As your kids grow older, you’ll want to help them on their way to independence and helping them pass their driving test is a key milestone.
You might be sick of your role as a taxi driver – it’s estimated parents spend 52 hours a month ferrying their children around in the UK!
But the learning process is a whole new layer of stress. Think back to your own experiences of learning to drive for a start!
The pass rate in the UK is under 50% for car tests, so you should be prepared for a bumpy road ahead if you’re going to be helping out.
One key thing to get in place is a learner driver insurance policy that provides cover while they’re behind the wheel of either your car or a car that will eventually become theirs.
Understanding Learner Driver Insurance
Having insurance in place is a legal requirement for learners practising with family and friends. Your child won’t need a policy if they’re having lessons with an instructor as this is covered in the fees.
Learners can either be added to existing policies as named drivers or take out their own specialised cover while they are practising.
Taking out a separate policy protects your no-claims bonus as a parent and also helps your child start to build their own NCB.
Providers offer policies that cover both short-term and long-term periods. You could even get covered for just a day if necessary.
Benefits of Learner Driver Insurance
As well as being a legal requirement, there are other benefits to taking out a policy if practising driving with your child.
Financial Protection: Bumps and scrapes can happen at any time, especially when the person behind the wheel is less experienced. However, having cover in place helps to protect you financially if any repairs are required.
Building Confidence: Knowing that comprehensive cover is in place may help to boost your child’s self-esteem and give them the freedom to tackle the roads.
Peace of Mind: Sitting in a car while your child drives can be stressful, but it’s key to remember that you’re there to provide guidance and reassurance. This comes easier safe in the knowledge that you’re covered if anything drastic happens.
Tips for Finding the Right Policy
There are a huge number of providers and policies out there, so here are some ways in which you can narrow them down to find the right one for you and your young one.
Compare the Options: Either use an online comparison tool or source quotes from a range of providers to compare their costs and coverage levels.
Assessing your Needs: No doubt, you will have your own experience of taking out insurance policies so you will have a good idea of what is a must-have and what isn’t when it comes to optional extras.
Collaboration: Make it a team decision. After all, this is going to become an annual process for your kids someday and having a guiding hand at this stage can be a great help further down the line.