Hi guys, thought I’d ask you the operators about this two year experience for insurance reasons, does it actually boil down to having license two years? I’m over twenty five so was told that it would maybe be easier cause of age, but was to do a few weeks cover for a small subbie, he couldn’t get me on insurance cause of the two year thing. He said I’d need to do a bit for the bigger companies until I have my license that long, then it would be easier for a small timer to get me insured. What’s the reality of this?
This is the reality I am afraid. Insurance renewal questionnaire will now quiz you on foreign and new drivers, and their relevant UK driving experience.
Big companies self-insure, so they take the hit if there is an accident. So are more prepared to give inexperienced drivers a start.
Everything really depends on what’s on you policy, but as Janos said in general they’ll bump the premium or excess for drivers without the experience or under 25.
On the insurance policy for the company I work for, which includes vans and company cars (not a haulage company but run a couple of trucks), we have to name any drivers under 25, they normally get certain restrictions added, so only allowed to drive certain vehicles.
The insurance company doesn’t seem to worry to much about experience though, but as I said we’re not a haulage company.
If you asking this because you’re having problems finding work it’s not a new problem. You’ve just got to keep knocking on doors, can be soul destroying getting constant rejections, but eventually somebody needs somebody and you were there so you get the phone call.
I got my break with a local family run haulier, he quite often took on inexperienced drivers.
Thanks guys for replys, I’ve a bit of part time rigid experience but not much artic experience, will have my license 2 yrs next summer, the man I was speaking to said he’d have no problem then, that it was down to the two year thing.
Put your name down with the agencies. I’m fairly sure the ways things are at the moment they’ll have some customers who will take you on with under 2 years.
Our insurance adds £500.00 to the excess which doesn’t seem to bad, we would absorb it. We have taken on newbies in the past and it’s not been a problem for us ( touching wood and crossing fingers!).
We are a small family firm, so yes, try them first.