When you consider the term ‘first-time driver’, you typically think of a young adult passing their test and being handed their driver’s licence. This rite of passage of getting behind the wheel for the first time is synonymous with coming to the end of school and beginning adulthood. There are however an increasing number of drivers who choose to wait until they reach their mid-twenties and later before they decide to start learning.
For first-time drivers over the age of 30, finding the best price for your insurance premium can be tricky. To help drivers who find themselves in this situation, we have put together a Be Wiser guide to explain the policy options available to first-time drivers over 30.
Will first time drivers over 30 have a cheaper premium?
Most new driver policies are tailored towards younger drivers, due to the premise that the typical first-time driver is in their late teens. Generally, this type of insurance refers to drivers between the ages of 17-24. The inflation of insurance premiums in recent years has meant that policies for this age range have cost drivers a significant amount, primarily due to the way in which the premiums are evaluated. But when drivers reach the age of 25, they may see these costs begin to fall.
The reason young driver insurance is more expensive than the premiums offered to older drivers is due to the way in which those premiums are calculated. Using data based on the various factors of your application, the insurer will calculate how much of a risk you will be to insure. The higher the risk, the more likely you are to make a claim, and the higher your premium will be as a consequence. For younger drivers, this is primarily due to the likelihood of getting into an accident. This can be for many reasons, for example the obvious lack of experience these drivers have or that they are likely to do more driving at night time.
However, age is not the only factor that insurers take into account. Data associated with your vehicle, your address and how many miles you expect to drive are also important components of your premium. For a first-time driver over 30, taking these factors into account could potentially reduce your premiums. This reduction could be for many reasons, but is primarily related to the typically more structured lifestyle of an adult. For example, having a full-time job may mean you are driving at a regular time each day, rather than late at night.
How can you reduce your insurance premium?
Although your age may have some effect on the way your premium is calculated, this does not mean your policy will be cheap. A young driver who began driving in their late teens for example, may have built up a respectable No Claims Discount which could be associated with a reduction in the price of their premium as they get older. Despite being an older driver, you will not have a similar level of driving experience.
That said, there are however elements in your control which might help to reduce your insurance cost. The primary factor is the car you choose to drive. At an older age, a driver may have more money at their disposal when purchasing their first car. To aid in calculating premiums, each car model is sorted into one of 50 car insurance groups depending on a variety of safety ratings. The higher the group, the more it will cost to insure the car. Therefore, typically, a smaller car with a smaller engine will have a lower insurance group and may be cheaper to insure than a larger vehicle.
In addition to the car itself, avoid making any modifications to the car as this will also aid in keeping your premium down. Any modifications to your car will increase its value and possibly its performance which will thus increase the cost of your insurance. However, there are certain types of modifications which could in fact reduce your premium. Installing extra security features, such as alarms, will demonstrate to your insurers that your car is more secure due to the addition of features which limit the risk of theft.
Another potential way to reduce the premium for first-time drivers over 30 is installing a telematics box. Also known as a black box, a telematics box will enable your insurers to track the way you drive. Being able to demonstrate to your insurer how safe you can drive, may help to reduce your premium. Although black box insurance is synonymous with younger drivers, there is no reason why a first-time driver over 30 cannot benefit from such a policy.