It is important to remember that not all young drivers are boy racers; out to show off their new driving skills to their mates at break neck speeds, yet car insurance premiums are often considerably higher for motorists under the age of 21 years old.

One car insurance expert recently told a conference, “I believe the industry must work together to find a formula that recognises those who are able to demonstrate they take a responsible approach to driving.”

This will be a popular statement with many novice drivers and people who remember having to pay large insurance premiums at the start of their motoring lives.

Some insurers are unwilling to offer insurance cover for drivers under the age of 21 years old, with some companies extending that to people under the age of 25 years old. Those that do provide cover, often charge unaffordable prices which is leading to many first time drivers taking to the roads uninsured as they can’t afford the premiums on offer.

It is little wonder that many people who pass their driving test for the first time are left feeling despondent when they calculate the cost of running a car, but there are some do’s and don’ts that can help keep insurance premiums down.

Young drivers should look into taking an advanced drivers course in an attempt to convince their insurance company that they are a responsible driver. All insurers will price their customers’ premiums on the likelihood of them making a claim, so the less likely they deem them to be to make a claim, the less the insurance will cost to cover them.

One insurance expert was quoted as saying, “One out of every five young drivers suffers a crash within their first year of driving and young drivers are 10 times more likely to be involved in a serious collision than experienced drivers.”

Improving a cars security is another way of reducing premiums with insurers. By lessening the chance of a vehicle being stolen by fitting it with an alarm system or immobiliser, or by decreasing the risk of the car suffering criminal damage by parking it in a secure location, will make a positive difference to the price quoted by an insurer.

It is important that young drivers don’t get tempted to make modifications to their vehicles even if the changes don’t have an impact on the speed or power of the car. Modified cars generally cost more to insure than unmodified cars.