How young drivers can benefit from the Pass Plus course

You have probably heard of the Pass Plus course this is a scheme designed to give new motorists experience in unfamiliar driving situations. However, did you realise that completing the course could slash as much as 35 per cent off the cost of your car insurance premiums?

We look at how the Pass Plus course works and how you can benefit from a discount.

What is the Pass Plus course?

The Pass Plus course was established in 1995 by the Driving Standards Agency and is aimed at young drivers whereby offering them extra tuition to boost their confidence and experience behind the wheel. The course is split into six modules:

- All-weather driving
- Driving out of town
- Driving on dual carriageways
- Driving on motorways
- Night driving
- Town driving

Why does it save money on car insurance?

Unfortunately, young drivers have a poor reputation with insurance companies and face sky-high premiums. According to the AA, drivers under the age of 21 are 10 times more likely to make a claim than drivers aged 35; with one out of every five young drivers suffering a crash within their first year behind the wheel.

As a consequence it’s vital to take steps to cut premiums wherever possible – and this is where the Pass Plus course comes in. By providing additional tuition it helps insurers to be more confident about your driving abilities and about how responsible you are behind the wheel. As such they are willing to offer significant discounts.

How much could you save by completing the Pass Plus?

Discounts vary from insurer to insurer and according to research by a comparison website, only 15 providers offer a discount on their policies for completing the course with an average of 12 per cent discount.

However, if you shop around you can find much more significant savings. For example, the AA offers a discount of up to 35 per cent for completing the course; while Endsleigh, the only insurer approved by the National Union of Students, covers both provisional and new drivers with Pass Plus discounts as high as 20 per cent. Similarly, 17 to 40 Car Insurance also offers discounts up to 20 per cent.

But what about the price of the course – is it worth it?

Prices for the Pass Plus course vary, but are typically in the region of £171 – you may be able to find cheaper courses by shopping around.

There are also several local authorities that sponsor the Pass Plus course and can offer discounts up to 50 per cent of the full tuition costs. So it might be worth contacting your borough, town, city or county council to see if it can help you with the cost.

Depending on the price of the course available to you, you might want to weigh up whether the savings available on your insurance will surpass the initial cost of the course. However, with third party fire and theft premiums now averaging £1,059 a year, and savings of up to 35 per cent available for completing the course, it will usually be financially beneficial, not to mention the fact that you will gain invaluable experience and be more confident about driving.

Other ways to save on car insurance

Don’t forget that there are other ways for young drivers to save money on car insurance.

Several insurers now appeal to youngsters with rapid bonus schemes, offering a full year’s no-claims discount in around nine months. There are also discounts available for adding parents as named drivers on a policy – though you should not ask a parent to front a policy for you, as this is illegal.