Car insurance suggestions

digitalscream

OK, so my wife's had her licence for 6 months, and her idiot mother has decided to buy her a car. That in itself is not a bad thing, but the choice of car is: rather than asking wifey what she'd like, she's gone for the kind of car she'd want: a 1.8L Toyota Avensis VVTi. Not exactly the kind of car you'd choose to own as a sensible person who's only had a licence for half a year (her thoughts on insurance: "It'll only be about £200/year").

Anyway, we've been poking around all the comparison websites, and a few other specialist inexperienced driver sites, and the cheapest insurance we can find is £830. Which, frankly, hurts my wallet space. It's not as bad as a lot of them - there's a cluster around £1100, and the rest are in the £2k+ range.

Anybody got any suggestions? Before anyone says it...no, I don't drive, so using my insurance with her as a named driver isn't on the cards.

littlegreenman

Obvious one. More sensible car?

monquixote

A mate of mine did an interesting trick when he first learned to drive which was adding a friend to the insurance who was a very low insurance risk as a named driver. 

This apparently pulls the cost down despite the fact that the car is not their responsibility.

octatonic

I find Admiral to be the cheapest for most things.

We have a couple of BMW's- one has a grunty 3L engine and it costs £550 a year, parked on the street, in London, in a suburb that is usually on fire.

digitalscream

littlegreenman said:

Obvious one. More sensible car?

Not possible, sadly.

monquixote said:

A mate of mine did an interesting trick when he first learned to drive which was adding a friend to the insurance who was a very low insurance risk as a named driver. 

This apparently pulls the cost down despite the fact that the car is not their responsibility.

Just tried this - in fact, it added another £200 to the price.

octatonic said:

I find Admiral to be the cheapest for most things.

We have a couple of BMW's- one has a grunty 3L engine and it costs £550 a year, parked on the street, in London, in a suburb that is usually on fire.

Admiral were one of my last great hopes a few hours ago...they're in the £1600/year range, with a truly obnoxious excess.

monquixote

He claimed it worked, but I don't have first hand evidence.

You could always give it to me (I'm actually considering buying an Avensis at the moment)

I'd give you my ten year old Skoda with 170,000 on the clock in return

[Deleted User]

Insure the car at any cost, right it off and buy something more sensible with the payout?

octatonic

If that is the case then I would just get something that is cheaper to insure.

A Citroen C1, Fiat Panda or similar.

digitalscream

octatonic said:

If that is the case then I would just get something that is cheaper to insure.

A Citroen C1, Fiat Panda or similar.

As I said...not possible. The car has already been bought.

richardhomer said:

Insure the car at any cost, right it off and buy something more sensible with the payout?

Interesting...

monquixote

digitalscream said:

octatonic said:

If that is the case then I would just get something that is cheaper to insure.

A Citroen C1, Fiat Panda or similar.

As I said...not possible. The car has already been bought.

richardhomer said:

Insure the car at any cost, right it off and buy something more sensible with the payout?

Interesting...

You can't win with insurance.

 

If you claim for anything they always claw it back with more on top. 

On occasions when I've damaged my own car I've always paid for repairs myself because it's just not worth years of expensive insurance. 

octatonic

digitalscream said:

octatonic said:

If that is the case then I would just get something that is cheaper to insure.

A Citroen C1, Fiat Panda or similar.

As I said...not possible. The car has already been bought.

Ah, I missed that for some reason.

I run out of help here.

Can it come out of Mrs Digitalscreams shoe budget?

ESBlonde

There is a company called 'drive like a girl' who put in a black box to monitor the driver. If you drive like a girl you get a lump back after 3 months and a bigger discount at renewal time. It's not restricted to females either and can be ideal for first time drivers.

BenSirAmos

Is this the price garaged? If not, could you garage it somewhere with a 'better' postcode? 

Is it worth much? Is it worth risking TPFT or 3rd party only?

gilby

How about thanking the mother-in-law for such a generous gift but explain you can't afford the insurance and ask if she would mind you selling it.
She's obviously got a few bob, she might stretch to helping you with the costs.
Just an idea like.

BenSirAmos

And another obvious one, so sorry if it has already been covered - as Mum has bought it, is she not the owner? Could Mum insure it and have her daughter as named driver (and perhaps registered keeper)?

octatonic

BenSirAmos said:

Is this the price garaged? If not, could you garage it somewhere with a 'better' postcode? 

Is it worth much? Is it worth risking TPFT or 3rd party only?

Something I have never understood is here in London 3rd party is MORE expensive than fully comp.

Why?

chillidoggy

What she could do that might make it cheaper is for your missus to insure it, and put her mum down as a named driver. That can bring the cost down. But you mustn't put your missus down as a named driver if she's the main user. I believe that's a bit dodgy?

monquixote

Yes I think technically it's fraud. 

octatonic

And when they find out & you have an accident you won't be covered.

They aren't stupid- people try it on all the time & they are looking for it (or indeed any other excuse to not pay).

Technically you're supposed to tell them if you make any modifications at all to your car, including changing out a stereo, or adding a tow-bar. If you don't then they can say you modified the car and use it as an excuse to not pay.

chillidoggy

Indeed, insurance companies are not in business to do anyone a favour, as we all find out when we try to make a claim.

Mick

http://www.co-operativeinsurance.co.uk/