This has caused many problems for new drivers with premiums averaging £1300 for a newly qualified 17 year old male driver.

Young female drivers pay a lot less for their policies due to their reduced risk of being involved in an accident. EEC law is looking to make this a discrimination issue but insurance companies and representative groups are opposing this move.

The main factors which will effect your insurance premium are listed below;

The Vehicle - Choosing the right vehicle will have a massive impact on your premium. As a guide, look at the insurance group of the car. The grouping structure runs from Group 1 to Group 20 and your insurance premium will increase as you move through the groups. Use the link below to our web site and use the car grouping guide which will give you an indication of which vehicles fall into which groups. Do not however rely on either guesswork or a basic group guide when choosing a car. Even a subtle difference in model of vehicle could effect your premium massively - Get quotes on every type of car you are looking at before deciding on buying one.

Where you live - Not a lot you can do about this but in some areas of the UK you are twice as likely to have your car stolen. In London you are 50% more likely to be involved in an accident - Your premium will reflect where you lice.

Pass Plus - If you have just passed your test, seriously consider pass plus. This will give you discounts of up to 20% off your insurance premium. The course costs £120 so can be very effective at saving you money and improving your driving skills.

Type of Cover - As a first time driver you will normally be restricted to third party fire and theft cover because of the costs involved. Consider third party only cover also.

There are no shortcuts when insuring your first car but there is a silver lining to that horrible first premium. A safe years driving will result in a drop in your premium of around 50% in the following year.