Another driver in the family

Trying my car out for size

Did you learn to drive  at the earliest possible moment? Did you get driving lessons for your 17th Birthday, slap the L plates on and give your Dad a head of grey hair overnight? I did. I was very lucky that my parents paid for lessons (with some minor contribution from own earnings), I was often picked up for my lesson straight from 6th form by my instructor.

Looking back I was very fortunate, we only had one family car and when I did pass my test I was added to the insurance and was able to borrow the car when it wasn’t needed by my Mum or Dad.

My eldest daughter is 17 in a couple of months (I’m rather in denial about this) and we’ll potentially have another driver in the family soon. I’m bracing myself for the costs. A provisional licence which can be ordered 3 months prior to their 17th birthday is £50, the theory test is £31 and the actual test is £62 week days (£75 at weekend).

Here’s hoping that she doesn’t need a multitude of lessons as they are at least double (probably nearer to triple) what I paid a ‘few’ (OK 20 plus) years ago.

Then there is the minefield that is car insurance. We’ve all heard the horror stories of insurance costing more than a first car, but what are the options? Luckily Sainsbury’s have some information that you might find as useful as I did:

Who should cover the cost of your teen’s car insurance?

Are you prepared to pay for your teenager’s car insurance, or should kids start taking responsibility and save up to pay for their own?

Should teens pay?
Some parents feel that their teenage children should be responsible for paying for their own car insurance. They believe that if their children are responsible enough to drive, they should also meet their financial responsibilities. This way they can learn some valuable life lessons about finances, insurance, security and safety.

There’s an argument that says teens who take responsibility for their own car insurance are more likely to drive safely. They become aware that their premiums will increase following an accident. In addition, if they have their own policy, they can start to build up their all-important no claim discount to reduce the cost of insurance in the future.

Young drivers do have a higher risk of accidents and their car insurance is much more expensive. Parents who have their teens named as drivers on their insurance policy will find their premium increases as a result. So some parents expect their teenagers to pay the difference.

Should parents pay?
Driving a car is considered by many to be one of the first steps to becoming an adult. While they are just starting out in adult life, some parents want to give their children a helping hand.

Teenage drivers are often either still studying or working in low-paid jobs and the burden of making insurance payments can place extra pressure on them. By paying for them, parents can encourage their children to study hard and be responsible in other ways.

A shared responsibility?
Perhaps a good middle ground is to set a small amount that the teen can pay as a contribution to the car insurance costs.

Remember, if the teenager owns their car, by law they will have to take out car insurance in their own name. If they will be driving their parents’ car then they can ask to be added to their insurance.

However, it’s important to remember that a parent can’t claim to be the main driver of vehicle if it is mostly used by their child. This practice is known as ‘fronting’, and if discovered it will invalidate the insurance policy and could be considered fraud.

Shop around
Whoever ends up paying for your teen’s car insurance, make sure you get the best premium available by shopping around. Get at least three car insurance quotes from different providers to give you an idea of costs and to make sure you’re not paying over the odds.

If your teen will be driving your car, look out for policies where named drivers can build up their own no claim history. These will allow them to earn their own no claim discount when they come to take out insurance in their own name.

It’s essential that you and your family pick the best car insurance policy to meet your needs.

I’m wondering if I’ll be able to hold my nerve to take her out for any practice runs after she’s had a few lessons with an instructor. I’ll never get the image of my own Dad being in the car with me, one of his hands hovering over the handbrake and one over the door handle, ready to bail out.

What are your learning to drive memories?