So, you’ve paid for lessons and passed your driving test. Now it’s time to get insurance. But as a young driver, how much can you expect to pay for the privilege of covering your car? Here, we take a look at the cost of car insurance for motorists like you.

A high-risk category

The fact is, drivers in your age demographic are considered by insurers to be high-risk. As specialist brokers Chill point out, statistics show that people in the under 24 age group make the most claims on car insurance policies. This is supported by figures cited by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, which suggest that while people aged 15 to 24 represent only 14 percent of the US population, they account for 30 percent of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28 per cent among females.

Cover providers take this into account when they are calculating premiums and so they tend to charge young motorists more than older, more experienced road users. Exactly how much you pay will depend on a whole range of factors, including the type of car you drive, but you can expect your insurance to represent a significant cost.

Simple ways to save money

However, don’t despair if you’re on the lookout for affordable car cover. As long as you know what you’re doing, there are simple ways to save money on your vehicle insurance. For example, be sure to shop around for the best deals. By spending some time browsing the web for the best offers, you can save yourself a tidy sum. You can also get more competitive premiums by raising your voluntary excess. This is the amount you pay in the event that you need to make a claim.

You might benefit from adding another named driver to your policy too, especially if they are older and have more driving experience. Don’t be tempted to put your policy in someone else’s name though. This is called ‘fronting’ and it could result in insurers rejecting any claims you make.

Another way to save cash is to increase the security of your car and limit risk. If you don’t already have them, consider adding an alarm or immobiliser to your vehicle, and if possible make sure you park in a driveway or garage overnight rather than leaving your car on the street. Also, avoid making modifications to your vehicle like adding alloy wheels or body kits. These changes could raise your cover costs by hundreds of dollars.

The fact is, as a young driver you can expect to be charged more for cover than older motorists. However, by following tips like these, you should be able to save yourself money.