Insurance for Learner Driver - Supervisor

[oobster]

Evening lads & lassies

Daughter is 17, provisional licence holder, is taking lessons from a proper instructor.

However, we’ve just (today) acquired a wee Honda Jazz for her to pootle around in, in between lessons and I’ll be sitting next to her to supervise until she passes her test.

I have my own car that (I’ve checked) has driving other cars cover, third party only and with the owners permission etc etc

Question is: do I NEED to be a named driver on the policy she is going to take out for her Jazz? I may drive it occasionally (eg drive it to her work at her finishing time and she drives it back home).

Ta

[Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary]

You'd probably make it cheaper being a named driver anyway, so it's worth doing.

Otherwise, if you're happy on TPO cover then fill your boots.

You don't need to be on the insurance to supervise her, but having some form of cover would be handy should you need to take over. Enjoy and brace yourself, learners can do some surprising things (I speak as an instructor myself!).

And I will say that as they're having lessons with an instructor, please just supervise. Don't tell them how to drive! I have a fair few pupils who do really well and then on the next one go backwards. After delving into it, it's because they've gone out with a parent who has taught them wrong/a bad habit/something that wasn't acceptable then but is now (like crossing hands).

[Jeremy-75qq8]

For my 17 old on a vw up with 2 named drivers in Surrey the premium was £230.

Who owns it ? If you you won't be covered. Must be owned by someone else.

The premium will be lower / won't change if you are a named driver

[The Gauge]

Earlier this year when my 18yr old lad was having lessons he bought a 2013 Ford Fiesta and we took out a policy in his name and with his mother and myself as named drivers, it cost about £300 and obviously required him to be supervised.

On the day he passed his test I phoned his insurers to let them know that he was now a full licence holder, the insurance company would no longer cover him so we got a refund of unused months. We eventually got him cover elsewhere for £2,700

[MOMACC]

The Gauge said:

Earlier this year when my 18yr old lad was having lessons he bought a 2013 Ford Fiesta and we took out a policy in his name and with his mother and myself as named drivers, it cost about £300 and obviously required him to be supervised.

On the day he passed his test I phoned his insurers to let them know that he was now a full licence holder, the insurance company would no longer cover him so we got a refund of unused months. We eventually got him cover elsewhere for £2,700

Very good reasons for the cost difference too.

Whilst learning and with supervision statistics show claims are fewer than the minute a 17yr old passes, hits the open road and kills 3 of their mates doing 100mph. Not saying your lad would but the cost difference is purely in the data, same for drivers once they hit 75/80 as they become a higher risk and have more claims on average than the 25-75 age group.

Good point for the OP though, be prepared for the large jump in premium when your daughter passes her test.

[oobster]

Thanks folks. She is going to get her own policy and we are aware the price is going to shoot up massively once she passes her test.

[V8 Bob]

If car is in your daughters name get insurance in her name and add as many older drivers with clean licences as you can a bit play on a comparison website will show the impact. I am on my grandsons policy along with his mother and his grandmother. His stepdad has three points and adding him increased the cost marginally.
Remember the black box if fitted when you drive the car !

Plus if you drive it on your “any other car “ element of your own car insurance then you only have third party cover on the car being driven.

Edited by V8 Bob on Thursday 17th July 08:29

[KTMsm]

I found it made sense to use one of the learner short-term cover policies that allows the learner to have a separate policy on one of your cars

£130 to cover my daughter on my mx5 sport for 2 months

[BertBert]

Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary said:

And I will say that as they're having lessons with an instructor, please just supervise. Don't tell them how to drive! I have a fair few pupils who do really well and then on the next one go backwards. After delving into it, it's because they've gone out with a parent who has taught them wrong/a bad habit/something that wasn't acceptable then but is now (like crossing hands).

In a light hearted vein, I've sat with a lot of kids over the years learning to drive and I've often been surprised how poorly they have been taught to drive. It's almost completely a set of actions with no brain involvement. No actual thinking about what they are doing and why! I mostly give them back as better drivers!

[Granadier]

At the risk of opening a can of worms, why is crossing hands now acceptable for learner drivers? I'm aware that some of the driving 'rules' I was taught 35 years ago have been abandoned, but I'd have thought keeping each hand on its side of the wheel is still the safest method? Always makes me cringe when I see automotive Youtubers steering in weird ways.

[The0perator]

Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary said:

You'd probably make it cheaper being a named driver anyway, so it's worth doing.

Otherwise, if you're happy on TPO cover then fill your boots.

You don't need to be on the insurance to supervise her, but having some form of cover would be handy should you need to take over. Enjoy and brace yourself, learners can do some surprising things (I speak as an instructor myself!).

And I will say that as they're having lessons with an instructor, please just supervise. Don't tell them how to drive! I have a fair few pupils who do really well and then on the next one go backwards. After delving into it, it's because they've gone out with a parent who has taught them wrong/a bad habit/something that wasn't acceptable then but is now (like crossing hands).

top comment

And especially the supervision comment, I did that for my wife (we didn't murder either other shock!) a few years back and to avoid rows especially I simply supervised and kept my mouth shut when she was driving. I think it helped her a lot in passing first time. I am a big fan of practical experience, just practicing what the instructor has taught.

[stemll]

V8 Bob said:

If car is in your daughters name get insurance in her name and add as many older drivers with clean licences as you can a bit play on a comparison website will show the impact. I am on my grandsons policy along with his mother and his grandmother. His stepdad has three points and adding him increased the cost marginally.
Remember the black box if fitted when you drive the car !

Plus if you drive it on your any other car element of your own car insurance then you only have third party cover on the car being driven.

Edited by V8 Bob on Thursday 17th July 08:29

I didn't come across any learner policies that required a black box. Those come once they've passed.

[ro250]

stemll said:

I didn't come across any learner policies that required a black box. Those come once they've passed.

I think some people are talking about learner policies and some about new driver policies.

Basically, add yourself to both as a parent.

[Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary]

BertBert said:

Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary said:

And I will say that as they're having lessons with an instructor, please just supervise. Don't tell them how to drive! I have a fair few pupils who do really well and then on the next one go backwards. After delving into it, it's because they've gone out with a parent who has taught them wrong/a bad habit/something that wasn't acceptable then but is now (like crossing hands).

In a light hearted vein, I've sat with a lot of kids over the years learning to drive and I've often been surprised how poorly they have been taught to drive. It's almost completely a set of actions with no brain involvement. No actual thinking about what they are doing and why! I mostly give them back as better drivers!

I believe lot of instructors teach instead of coach, that's the trouble. We should be getting them to think about things instead of just "do this, do that"!

[Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary]

Granadier said:

At the risk of opening a can of worms, why is crossing hands now acceptable for learner drivers? I'm aware that some of the driving 'rules' I was taught 35 years ago have been abandoned, but I'd have thought keeping each hand on its side of the wheel is still the safest method? Always makes me cringe when I see automotive Youtubers steering in weird ways.

Anything is acceptable so long as full control of the vehicle is retained. Some pupils struggle shuffling the wheel but are fine with crossing hands whereas some are the opposite. Some prefer palming the wheel (though I am careful with that one, and don't teach it).

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary said:

I believe lot of instructors teach instead of coach, that's the trouble. We should be getting them to think about things instead of just "do this, do that"!

Their job is to get them thru the test. That's it.

[Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary said:

I believe lot of instructors teach instead of coach, that's the trouble. We should be getting them to think about things instead of just "do this, do that"!

Their job is to get them thru the test. That's it.

For lots of instructors, definitely. For me, I'd rather know they have some decent decision making and driving skills before letting them loose on the roads!

The DVSA expect client centred learning and coaching imstead of teaching these days, though sometimes teaching is the only way (though in my two years I've only ever had one pupil I had to tell instead of ask).

[BertBert]

Powerfully Built Company Directors Secretary said:

I believe lot of instructors teach instead of coach, that's the trouble. We should be getting them to think about things instead of just "do this, do that"!

Hit the nail on the head!

[Drumroll]

When my daughter got her first car before she passed her test. We took a policy out in her name with me and the missus as named drivers. It was actually quite cheap. It also meant she was building up her no claims bonus. (how things are currently it could be a year before she passes her test)

[BertBert]

Yes learner policies are cheap as chips compared to new driver