3 July 2012

Young motorists with ‘driving dread’ need car hire excess insurance

Car hire excess insurance might well be needed for a number of young motorists as they fail to grasp basic driving essentials.

Worryingly, a number young road users have never parked their own car, getting help from mum and dad to do so.

According to a recent poll by The Co-operative, one in ten 18-24 year olds has never parked their own car. 1 in 20 would plan a route to avoid turning right at a major junction. A further one in five young drivers have never driven on a motorway.

Worryingly, when young drivers can't cope with the tricky situation, some 5% confess to shutting their eyes whilst on the road.

Grant Mitchell, Head of Motor Insurance at The Co-operative, said: "Although young drivers have the reputation for being reckless and too confident, we can see that many young people actually lack the confidence they need on the road.

"Of course, the road can be a scary place when you first start driving, but it's surprising that basic things such as parking or negotiating roundabouts are still a worry for motorists long after they've passed their driving test.”

Overseas car hire

There is often a minimum age requirement to hire a car overseas, however, this largely depends on the type of vehicle and the country. In some countries you have to be a minimum age of 21 years to hire a car and in others renting a vehicle is not permitted to those under the age of 25.

If young motorists are planning on hiring a car whilst abroad, it could be worth taking out car hire insurance and car hire excess insurance. This typically covers any excess that motorists would have to pay should their rented vehicle become damaged.