Anyone driving a motor vehicle on a public highway in the UK by law must have a minimum of third party motor insurance cover. For experience drivers the insurance premiums are relatively low but those that are just starting on the road the insurance premiums can be well over £2000. The problem is even more compounded for provisional licence holders as a lot of motor insurers deem the risk to be too high and as such do not offer any cover for leaner drivers.
Luckily there are specialist providers that offer learner driver car insurance on a short term basis. The cover is normally comprehensive and is often available on a monthly basis. If after the month you do not wish to renew the cover, you simply let the learner driver car insurance policy to lapse.
This is obviously perfect for students who are at college or in a university and want to learn to drive on their parents or friends car whilst on holiday term. The short term car insurance for learner driver policy can easily be purchased online. Most learner insurance providers have a very easy online quote system with the option to print documents once payment has been made via a debit or a credit card.
Each learner car insurance provider will have their own terms and conditions. It is important that prior to taking out the policy, you read their terms and conditions. Some will insist that the provisional licence holder must be accompanied by a driver aged at least 25 years old whereas other providers may well accept even twenty one year olds. Other common conditions include vehicle grouping, the price of the vehicle and also any driving convictions or accidents.
Surprisingly the premiums are quite low and usually for under £100 you can obtain a fully comprehensive insurance policy for a month. Some providers also offer learner driver car insurance policies on a weekly or even on a fortnightly bases.
It is advised that you should still continue with your learning to drive with a qualified driving instructor and use the short term policy as additional practice. Driving schools offer professional instruction that can not be substituted by sitting with a friend or your parents.
Also most of these policies will automatically end as soon as your pass your driving test. This will be a condition of the provisional licence holder driver’s insurance policy. So do not automatically borrow your parent’s car or your friend’s car on which the policy was taken up and assume that you will still be covered.
With the emergence and power of the internet, it has become increasingly popular for individuals to purchase temporary car insurance on-line. And why not? It’s so simple, quick, easy and drivers know that they are insured in an instant. Drivers are acutely aware that, with the authorities having number plate recognition systems with direct access to the DVLA and insurer databases, gone are the days that people “take a chance” . Being caught without insurance is simply a price not worth paying – a fine, points and the vehicle impounded instantly.
There are two forms of short term car insurance.
Firstly there is a standard policy – this is designed for drivers who require anything from a 1 day car insurance to 28 days. Drivers usually have to be 18 or over (vehicle dependent), have a full UK driving licence and have to satisfy certain other criteria. Ironically, not a single policy will enable a vehicle to be released from being impounded – clearly, these policies are not designed for this instance but to enable someone to legitimately use a car that they do not necessarily own.
The second policy caters for learner drivers. These policies follow the same format as a standard policy but the policy is usually lower in cost and is designed specifically so that a provisional licence holder can learn to drive in their parents, guardians or relatives vehicle, for example. Prior to the emergence of these polices, it was usual to add these drivers on a temporary basis on their parents policy but with insurance companies bringing over 50 type policies or restricted mileage type policies, the cost is now prohibitive, if cover is available at all. The real beauty of short-term learner driver insurance is plain to see. The cost is lower and crucially, does not affect the no claims bonus of the original policyholder if an accident were to happen. It is fair to point out that the excesses are high – but no higher than normal for a young driver – and that the moment a provisional licence holder passes their test, the learner driver insurance policy becomes null and void. Other than that, these weekly insurance products are perfect for that last minute wish to drive a car. Of course it is also important to remember when the policy runs out. This sounds obvious, but these providers can potentially renew a short term policy for a further period upon payment of an additional premium, but again, confirmation need to be sought from your chosen provider.
The most important factor when purchasing these types of policy is to check the terms and conditions of the policy thoroughly. Each policy may differ and it is vitally important that you are happy with the terms and conditions being offered. Finding out that a section of the policy is unacceptable to a policyholder after an accident is not an option.
