The impact of your 21st Birthday on car insurance quotes
You've turned 21 and finally have the key to the door. Reaching this milestone brings a number of advantages - not least that you can expect slightly cheaper car insurance.
This benefit to your pocket is partly due to the statistics that are used to calculate motor insurance premiums, which show that this is the age when you are less likely to be involved in an accident. This, in turn, means that you are viewed as a lower risk, and therefore impacts the price that you pay.
But despite this, you are still likely to find yourself paying far more than the national average, which is why it is more important than ever to ensure you get the best possible deal.
This benefit to your pocket is partly due to the statistics that are used to calculate motor insurance premiums, which show that this is the age when you are less likely to be involved in an accident. This, in turn, means that you are viewed as a lower risk, and therefore impacts the price that you pay.
But despite this, you are still likely to find yourself paying far more than the national average, which is why it is more important than ever to ensure you get the best possible deal.
Ways to bring down the cost of car insurance for 21 year olds
Car insurance for 21 year olds can sometimes seem out of reach. And even those slightly older can find it difficult to find a reasonably priced premium which they can afford.
However, there are things you can do to keep costs down:
Telematics insurance: One option that a number of young drivers have been looking into is telematics car insurance. A black box is fitted in your car which then monitors the way you drive. It records the number of miles you cover along with your driving behaviour. Not only does it encourage better driving, but it means that your premium is based on you as an individual, rather than as part of a age group.
Short term car insurance for 21 year olds: If you are finding it too expensive to insure yourself for a whole year and don't feel comfortable opting for telematics, you could still insure yourself on your vehicle at key points in the year.
The downside, however, is that each time you stopped driving you would have to declare your car to be off the road by obtaining a SORN from the DVLA. This is due to strict regulations introduced by the government stating that every car must be insured, even if it is not being driven, and the only exception to this rule is if you obtain a SORN.
Car insurance groups: All cars belong to a certain car insurance group which are numbered from 1 to 50. A range of factors determine which group your vehicle will belong to such as performance, the cost of repairs and level of security.
Generally, the higher the number of group your car is in, the more you will pay. Therefore, before you purchase your vehicle you should find out from the manufacturer what group your car falls into - it could affect your choice of make and model.
