What is a young driver?
Before getting to the heart of the matter, it's useful to define what a "young driver" is. First of all, there is no legal definition of a young driver. Whether in the highway code, the law or the insurance code, there is no clear-cut definition of a young driver.
Generally speaking, motorists who have held their driving license for less than 3 years are considered to be young drivers. In other words, the duration of the probationary license is used as a basis. Note that the probationary period is not the same for everyone.
| Traditional apprenticeship | Accompanied driving | Supervised learning | Supervised learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Without further training |
3 years |
2 years |
3 years |
3 years |
|
With additional training |
2 years |
1 year and 6 months |
2 years |
2 years |
Young driver status is often indicated by the "A" disc attached to the rear of the vehicle. Length of probationary license.
During the probationary period, the young driver is initially awarded 6 points. The remaining points are recovered over the cycle. Once again, this cycle depends on the individual's driving record. For example, a young driver who has obtained his license through accompanied driving will receive 3 points per year over the two years of his probationary license, instead of 2 points per year for a driver who has undergone traditional training.
👉 To read → How to choose your first electric car?
Complementary training
As indicated in the table above, it is possible to reduce the length of the probationary licence. To do this, you need either to take part in accompanied driving courses, or to take additional training courses.
Additional training courses have been available since May 11, 2019. To access them, visit driving schools with the "École conduite qualité"¹ label.
For volunteers who would like to take part, the training takes place between 6ᵉ and 12ᵉ months after obtaining the license.
Before reducing the length of the probationary license and thus recovering the 6 points missing from one's license, the additional training courses serve in particular to make new drivers more responsible as well as "reinforce acquired skills".
This initiative is particularly aimed at reducing the number of accidents on the road, including those involving new drivers. According to the figures, a large proportion of accidents occur in the first year of driving, mainly due to negligence on the part of young drivers.
Want to go electric?
Beev offers multi-brand 100% electric vehicles at the best prices, as well as recharging solutions.
Young driver insurance: how does it work?
As with all insurance, young driver car insurance covers you in the event of an accident. But what sets young driver insurance apart from other types of insurance is that it is often more expensive. This is because insurers believe they are taking more risk insuring a novice driver than an experienced one. So, depending on your situation, you may have to pay a higher premium.
If you have just received your license and passed the traditional test, you will receive a 100% bonus. If you obtained your license through accompanied driving, you will receive a surcharge of 50%. Depending on the number of years without a claim for which you are declared to be responsible, your surcharge may be reduced by half for the 1st year, by ¾ from the 2nd year onwards, and to 0% after the 3rd year.
How much does an insurance policy cost?
Contract pricing is based on several criteria. First, we'll look at the driver's profile. A young driver may be a young adult who has just obtained his or her license for the first time, or a motorist who has taken his or her license again, or a driver returning to driving after a long period. Depending on the individual, the rate will be higher or lower. The rate will also take into account the use you make of your car, the average distance you cover, etc...
Another criterion is the vehicle you want to insure. If you want to insure a Fiat Panda or a Rolls Royce, the rate will be different. The make, model, power and even the type of fuel you use will all influence your contract.
It's worth noting that, depending on experience and driving ability, a more or less powerful vehicle can put you at a disadvantage when taking out a policy. As a young driver, if you wish to purchase a "powerful" vehicle, the insurer may decide to increase the price because of the increased accident "risk".
How to choose your insurance?
When we want to insure our car, we wonder how to choose our insurance. Fortunately, there are several formulas to choose from. Which are :
- Third-party single coverage
This is the minimum required for all motorists. It's the least expensive of the formulas, because its level of coverage is also the lowest. It covers only the physical and material damage you are likely to cause to other road users. - Extended third-party cover
This is generally the best value for money.
Extended third-party cover is based on the same principles as simple third-party cover, but can be combined with optional cover. These include coverage for natural disasters, technological incidents, terrorist attacks, fire, theft and glass breakage. - Comprehensive insurance cover
Let's finish with what is surely the best known: comprehensive insurance.
It's the most comprehensive option, but as you'd expect, it's also the most expensive. In short, this coverage indemnifies you whatever happens, whatever the context. It's recommended if your vehicle is particularly valuable.
Is there a horsepower limit for young drivers?
Legally speaking, there is no maximum horsepower imposed by law in the Insurance Code for young drivers. However, as mentioned above, if you purchase a "powerful" vehicle, you will be charged more for insurance. It's useful to know that most insurers consider a vehicle to be powerful when it has 6 or more horsepower.
In a nutshell
Taking out young driver's car insurance isn't easy! There are so many solutions, and not all of them are right for you. However, with this article and all the information provided, you should be able to get by. What's important to remember :
- You are eligible for young driver insurance if you have held your driving license for less than 3 years for "classic" driving, or 2 years for accompanied driving.
- There are 3 types of insurance
- Third-party insurance (cheapest)
- Extended third-party insurance (intermediate solution)
- Comprehensive insurance (most comprehensive, but most expensive)
- For a first car, avoid cars that are too "powerful", as this may discourage insurers, who may considerably increase the insurance rate.
We hope you find this article helpful, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us in the comments!
