No matter if you are a new driver or one with an untainted extensive driving record, the costs of car insurance cover is generally calculated based on risks, which is why the former category of motorists has to pay higher premiums. If you have just attained your provisional license, it is highly recommended that you add a named driver to your policy preferably a family member or friend. This can also be anyone teaching you how to drive as long as they have 3 years of UK driving experience and are over the age of 21.

Provisional licence holders learning to drive in their parent’s car have an added edge as they can simply be added as a secondary driver to the existing policy. If your parents agree to go this route, then your insurance premiums will be much cheaper than if it were your own vehicle. The pitfalls however of being a named driver is that you will not earn any no claims bonus and your parents will see a rise in their annual costs of insurance cover.

It is important to note that designating yourself as a named driver on your own policy although you are the primary driver is illegal and is known as “Fronting”. This illegal practice if busted can lead to invalidation of insurance, hefty fines and/or expensive or no insurance in the future. There are several insurance companies that offer short term insurance cover from 1 to 28 days so this may be a better and cheaper option than being a named driver on an existing policy.

If you still feel the costs of both the above options are steep, you can sign up for lessons from a recognised driving school, which will cover the costs of fuel, lessons and insurance. The model of the vehicle you choose especially with a provisional driver will be a major factor in calculating car insurance premiums.

Every car in the UK is assigned to one of fifty groups, where the lower numbers are generally the cheapest to insure. The vehicles are assigned to these groups on the basis of several factors including security features engine type and overall performance. Also taken into consideration is the overall cost of repairs so if you have a Honda Civic or a Toyota GT86, expect to pay high premiums for cover especially for provisional car insurance.

It is therefore highly recommended that you check the grouping of the vehicle before you invest in to ensure it is affordable to maintain, drive and insure. You may also want to take into account the vehicle tax rate, which is also based on engine type, fuel emissions and/or when the car was registered. Furthermore, young drivers are usually eager to modify their vehicles, but this will definitely result in higher insurance cover or none at all. There are very few insurers that will offer cover for modified vehicles as they are unable to authenticate the real power of the vehicle. If you already own a modified vehicle and are looking for provisional insurance cover, we can definitely help with some of the best rates in the market.

By modifying your vehicle, you also void any type of manufacturer’s warranty or at least what’s left of it. Modifications to avoid are addition of accessories such as spoilers, engine performance parts and wheels among others. These extras when added collectively or independently will substantially bump the costs of provisional car insurance cover. There are however a few modifications that result in lower provisional car insurance cover such as industry recognized alarms and immobilizers owing to the fact that they reduce the chances of a vehicle being stolen.