12 tonne horsebox insurance for 19 yr old?????anyone done this?

chocolategirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 June 2012
Messages
1,299
Visit site
Afternoon all. Hoping someone can help me find a company willing to insure my daughter on our 12 t lorry as a learner under my supervision? I'm guessing she will have to actually pass her C test first? I have my licence already obviously, but I need her to do hers so she can share the driving on long runs. I'm aware she will have to do her CPC as she us under 21, but does anyone know if she can go on 'L' plates in the meantime whilst she's training? Thanks!
 
As far as I know, you cannot drive over 7.5t until 21 and hold the previous appropriate licence (7.5t).
Good luck in finding out tho OP x

It used to be 21 but it's been changed to 18 with the CPC qualification as compulsory. I contacted NFU who I have had horsebox insurance with in the past, and they were all ready to quote me until I said that my daughter would be starting her training to do her C test, they then refused to quote even just for me!! He said after speaking to the underwriters, that it was on the chance that I would be adding my daughter at a later date? That seems ridiculous to me, but hey ho it must be assumed I guess that all drivers under a certain age are not capable of handling a large vehicle?!
 
Seems a bit crackers, and seems to confirm anecdotal snippets that NFU are getting less flexible and "nice". For years they were a byword for both, looks as though the pendulum is swinging to other way a bit?
 
Have you taken the separate C test (and all the CPC etc?) recently, or did you have acquired rights/carried over from pre-2009. If because you have a pre-2009 license, this might be why the insurers are not helping. I could be mistaken but I think grandfather rights no longer exist to chaperone for licenses after a certain date, so you cannot supervise a learner unless you have taken all the relevant CPC and C tests yourself.

ROG might be able to help you with this bit, and might know of some insurers that might be able to help
 
Last edited:
No, that only applies to grandfathered C1, which is admittedly a pain.

C is for proper lorries! For which one has always had to take a seperate test.
 
Have you taken the separate C test (and all the CPC etc?) recently, or did you have acquired rights/carried over from pre-2009. If because you have a pre-2009 license, this might be why the insurers are not helping. I could be mistaken but I think grandfather rights no longer exist to chaperone for licenses after a certain date, so you cannot supervise a learner unless you have taken all the relevant CPC and C tests yourself.

ROG might be able to help you with this bit, and might know of some insurers that might be able to help

Yes I passed the cat C last year so am fully qualified. Because I don't drive commercially, I do not need a CPC qualification as well, it's only compulsory either way if you're under 21. It looks like I'm going to have to wait until she has actually passed her cat C and then try to get her added on as a named driver. I just had hoped for experience, while she is training, she could drive our lorry on L plates under my supervision, but after many enquiries yesterday, it doesn't appear that there is an insurance company out there who is willing to take that risk? If anyone knows differently, I would REALLY appreciate finding out there is! Thanks!
 
I may be wrong but I always understood certainly for c1 that unless you have held your licence at that level for 3 years you can't sit with a learner anyway. I may have misunderstood but I would clarify before you try and get insurance if you have only had the c licence yourself for a year.
 
Yes I passed the cat C last year so am fully qualified. Because I don't drive commercially, I do not need a CPC qualification as well, it's only compulsory either way if you're under 21. It looks like I'm going to have to wait until she has actually passed her cat C and then try to get her added on as a named driver. I just had hoped for experience, while she is training, she could drive our lorry on L plates under my supervision, but after many enquiries yesterday, it doesn't appear that there is an insurance company out there who is willing to take that risk? If anyone knows differently, I would REALLY appreciate finding out there is! Thanks!

We've just bought a 7.5t so slightly smaller but SEIB had no qualms with me being on the insurance (22) as a learner under supervision - have you tried them?
 
We've just bought a 7.5t so slightly smaller but SEIB had no qualms with me being on the insurance (22) as a learner under supervision - have you tried them?

Yep I rang them it's the under 21 thing unfortunately. That must have a big siren and red warning alarm go off when it's put into the computer lol! I'll keep searching but seem to have hit a brick wall with it so far. The really annoying thing is my daughter was brought up on a farm and drives tractors, diggers and fork lifts regularly but that doesn't count when dealing with statistics unfortunately!
 
My son passed his C and C+E in the last year or so at age 19/20 we were able to add him onto our insurance so he could practice in a 7.5t horse lorry for the first test. We also have a haulage business, and in theory he could have driven a unit minus trailer but legally, if they are fitted with a fifth wheel, he couldn't, so the best practice vehicle we had was the horse lorry.
Once he'd got his cat C he was able to drive artic combinations with L plates obv. to practice for the C+E.
This was with the NFU, but we do have extensive cover with them already, inc. fleet haulage insurance.
Fwiw, the most difficult thing he found was driving in traffic through the middle of towns and at junctions, esp. when he had to decide whether to wait or go, ie was there room for him to progress.
 
I may be wrong but I always understood certainly for c1 that unless you have held your licence at that level for 3 years you can't sit with a learner anyway. I may have misunderstood but I would clarify before you try and get insurance if you have only had the c licence yourself for a year.

Yes, this is correct. "You must have had a large goods vehicle (LGV) driving licence for at least 3 years to supervise a learner driver." From this web page: https://www.gov.uk/become-an-lgv-driving-instructor
 
It used to be 21 but it's been changed to 18 with the CPC qualification as compulsory. I contacted NFU who I have had horsebox insurance with in the past, and they were all ready to quote me until I said that my daughter would be starting her training to do her C test, they then refused to quote even just for me!! He said after speaking to the underwriters, that it was on the chance that I would be adding my daughter at a later date? That seems ridiculous to me, but hey ho it must be assumed I guess that all drivers under a certain age are not capable of handling a large vehicle?!

Doesn't sound good, I was going to suggest NFU as they will insure our 18 year old with the pick up, whereas Admiral (who her car is with) will not. Daughter has plans to take her test, will be difficult if we can't insure her.
 
My son passed his C and C+E in the last year or so at age 19/20 we were able to add him onto our insurance so he could practice in a 7.5t horse lorry for the first test. We also have a haulage business, and in theory he could have driven a unit minus trailer but legally, if they are fitted with a fifth wheel, he couldn't, so the best practice vehicle we had was the horse lorry.
Once he'd got his cat C he was able to drive artic combinations with L plates obv. to practice for the C+E.
This was with the NFU, but we do have extensive cover with them already, inc. fleet haulage insurance.
Fwiw, the most difficult thing he found was driving in traffic through the middle of towns and at junctions, esp. when he had to decide whether to wait or go, ie was there room for him to progress.

Not true - old drivers wives tale, nothing to stop anyone driving a tractor unit with or without a 5th wheel with just a cat C
 
Not true - old drivers wives tale, nothing to stop anyone driving a tractor unit with or without a 5th wheel with just a cat C


Really? Wish we'd know that :) tbh cos we had a 7.5t horse lorry that was perfect for practicing for the cat C. Now he is in charge of 44t which is a bit more sobering :D
 
Top