"Pass Plus" Driving Course?

[Duncan_Mon]

Well, i just passed my driving test an hour ago, only been driving 2 months aswell . Got 7 minors, 4 of them i knew i had done instantly and was like...dang! Was so nervous, glad its all over and done with, but now my Examiner mentioned to me about the Pass Plus scheme.

He mentioned its a 6 hour long course, and can reduce your insurance from 35-50% usualy, seeing as mine is just under £1000 on a Peugot 206 1.9 Diesel HDI. Anyone experienced doing this? Any idea how much it costs for the 6 hour course and what exactly is involved with it?

Thanks

[Norky]

It will cost whatever 6 of your instructors 1hr lessons are. It's 6 seperate briefings on things like motorways, city driving, night driving and so on, but you don't necessarily have to do it at night or whatever, and there's no test to pass.

Because I'm insured on my mum's car with all my other family members it didn't actually make any difference to my insurance. I'd also be pretty wary of the 35-50% claim, just make sure you can regain the cost of taking the course in the insurance saved.

[jimbouk]

Aye as above, make sure you phone your insurance company first (and a few others) to see if it actually makes a difference. In a years time when you have no claims (hopefully, unless someone runs into the back of you like they did to me...) then it won't matter so make sure it pays its way in a year.

[RDL]

Yeah if you have no claims after a year it's not worth doing. Pass Plus is a bit of a joke in some ways, some instructors will simply give you the certificate to say you've done it if you pay them for the time (without actually doing anything!)

Not worth it IMO. You should be experienced after a years driving.

[kidzer]

I have a friend who did it, he got around a 20% reduction in his Insurance, having run a wee scooter for the year before he passed his test (so he had 1 year NCB already I guess, if it's transferable), so it has some benefit vs the cost of it for some people.

If it'll save you money, go for it - otherwise, I wouldn't, you'll learn much more after you pass your test compared to spending time with an Instructor - so I've been told.

[steve threlfall]

Originally Posted by Duncan_Mon

Well, i just passed my driving test an hour ago, only been driving 2 months aswell . Got 7 minors, 4 of them i knew i had done instantly and was like...dang! Was so nervous, glad its all over and done with, but now my Examiner mentioned to me about the Pass Plus scheme.

He mentioned its a 6 hour long course, and can reduce your insurance from 35-50% usualy, seeing as mine is just under £1000 on a Peugot 206 1.9 Diesel HDI. Anyone experienced doing this? Any idea how much it costs for the 6 hour course and what exactly is involved with it?

Thanks

Congratulations mate

You must have picked it up quick.

I did pass plus with my instructor and he let me pick what to do on the lessons (opted for motorway driving). I saved at least £100 off the cost of my insurance and the extra lessons were worthwhile.

[Moby-Dick]

I'd say its useful for things like the Motorway Lesson. If you've only ever driven in an urban environment , then driving in a rural one and vice versa would also be handy.

[Gr44]

Same as above, bar Motorway it's a bit of a waste of time, unless of course it saves you money.

My insurance went down from £2600 to £1500 ish when I did my pass plus - so was well worth it in my case! My instructor did it for free too, we only did 45mins on a motorway though.

Best bet is to phone up your insurance co. and ask what the change would be if you got Pass Plus!

[DR]

I would do it for 2 reasons

1. Safety - and learning more
2. Insurance reduction

[steve threlfall]

Some insurers will only give you a 10% discount however, if anything. So to echo what others have already said, ask your insurer beforehand.

[Brucelles]

It's dependant upon your age and experience. You have a license 3 months old max, so you are the most inexperienced kid on the road (Well done, though) and that must show in your premiums, and any experience will be useful.

Basically I would do it if you can justify the expense. Going onto a motorway for the first time can be a bit scary, especially if it's the M25.

Honest John in the Telegraph Motoring section recommends it strongly for people like you, and he knows much more than I do. Your chances of having an accident are apparently reduced quite a lot if you do it properly.

Check with your insurer to see what difference it will make
Check with your instructor to see what it will cost and what you will get out of it
Make a decision based not on money alone.

[Dorza]

I did it and I didn't save much when I first passed but there was some saving. Now it makes next to no difference. As has been said above, it is worth doing for the motorway driving. When I did mine my instructor also asked me to plan a 30mile route which included motorway driving for the bulk of the 30 miles.

[tiggerai]

I would seriously reccommend the Motorway driving part of the course as it's bloody scary when you first start driving on one. (It's also scary for passengers when you almost pull over into the outside lane without looking in your blind spot... my brother did this to me on the M25 to gatwick... because he hadn't done the Motorway driving bit and it hadn't been drilled into him how quickly things can appear on a M-way.)

I did it, but never got the certificate, but after a years NCB it didn't matter anyway. Not all insurers accept it either so it's only good for a reduction with certain insurers.

[streetster]

I did pass plus last christmas, I'd passed my driving test 2 years ago... the reason? My Dad's Company Car...

The insurance for the company car seems quite ridiculous, you are allowed to drive the car:

a) if you are over 25
b) if you are 21 or over and have the car owner in there too
c) if you are 21 or over and have done pass plus...

so 6 lessons @ £20 = £120... grants me access to my dad's golf mk5 tdi bargaintastic!

But echoing some of the comments made earlier, if you havent done much rural/motorway/night/etc driving it may be good just to get you accustomed to the different environments - especially considering you've only been driving for 2 months

[DR]

I would do it for the safety over saving money....

[Duncan_Mon]

Thanks alot to all the replys, for only having my license for 3 months and driving for 2 im not really surprised at the cost of my insurance! Im pretty sure DirectLine do give a discount on those with Pass Plus but i'll give them a phone to find out how much it'll be reduced by.

Id really like to do the motorway part, as thats something I'll eventually have to go out on! Never thought of that before, done plenty night / rural driving (i stay up the back of a small village, over the road from a farm, Scotland )

When i hit 21, my Dad's going to put me on some sort of insurance thing him and my mum are on so they can drive any car, hes self employed doing body work and spraying of cars so pays off.

Thanks again.