It has recently been claimed that the average cost of insuring a car for young drivers has soared to a record high of £3,688 – with newly qualified drivers now facing annual premiums of around £5,957. Faced with premiums this high what can young drivers do to lower their premiums?

Think carefully about the car you purchase.

There is a world of difference between the insurance premiums on a 7 seater SUV and a small car with a small engine. Think carefully before making a purchase – don’t be tempted by car deals on cars that will saddle you with a high premium. You can use one of the comparison sites to see the difference in premiums for different cars before you buy one.

Add an older named driver to their policy.

Adding an older named driver to your policy may help to reduce your premiums. This could be a parent or a sister who only occasionally drives your car – but be careful – adding a named driver with a number of points on their license or a number of recent insurance claims may have the opposite effect.

Build up a good no-claims bonus.

Avoiding making claims, if at all possible, in your early years of driving will lower your premiums massively. Each year you do not claim your premium reduces. If you are young and facing high premiums it is advisable to not put in a claim unless it is absolutely essential.

Install safety features on the car.

Safety features such as car alarms can help reduce your premium but only if the devices are professionally fitted.

Never modify your car.

It may be your first car but adding spoilers, altering the exhaust or modifying your car in any way will make it more difficult to find insurers for your vehicle and, resultantly, lead to higher premiums. ‘Pimping your ride’ is good for MTV but not for cheap insurance.

Park your car securely.

If you can find a secure parking location for your car, such as off-road or, better still, in a garage your premium will lower. Be warned, however, that any claim you make could be invalidated if your vehicle was not parked where you claimed it would be.

Play the excess card.

This is perhaps the best tactic a young driver has. The higher the excess you are prepared to pay the lower the premium you will be offered. Given that it is advisable to build up your no claims bonus – and only claim if absolutely essential – a higher excess is a useful card to play in the premium lowering game.

Take a Pass Plus course.

Taking a Pass Plus course will build your driving confidence – it can also attract lower insurance quotes.

Shop Around and Drive Safely.

Shopping around for car insurance is easier than ever before. You can test out different scenarios – type of car, higher excess, additional named drivers, car storage locations, extra safety features – across a number of insurers and find the best insurance deal for you. Above all, though, drive safely – it is sad but true that younger drivers are involved in more road accidents than any other group of drivers.