The cost of car insurance for a learner driver
Car insurance for an L plate driver can be pricey due to the risk that they pose behind the wheel. Insurers look at various factors such as your age, your gender and the type of car that you drive to determine the level of risk that you are. The more risk you pose the more likely you are to pay more for your car insurance. L plate drivers who are 25 years old and under are usually charged more. An excess fee is charged for all type of car insurance policies to ensure that you are covered for a crash or theft.
Why do 25-year olds, and under, pay more?
One thing to keep in mind is that insurers work with numbers and statistics to determine your level of risk. Unfortunately, for the average driver who is under 25 year olds, the stats do not look too good. Almost 45% of young Australians die from injury or accidents that occur on the road. Being an inexperienced L plate driver makes you more likely to be in an accident compared to an experienced driver. According to the Department of Planning, Transport, and Infrastructure Male drivers are 64% most likely to sustain serious injuries in an accident compared to 36% of their female counterparts.
Will it be cheaper to add an L plate driver to an existing cover?
Adding an L plate driver to your cover won’t be a problem. However, if a child is planning to use their parent’s car it is important that as a parent you inform your insurer so that should they be involved in an accident they will be covered. If you are adding an L plate driver to your cover you need to be aware that you will pay a higher excess fee on top of your existing cover. The cost of Excess can be as high as $1650 for drivers that are under the age of 21. Therefore, your best bet is to compare quotes to get a deal that does not break the bank for you. Some insurers can separate the excesses of the policy from your cover, but you could still be paying higher premiums. All in all, this deal can work out cheaper for an L plate driver.
How can you reduce the cost of your policy?
To help you reduce the cost that you will be paying on your policy can boil down to thinking the same way an insurer does when looking to give you a quote for your cover. Knowing what affects your premiums will give you the best start. Factors such as your address, the model and age of your car will affect how much you will pay. If you stay in a place that has roads that are poorly kept and there is a high risk of theft you are most likely to pay through your nose. You could cut back on the amount of driving that you do to cut down your premiums. It will help maintain your car in a good condition and the chances of your car being involved in an accident decreases.
The most important thing that you can do is to compare, compare, compare. The more you do so the more likely it is for you to find the same deal at a more affordable price from another insurer.