When it comes to car insurance, being young can be pretty costly. Generally younger drivers face much higher insurance premiums.
As figures from the Association of British Insurers revealed last year, motorists aged 18-20 pay a typical £973 for their policy, compared to just £354 for those aged 46-50.
This is because statistically young drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident and have a higher chance of needing to make a claim.
However, there are plenty of simple steps you can take to keep those costs to a minimum.
Choose the right car
Cars are placed into one of fifty different groups by car insurers, based on the performance of the engine, security features and how expensive repairs will likely end up being. The cars in the higher-numbered groups are more costly to put right, and that translates into higher car insurance costs.
But by going for a car in a lower-numbered group, you can keep your car insurance premiums at a manageable level.
Examples of cars in lower-numbered groups include the Ford Ka, the Fiat Panda and the Peugeot 107.
You can check what group your car is in on the Thatcham website.
Take another test
One way to prove that you are less of a risk to an insurer than other new drivers is to take an additional driving qualification, such as the Pass Plus.
These courses can give you further experience in more varied driving conditions, helping you improve your abilities at the wheel and hopefully mean a reduction in the cost of your car insurance.
Get a black box
Making use of technology in the form of a telematics policy is also an option for young drivers looking to reduce the size of their premiums.
A black box is fitted to your car, which tracks your driving style - everything from typical speeds and how often you spend behind the wheel to cornering and braking. If you can demonstrate that you are a responsible driver, then over time your premiums will be reduced.
Best of all, as you have access to the information being collected about your driving, then you can pinpoint areas you need to improve.
According to the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) there are currently more than 750,000 active telematics car insurance policies, with discounts of as much as 25% achievable for young drivers.
