet till he's got a few years experience.

BigWoollyJumpers · 14/02/2021 12:52

@titchy

Why don't you just plug details into the comparison website for child born a year earlier with a full licence who has been driving less than a year? Confused
Exactly.....

I would be surprised though, if you could even get a quote. They will usually blank say no, or advise you to ring.

Original poster
MadMum2015 · 14/02/2021 14:26

Hi all, thanks for your comments, particularly the detail on £2400 for a 1.4 Corsa, that's exactly the kind of data I need to give him. As you all rightly say the insurance is super high for a reason. I don't want him in a supermini as I think they can vulnerable on the road - as cars in general have got so much bigger. But, there is a world of difference between a boring, mid-size car like an Astra and something more sporty. None of the cars we've looked at are performance but clearly still not right for a new driver.

On the question as to why I've not tried the comparison sites and just put in details for a person a year older - of course I've tried that but all the ones I've found ask for the license number, presumably to stop people playing around with different options (job description etc) so I've not been able to get a quote. If you know any sites that don't ask for that, please let me know. Thanks all

OP posts:
LarsErickssong · 14/02/2021 14:33

@MadMum2015

Hi all, thanks for your comments, particularly the detail on £2400 for a 1.4 Corsa, that's exactly the kind of data I need to give him. As you all rightly say the insurance is super high for a reason. I don't want him in a supermini as I think they can vulnerable on the road - as cars in general have got so much bigger. But, there is a world of difference between a boring, mid-size car like an Astra and something more sporty. None of the cars we've looked at are performance but clearly still not right for a new driver.

On the question as to why I've not tried the comparison sites and just put in details for a person a year older - of course I've tried that but all the ones I've found ask for the license number, presumably to stop people playing around with different options (job description etc) so I've not been able to get a quote. If you know any sites that don't ask for that, please let me know. Thanks all

I use compare the market and license number is only optional unless they have changed it very recently (I used it for quotes about 3 weeks ago)
LizB62A · 14/02/2021 14:56

He'll probably find he'll need to do what my son did - drive a car from a very low insurance group (VW Up! in his case) for a few years until his insurance came down to more reasonable levels

LizB62A · 14/02/2021 14:56

And don't assume that supermini sized cars are more dangerous - check out the safety ratings before writing them off, you might be surprised...

Dollywilde · 14/02/2021 15:00

Just go on autotrader and use the number plate of a for sale car of the kind you like Smile

Original poster
MadMum2015 · 14/02/2021 15:32

Thanks @LarsErickssong I will try those sites again. I was doing so on my phone so it may not have been obvious that the licence number was optional. It certainly looked like it was essential but I'll try again on desktop.

You're all pushing against an open door though, I know it needs to be something sensible.

OP posts:
Chasingsquirrels · 14/02/2021 15:39

I've got my now 18yo on my insurance as provisional.
2l VW Passat.
My insurance company when he turned 17 wouldn't even add him on, when I renewed I went for one that would take him, as with covid he had to stop lessons. I'm actually paying less than previously atm but think that's a less driving covid thing (insurance taken out late Apr 2020). Around £275pa.
I asked how much it would be when he passes - £5,500.

(I won't be insuring him if he ever manages to take his test).

Chasingsquirrels · 14/02/2021 15:42

Oh, and my dad has a 6yo Hyunandi i10 he is promised when he passes. Quotes on that (a year ago but assuming a full licence) were £1k upwards.

Covidcorvid · 14/02/2021 15:42

Dd got a car when she was 19yo, an 18yo VW polo which was one of the lowest insurance groups we could find. Her insurance was £1400 for the year. I think you need to be prepared to halve the car budget and spend the rest on insurance.

He’s 17yo, he doesn’t get to be fussy. Dd said she’d like a Merc. Oh how I laughed!

Elai1978 · 14/02/2021 16:11

Cars to look at ones generally not driven by 17 year olds, you might be surprised with the quotes you get. The Alfa could be a good choice from an insurance perspective. Also, the driving licence number is definitely optional on comparison sites so you should easily be able to get some idea using details of someone a year older.

Rhinosaurus · 14/02/2021 16:23

Comparison sites are not always the cheapest. The cheapest by far insurance for my son and didn’t require a black box was from Hastings direct - who don’t appear on comparisons sites.

VanCleefArpels · 14/02/2021 17:47

@Rhinosaurus agree Hastings is v competitive for young drivers, both mine have had cover from them. Always worth shopping around every year too as the premium goes down and they get some NCD under their belt.

Londonnight · 14/02/2021 18:00

My sons first car was an 11 yr old Clio 1litre. It cost £1000. It was £1600 to insurance with a black box.
My son funded himself totally with the car and insurance.

I certainly wouldn't be looking into buying my child a powerful car as a first car, they really don't have the experience of being able to handle them. For the cars your son is looking at I would doubt that he would get anyone to insure him as a new driver.
You need to go over all comparison sites and different insurers to see who will insure. I tried brokers but they were all far more expensive.

Ivy48 · 14/02/2021 18:05

You just go on compare the market, pop the number plate of a similar car in, say you haven’t bought it yet, say a full driving license with the pass date recently (last month for example) and say no to providing a license number. You’ll get quotes for full license insurance. That’s what I’ve always done as a learner

Chunkymenrock · 14/02/2021 18:06

Absolutely crazy to consider some mega stylish car for their first car. My daughter had a Fiesta and my son is learning on a 2009 Nissan Micra. There is all the time in the world later on, to work his way up. These things have to be earned, not handed on a plate. Insurance will likely be around 1.5k for a boy, for the basic cars.