Been chatting to a lad I know this evening about insurance. He's 17 and currently doing his lessons so has been searching for insurance prices.
Ofcourse everything is crazy expensive and completely beyond the reach of 99% of young lads. He wants a Citroen C4 Loeb edition (1.6 16V) and was getting quotes of circa 6K fully comp. He then spoke to 'CoOp insurance who suggested something that would dramatically decrease his premium. It's called a black box, it's fitted to the car and monitors things like speed, acceleration, cornering and braking. By having this little box installed will drop his policy to little over £1100 !!.
What a great idea for youngsters to get started hey, obviously you can't drive like a prat or your policy will go up or even be cancelled.

First I've ever heard of something like this, anybody else have any experience with it ?

 

Yeah i read about it last year, i think you have to pay to have it fitted etc but it would be a better way to get insured though.

 

He should add one of his parents on to his insurance as a named driver. This will allow him to still be the main driver and registerd keeper of the vehicle without causing himself any interest from the 5 O by lying and saying that he is the named driver

 

This lad is very sensible so having his driving monitored would be no issue and if it drops the cost by so much what a great idea.
Not sure what it costs to have fitted but can't be that much I wouldn't of thought.

 

He tried with a parent as a named driver but that didn't make much difference because of his age.
With the black box installed its his own policy with only him insured.

 

I have heard of this and think its a great idea
We should not tar all young drivers with the same brush just because we cannot prove what they drive like
My 18yr old son with 1 yr NCB on a 998cc mini pays £2100

 

Adding me as a named occasional driver on my sons policy did reduce the cost

 

see thats mental! iv just turned 22 and when i was 17 i had an escort rs turbo on my own insurance and it was only £700! mind u tho it was 3rd part F & T

 

oh and that was my 1st car lol

 

I looked into this a year ago. My son was quoted 4k for a group 1 car. The black box dropped it to 3.5k. Was not worth the trouble and expense of having it fitted. I bought him a push bike instead.

 

He still don't drive but is as fit as a butchers dog now
Will he be ready for the olympics

 

I told him, do well at uni and get a good job after. Then you may get a company car. That's his incentive

 

Here is my lads baby

 

Looks very tidy. I bought my nipper this his dream car but he cant drive it as we cant insure it. Oh well he still like tinkering with it.

 

Its only a matter of time before these "black boxes" will have to be fitted to all cars on the road. Soon as you make boost in a healthy Subaru from 1st it'll just flag up a warning at your insurance company that you're driving "dangerously" and your policy will be cancelled!

On the other hand, that is A LOT cheaper if the quotes right. Sounds worth it!

 

That does sound like a great idea.
Good stuff.



Danny.

 

What great first cars! Mmmm what did I have again...

 

Was it fast enough for you mate

 

Speeds I go I may as well still have it and put a scooby badge on the front!

 

looked at insurance for when the lad starts........strangely the more expensive car you buy the cheaper the insurance.

I guess the logic is that if it costs a lot of money then you won't crash it ..

Shaun