Hi, my name is Dave and I’m from Ireland, just have a quick question about insurance.
Do most insurance companies in UK not cover under 25 year olds to drive trucks?
I’m 21 with a full E+C license (Class 1/Artic) and every job I ring about all I get is “your too young we cant cover you”
Over here you can get your artic license at 18 so how can they decide not to cover you untill your 25?
After spending nearly €2000 to become a professional driver, hearing this everytime is getting pretty irritating.
Just wondering if newbies in the UK hear anything similiar?
Yep it is the same here most insurance companies wont insure you untill 25 although there are the exceptions to this
You can take your licence here at 18 now as well
The other is you need at least 2years checkable experience ( not just held licence for 2 years )
The same old how do you get experience if you cant get a job / how do you get a job to gain experience this is nowt new has been like it for 30+ that I know of
Been driving since I was 18 and now in my 20’s. Probably one of the youngest drivers in the UK to have the claim to fame of pulling abnormal loads on a regular basis.
The thing that puzzles me most, is how car insurance companies will let you drive a clapped out heap and not a brand new top of the range thing - Yet when it comes to trucks, you can drive a big R620 with sparkly bits on it at 21 with no issues.
Hi Dave, yeah same old over here mate. Having only had my licence since may and being under 25 myself I’m also finding it really hard to get any work. I have even looked at van driving as an option, but again… Must have previous experience
So I started emailing my CV out to everyone yesterday and suprisingly got a phonecall back on the same day. Had an interview today, think it went well but only time will tell. Good luck anyway mate.
Hi there, im only 23 been driving artics with this company for just over a year now… applied for the job and didnt put how old i was (law states they cant ask you apparantly?). Got an interview from my cv, then when i got there had a look at my license and were like… “ohh umm right ok”. they went off for a miniute while i filled in some forms then came back an said “Right, our insurance company dont like insuring people under 25, what reasons have you got to convince me to employ you?” said the usual things about being concienous and reliable etc… went for a spin up the road with the manager, next day offered me the job!
just proves that its up to the employer at the end of the day, make a good impression, tell them what they wanna hear and you’ve got every chance! good luck.
Unfortunatly not always just down to the employer, I applied for a job a few weeks ago doing cross channel work from Northern Ireland and the fella said he couldnt help me due to only having the class 1 for 6weeks so I gave him the sob story of how can you get experience without getting a chance but still to no joy! Around 20mins later he rung me back and said he would give me a chance, he was giving me my own wagon and putting me out to the mainland the following morning…then the killer came AS LONG AS THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAY OK!!! I was buzzing thinking I was getting my first artic job doing cross channel(exactly what I want) so I was straight online pricing kettles and what not for the cab. I could hardly sleep that night waiting for the call back from him and then the following morning it came, insurance company said I was a no go!!! Even though im 25, held my class 2 for 2years the fact I didnt have 2years experience on the artics meant they wouldnt touch me! I was totally gutted but hey ho what can ya do! Atleast the licence is there all I gotta do now is make sure I keep it point free and keep looking for that ‘dream job’ as for now ill just have to stick at my regular job building Caterpillar engines.
I should have held back posting this for a week or so.
Few days after I made this post got a call to do some agency work driving a rigid for a weekend, my first HGV job! Nerves were pretty shot in the morning as I wasn’t sure what to expect but it actually went great
On the Saturday, while driving for the agency, I got a phonecall about a job I applied for previously so got an interview with them on the monday, this company is only 20 mins from my home which suited me better as the agency work is 1 hour and 20 mins away. Interview went great, got on with the boss no prob and he was happy with the quick drive we took in the truck, but as always insurance caused an issue. He told me he would do his best but he couldn’t promise anything. A long 3 days later he called back saying he finally convinced his insurance company to cover me. Delighted! Starting with them later this week.
The day after my interview my agency called back saying they pretty much had full time work for me if I’m available. When it rains it bloody pours!!
Anyway point of the post is even it it takes ages someone will give you a chance, and more than likely you will get more than one offer at the same time! ha ha and as a few people have said on this, even if the job advert is looking for “fully experienced drivers” sometimes being honest about your lack of experience but eagerness to learn will get you the job.
and as a few people have said on this, even if the job advert is looking for “fully experienced drivers” sometimes being honest about your lack of experience but eagerness to learn will get you the job.