Overhaulin'

Classic Car Insurance for Young Drivers, Help.?

In the UK how old does a car have to be before it comes under classic car insurance also how cheap is classic car insurance? I'll be 19 when I come to buying a car and was looking at cheap insurance, will have been driving for 1 year, I will have no, No claims bonus' If it's cheaper than smaller newer cars, What classic car would be worth looking at? How old does the car have to be before it's classed as a 'Classic' Make your you answer relates to UK rules/laws and what ever else USA rules/laws mean nothing to me and won't help. First guy to answer was no help what so ever, I didn't ask about up-keep, I've had a car for a year and know what im doing and how to up-keep a car, Also repairs are not an issue. I'll be buying the car from my own money I'VE EARNED so I'll appreciate anything i buy. Second answer was perfect would of rated it up but i can't cus im not level 2 or what ever, told me everything i needed to know since basically I can't do it.

Public Comments

1. I would recommend you try to get a cheap car that isn't classic that you can learn how to maintain because insurance will be expensive for young drivers and even more classic cars. Also learning how to maintain a car will help you appreciate your next car o so much more.
2. forget about classic car insurance. you can only get it on a secondary vehicle so you have to have a primary vehicle with normal insurance before you can get classic car insurance on a secondary vehicle. also, there are strict mileage restrictions on classic cars which would really cramp your lifestyle.
3. UK answer - Forget it as you cannot get classic insurance under 25. That would be a loophole far too big that if it was ever open got closed long ago. The insurers know that younge drivers could do this to cut costs and even though you may be genuine it just ain't gonna happen.
4. Please ignore most of the other answers, they seem to be from people who have never tried running a classic. First: Classic car insurance is not exclusively for people over 25. Companies such as Footman James and Adrian Flux are more 'specialists' than brokers; they can and will tailor an insurance policy to suit anyone. It is true that the (sometimes vast) discounts are more available to older drivers, but savings can still be made; most classics (affordable ones) have low horsepower, low top speed, are less likely to be stolen, more likely to be loved and maintained; this makes them cheaper to insure than new cars in general. Also, the 'limited mileage' thing is an OPTION, not a rule; of course it is cheaper to insure a car if you say you're only doing 3,000 miles a year in it; if you're doing more miles you can get 10k, 20k or unlimited policies and pay a bit more for it. (Alternatively, just disconnect the mileometer after reaching your limit...;)) Second: Ignore anyone saying 'don't get a classic, they break down all the time'. This is garbage. Modern cars break down all the time too, but when they do, you either have to go back to the dealer or the expense is so prohibitive you need to think about a new car. This is all so you, the public, buy more cars. I have run both classics and modern cars; when your classic breaks down, you get the spanners out. When a modern car breaks down, you get a loan. Classic Cars in the UK are any made before 1973 (for tax purposes... you get a free tax disc). This used to just be '25 years old or more' until 1997 when they decided it only applies to pre-'73. For insurance purposes it is different; some companies have their own ideas on what defines a classic. For some, it's a classic if there are less than 10,000 in the country. To some companies, Jaguars have the distinction of being classics just five years after being made. Back to the insurance issue: While it is true that as a young driver you will pay more than an older one, loopholes do exist, they just aren't as wonderful as they used to be. For example; if your parent(s) own a new-ish car (anything non-classic) then they can insure a classic as a second car, with you as a named driver. It will be more expensive than if you were older but still a saving. Joining owner's clubs often gets a nice discount too; true enthusiasts don't drive like morons in general. Cars I would recommend to a young driver wanting a classic would be those with excellent resources (spares and parts, owners clubs etc): Morris Minor (the highway code was made using one of these, and a more enjoyable driving experience would be hard to find; also a replacement engine costs around £80 and you can fit it yourself in an afternoon!) Mini 850/1000/1275 Triumph Dolomite Hillman Minx (Mine had 1 breakdown in 6 years which was fixed by a five minute read of the manual and one spanner!) MGB/MG Midget (You can build one from brand-new spares, possibly the easiest car to keep going on the planet) Of these, the smaller-engined ones give cheaper insurance generally. A look in the classifieds of Practical Classic should show you a bunch of cool cars for less than £2000. If you have less than £1000 to spend on a classic expect a bit of rust or whatever and buy a basic toolkit however much you spend. A breakdown you can fix is not a day-wrecker, it's a learning experience and a big boost to your confidence when you fix it. Every classic kept on the road is one in the eye to the big polluters, one less in a landfill, one less new car made. The opinion that we all must buy new cars is an illusion of security promoted by vast businesses. This is borne out by the fact that you see Morris Miors on the road nearly every day, while the most popular cars of the eighties and nineties (Mk4 Escorts, Sierras, Montegos, Maestros etc) are scarce as hell... they weren't made half as well, and these days disposability is built in. That's why lights are bigger, more panels are plastic; they don't want it to be affordable, or even possible to mend. They want you to buy a new one. It's far more damaging to the environment to buy a new Prius than even keeping an old 4-litre Jag going, which is why the recent scrappage scheme upset so many: good cars scrapped to make people buy worse ones, polluting more but in the name of ecology. Just rich people getting richer at everyone's expense. Hmm sorry for the rant. So you can do it. Please do:)
5. Depends on the insurance company but most will consider any car over 20 years old a classic. You CAN get classic insurance at your age, some of the young guys in my car club are 18/20 and have classics as their only cars. Still costs them near enough a grand though, so don't imagine it's that cheap. Join a classic car club or look for an online forum for advice/inspiration regarding which cars to go for, but my advice is to do it, classics are far cooler than any mangey Corsa or Micra you'll get insurance for and you'll learn a bit about cars.