I take it all back, young drivers these days really ARE getting ripped off!

[Jack]

Decided to see what all the fuss with young drivers getting shafted is all about, so did some investigation.

Back in October 1999, I passed my driving test (first time I hasten to add ) and the next day bought a 1988 F reg Fiat Uno Formula 45, with a 903cc engine. For the record, ABI list it as insurance group 2. I paid £800 for the car, and promptly insured it with CIS (who may not have been the cheapest as I didn't shop around much) TPF&T for the princely sum of £600.

Now lets look at today. Say I'm 17 again, just passed my test, and bought a 1988 Fiat Uno F45 for £800. Put all the details into Comparethemarket (to get a rough idea) exactly as I was back in 2000 - student, living at home (grade A postcode), 0NCB, you know the drill.

£2,200 was the cheapest price

Thinking well, perhaps the age of the car has come into it. So I tried a newer equivalent - 1995 Fiat Cinqueciento 899cc (again, ABI group 2). This came out as £1,913.

So thats an increase of about £1,100-1,400 in 10 years. Or, to put it another way, a 139 to 175% increase in insurance premium costs in 10 years. I wish my savings account gave me that amount of interest! In October 1999, I was a student earning £30 a week working saturdays in town - £800 to buy and £600 to insure a car was doable, just. £3,000 to buy and insure a car would, quite simply, have been impossible. Kids were crashing cars back when I was 17, surely there can't be a 175% increase in accidents involving young drivers in that time period?! And you can hardly say the 899cc cinqueciento is a boy racer car with a high claim rate to its name...

Moral of the story: Insurance companies really are ripping off young kids. Subtext: If you want to earn big money, get a job in motor insurance

[brainsnova]

when 17 i just passed my test 1999 1.3sr TPFT £1050 nowaways crazy

[AlexW]

This is why there is so many threads about expensive insurance.

And people wonder why people drive with no insurance!

[LEWI007]

This is why there is so many threads about expensive insurance.

And people wonder why people drive with no insurance!

Exactly

[burgo]

what pissed me off was the fact it was cheaper whilst i was on a provisional, as soon as i passed it went up £300!!! ****ers

[bmw156]

This is why there is so many threads about expensive insurance.

And people wonder why people drive with no insurance!

going on this point, which i dont condone. but can understand.

say you get caught driver with no insurance, tax but maybe a MOT for your own safty .

you might loose your licence, and get some points and get fined a couple of hundred quid, and loose your car.

say you have a ****ter which you can get rid of at any time, your not going to care aboiut getting it unimpounded.

so the max money your gonna pay out is a few hundread for a fine, and maybe a few quid for a retest.

which is a damn lot less then the 2 grand insurance. this country is seriously backwards.

[Pistol Pete]

I too passed in '99. Shocked at your findings TBH Jack.

Cant help thinking that maybe 17-20 y/o drivers should follow a similar route to the bike test thingy. Limited to 33bhp unitl 21 IIRC after passing.

Re: the driving with no insurance thing...yeah i can see why people do it, as the fines are sweet fa. Less than a years insurance. surely someone must realise this is why people do it??!!

[NovaLad]

Aint that the truth!!!

[wwmnw]

what pissed me off was the fact it was cheaper whilst i was on a provisional, as soon as i passed it went up £300!!! ****ers

That's because if you only have a provisional you have to have a qualified driver (who's been passed for more than 2 years) out with you at all times.

[burgo]

That's because if you only have a provisional you have to have a qualified driver (who's been passed for more than 2 years) out with you at all times.

yes im aware of that but im still the one in control. which means they insure somebody who technically doesnt know how to drive for cheaper than someone who has been proven to be of the required standard for a licence!!!