IAM - likely to affect insurance?
Discussion
I'm considering joining the IAM purely as a means of lowering my insurance. I'm already pretty well versed in driving to the system etc, so joining would purely be for financial reasons.
I'm trying to work out if its worth it, so have got two questions:
How much is the basic membership fee when first joining? (Found out renewal was £28 a year, but not the initial joining fee.)
And is there a list of insurance companies that will offer a discount to IAM members, and better still a ballpark idea of how much a discount they'll offer?
Thanks
Chris
I'm trying to work out if its worth it, so have got two questions:
How much is the basic membership fee when first joining? (Found out renewal was £28 a year, but not the initial joining fee.)
And is there a list of insurance companies that will offer a discount to IAM members, and better still a ballpark idea of how much a discount they'll offer?
Thanks
Chris
Not worth doing just to reduce your insurance cost. Joining fee is now £139 (from April) but this includes observed drives and taking test + 1 year membership.
Insurance companies that do give discount for having passed IAM test tend to be the more expensive ins. companies.
Adeliade - IAM's 'own' insurance broker gave me a competitive quote but charge for every change to the policy. Change car - change in premium + charge. Change address - charge. Add another person temporarily - additional cost + additional chage. Etc. So evaluate their quote carefully.
Insurance companies that do give discount for having passed IAM test tend to be the more expensive ins. companies.
Adeliade - IAM's 'own' insurance broker gave me a competitive quote but charge for every change to the policy. Change car - change in premium + charge. Change address - charge. Add another person temporarily - additional cost + additional chage. Etc. So evaluate their quote carefully.
I'm 4 months too young for IAM surety, being 20 and having passed my IAM test in January. As the OP may have seen in another thread - 
- I've just taken out my first own insurance policy, with 0 NCB.
The ludicrously expensive insurers (Endsleigh etc) were offering £350 or so off a £3000 quote for having IAM. The cheapest insurer (Elephant) only knocked £15 off, but the quote was "only" £1010 in comparison, so I'd have gone with them anyways. Can't offer any opinion on IAM Surety, for the above reason.
- I've just taken out my first own insurance policy, with 0 NCB. The ludicrously expensive insurers (Endsleigh etc) were offering £350 or so off a £3000 quote for having IAM. The cheapest insurer (Elephant) only knocked £15 off, but the quote was "only" £1010 in comparison, so I'd have gone with them anyways. Can't offer any opinion on IAM Surety, for the above reason.
My experiences are similar; I've obtained quotes from IAM surety for the last two years but they have been significantly more expensive than the cheapest quotes. The vast majority of insurers don't give a discount for an IAM pass, ROSPA or anything else apart from Pass Plus!
I have found the IAM pass to be of use once with respect to insurance. When I was 24 I bought a fast car that my insurer at the time said they would simply not insure for anyone under 25 and preferred the owner to be over 30. The IAM pass + no claims or convictions managed to sway them.
I reckon it would be worth doing though, almost regardless of your training. It's always good to have another opinion of your driving and if you get a good observer they might be able to offer some useful tips.
I have found the IAM pass to be of use once with respect to insurance. When I was 24 I bought a fast car that my insurer at the time said they would simply not insure for anyone under 25 and preferred the owner to be over 30. The IAM pass + no claims or convictions managed to sway them.
I reckon it would be worth doing though, almost regardless of your training. It's always good to have another opinion of your driving and if you get a good observer they might be able to offer some useful tips.
I'm 35 with full no claims and the cheapest quote with a decent firm for full comp on my mini with protected no claims was around £425 (yes, I could go cheaper, but I persoanlly don't believe 'cheap' insurance is worth the risk.
IAM surety sorted me out at £260, that's with protected no-claims.
So yes, the £28 membership fee is worth it.
Martin
IAM surety sorted me out at £260, that's with protected no-claims.
So yes, the £28 membership fee is worth it.
Martin
It's not worth the bother for cheaper insurance. I have never had a quote from any of the recommended insurance companyies from RoADA or IAM that have even come close to what I can get on the open market and the same applies to many people I know in the IAM.
I have a serious concern with the IAM using "cheap insurance" on the recruitment stands. IAM membership is a small factor for a small number of insurers and these tend to be ones which use very strong risk profiling in relation to age, gender and vehicle combinations. If you are anything but plain vanilla then you will not get a competative quote back.
Financially, the biggest payback will be from reduced motoring costs overall - tyre wear, MPG etc. These all improve with advanced driving training.
[asside]
How the hell do IAM justify £139 to join? The local groups had massive concerns over Skills For Life when it first came out as the cost would hit recruitment, and it did.
[/asside]
I have a serious concern with the IAM using "cheap insurance" on the recruitment stands. IAM membership is a small factor for a small number of insurers and these tend to be ones which use very strong risk profiling in relation to age, gender and vehicle combinations. If you are anything but plain vanilla then you will not get a competative quote back.
Financially, the biggest payback will be from reduced motoring costs overall - tyre wear, MPG etc. These all improve with advanced driving training.
[asside]
How the hell do IAM justify £139 to join? The local groups had massive concerns over Skills For Life when it first came out as the cost would hit recruitment, and it did.
[/asside]
Starfighter said:
It's not worth the bother for cheaper insurance. I have never had a quote from any of the recommended insurance companyies from RoADA or IAM that have even come close to what I can get on the open market and the same applies to many people I know in the IAM.
jj. said:
Nope...!
I passed at 19..! Some 16years later, I have always been able to find cheaper insurance with companies not within the IAM approved insurance scheme. I would so only 20% of insurance companies even know what it is. They seem to recognise Pass Plus more...!
Are you aware of the IAM Surety scheme? It doesn't sound like it.I passed at 19..! Some 16years later, I have always been able to find cheaper insurance with companies not within the IAM approved insurance scheme. I would so only 20% of insurance companies even know what it is. They seem to recognise Pass Plus more...!
Vaux said:
Are you aware of the IAM Surety scheme? It doesn't sound like it.
Yes - Ask for a quote, received a joke. I must miss their profile some how but I'm not sure how (married, 2 kids, full no claims, clean license, IAM at 18 and RoADA Diploma at 25, good post code and a VW Golf (nothing fast)!Starfighter said:
Financially, the biggest payback will be from reduced motoring costs overall - tyre wear, MPG etc. These all improve with advanced driving training.
I'd love to see that quantified. It's also not unique to, nor equatable with any form of advanced driver training!You don't have to be Advanced to get the biggest saving. Drive a very small car, with low depreciation, very low fuel consumption, and drive very carefully. That'll get you the biggest saving in motoring costs!
Sorry, the proposed correlation is just an anathema to me.
Bert
I agree it is hard to quantify.
The biggest factor is mpg is the vehicle chosen (think citi-car vs super-car). Second place comes driver input. Based on my experiences as an observer then post driver training the driver is more awrea of what is going on and applies better acceleration sence and thus less braking. Gear selection also improves and with it throttle response so less fuel is required to gain the drivers desired acceleration. Less braking and less harsh cornering and acceration will reduce tyre wear.
Lets take two company cars, same spec. One is driven by a muppet, gets 40 mpg and 15k from a set of boots, one is driven to a higher standard and gets 50mpg and original tyres are still good at 45K. 20% saving in fuel, 66% reduction in tyre costs. Yes the figures are rough and include a lot of assumptions but you can start to put numbers to the theories. IAM fleet training have data that they use but I don't have copies.
I personally did my IAM and RoADA after being first on scene at a double fatal, watching someone die because a lack of situational awareness ("I didn't see him!", "He should not over take me on a due carrageway") coupled with stupidity (tail gaiting at high speed and not signalling) and an unhealthy dose of arrogance ("I'm a good driver, I am!" whilst witnesses queue up to compain about his driving to the attending police) gave me a serious reality check - It's dangerous out there and I need to be aware of that.
I know of loads of reasons people do IAM type courses ranging from a recent RTA (common) to getting a leg over because a girlfriend is more relaxed in the car (true!), insures is sometimes mentioned but in my experiance proves to be a disappointment.
I totally agree that people drive in different ways and that IAM (etc) is not the only "good" way. In general if someone takes what the IAM teach (yes I know we are supposed to avaid that word but it fits what we do) then they are likely to be better that the average out there. It is a pitty that the insurance does not reflect that.
The biggest factor is mpg is the vehicle chosen (think citi-car vs super-car). Second place comes driver input. Based on my experiences as an observer then post driver training the driver is more awrea of what is going on and applies better acceleration sence and thus less braking. Gear selection also improves and with it throttle response so less fuel is required to gain the drivers desired acceleration. Less braking and less harsh cornering and acceration will reduce tyre wear.
Lets take two company cars, same spec. One is driven by a muppet, gets 40 mpg and 15k from a set of boots, one is driven to a higher standard and gets 50mpg and original tyres are still good at 45K. 20% saving in fuel, 66% reduction in tyre costs. Yes the figures are rough and include a lot of assumptions but you can start to put numbers to the theories. IAM fleet training have data that they use but I don't have copies.
I personally did my IAM and RoADA after being first on scene at a double fatal, watching someone die because a lack of situational awareness ("I didn't see him!", "He should not over take me on a due carrageway") coupled with stupidity (tail gaiting at high speed and not signalling) and an unhealthy dose of arrogance ("I'm a good driver, I am!" whilst witnesses queue up to compain about his driving to the attending police) gave me a serious reality check - It's dangerous out there and I need to be aware of that.
I know of loads of reasons people do IAM type courses ranging from a recent RTA (common) to getting a leg over because a girlfriend is more relaxed in the car (true!), insures is sometimes mentioned but in my experiance proves to be a disappointment.
I totally agree that people drive in different ways and that IAM (etc) is not the only "good" way. In general if someone takes what the IAM teach (yes I know we are supposed to avaid that word but it fits what we do) then they are likely to be better that the average out there. It is a pitty that the insurance does not reflect that.
Starfighter said:
Lets take two company cars, same spec. One is driven by a muppet, gets 40 mpg and 15k from a set of boots, one is driven to a higher standard and gets 50mpg and original tyres are still good at 45K. 20% saving in fuel, 66% reduction in tyre costs. Yes the figures are rough and include a lot of assumptions but you can start to put numbers to the theories. IAM fleet training have data that they use but I don't have copies.
That sounds good in theory, but those figures are really just fantasy. You are talking about the difference between a hooligan and a sensible regular driver to make anything like that difference. It's not the difference between regular and IAM drivers.Anyway in my view, it's a minor aim of IAM. The best cost saving is by not crashing which is surely the primary aim of Advanced driving!
Bert
BertBert said:
Starfighter said:
Lets take two company cars, same spec. One is driven by a muppet, gets 40 mpg and 15k from a set of boots, one is driven to a higher standard and gets 50mpg and original tyres are still good at 45K. 20% saving in fuel, 66% reduction in tyre costs. Yes the figures are rough and include a lot of assumptions but you can start to put numbers to the theories. IAM fleet training have data that they use but I don't have copies.
That sounds good in theory, but those figures are really just fantasy. You are talking about the difference between a hooligan and a sensible regular driver to make anything like that difference. It's not the difference between regular and IAM drivers.Anyway in my view, it's a minor aim of IAM. The best cost saving is by not crashing which is surely the primary aim of Advanced driving!
Bert
BertBert said:
The best cost saving is by not crashing which is surely the primary aim of Advanced driving!
Exactly! Fuel / maintenace savings are tangeable but secondary, any insurance saving is a side benefit as far as I am concerned. This is why I don't like it being used to promote IAM or similar organisations.25 - 30 years ago advanced driving counted for something and there were good discounts in recognition of qualifications such as IAM or a police class one. Sadly, such things are not programmed into the modern IT systems so the computer says 'NO' The other side of this is that modern thinking insists that we must not discriminate. The only thing the insurers go on is claims and convictions plus of course age, gender and to some degree the type of car. Therefore, in simplistic terms, all drivers are regarded as the same risk to the insurers until they start making claims. As pointed out, the answer is not to claim and IAM or similar can certainly help reduce that risk.
Just a quick point - There is a misconception that protected NCB protects the premium. It doesn't. Claims = increased risk = increased premium. It is only the discount on the premium that is protected.
Just a quick point - There is a misconception that protected NCB protects the premium. It doesn't. Claims = increased risk = increased premium. It is only the discount on the premium that is protected.
Edited by Jules2477 on Tuesday 21st July 18:14
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff