The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) is calling on the Government to work with insurers to offer discounts on premiums for young drivers who take further driver training.
The call came as the Transport Select Committee’s report on the cost of motor insurance was published (12/01/12). The IAM also wants to see a review of the driving test, to ensure that it is ‘fit for purpose’.
The committee of MPs has been investigating the high cost of motor insurance. Premiums have risen significantly over the last few years and, according to the IAM, this is having a big impact on young drivers.
The average car insurance premium for young males aged 17-22 is £2,977, more than three times the average premium of £907. For young females, the average premium is almost twice as much as the average at £1,682. But the figure for females will rise further in December 2012 when new gender equality laws come into effect.
A survey commissioned for the committee found that 21% of young drivers had considered driving without insurance, and 30% have considered altering the information they provide to insurance firms in order to secure a lower quote.
A recent IAM survey of 2,000 novice young drivers also found that only half said they felt fully prepared for driving on their own. And 74% of novice drivers said that they would take further training if it saved them money on their car insurance.
Simon Best, IAM chief executive, said: “The simplest way to reduce insurance premiums is to prevent accidents. This is especially true for young male drivers who are most at risk of being involved in an accident. We need to start rewarding good drivers by encouraging further driver training through cheaper insurance.
“Pass Plus no longer provides a respected or effective training offering. The Government, insurance and road safety industries need to work closely together to develop a better, universally recognised option – a partnership which the IAM is keen to be a part of.”
For more information contact the IAM on 020 8996 9777.
Many to be drivers [or at least their family] usually have to part with an amount of monies to pay for on average 30 driving lessons, sometimes more.
Having passed the test a further say 20 hrs equal to 3/4 days instruction at advanced level such as the one motorcycle riders do would not be too much when u consider that the sum payed would be about the same as the first year’s discount at least. From then on its down to normal practise of no claims.
A twv after paying for the CBT generally pays for up to 4 days instruction before taking the DSA test. He can then decide whether to go onto advanced training and being succesfull will qualify for a discount with some insurers.
rcraven
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It is a complicated issue with a mix of statutory requirement and private providers, so the solution will probably not be easy to find unless we have State Minimum Insurance. The taxpayer is already a banker, so why not an insurer too?!
Mandy Rigault, Oxfordshire
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The problem I see is if young drivers cannot get insurance at a reasonable rate how are the going to be able to take further advanced training? My son passed his test at 17-year-old took his Pass Plus but cannot get insurance at an affordable rate. I have tried to put him as an additional driver on my insurance but the cost was prohibative at six times the amount I pay now. By the time he is able to afford insurance he will not have driven for probably a couple of years, I can see that this will lead to even more young people being injured. There has got to be some way that young drivers can get insurance to cover them to be able to take further advanced training. I have tried asking for temporary cover to do just this but insurance companies just don’t want to know or say they are unable to quote for this type of activity.
Jill Winstone, Salford
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Atkins report for Transport Scotland made a similar recommendation. We noted that the discount should be “real” i.e. a discount code at the point of “checkout”, not just thrown around in the advertising slogans.
Peter Whitfield Manchester
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