Can I own a car with a G1 licence?
Whether you’ve saved up every penny from your summer job, or your parents surprised you for your sweet 16, being a teenage and owning your first car is extremely exciting. But, as a young driver with only a G1 licence under your belt, are you truly able to own a car? We looked at what a G1 licence entails and how the insurance works surrounding it and complied all the info you’ll need to know.
What is a G1 licence?
So to start off, let’s go over the rules and regulations for those with a G1 licence. A G1, known to many as a learner’s permit, is the first licence you get on the road to becoming a fully licensed driver. As the owner of a G1 licence you are able to operate any car, van, or small truck while accompanied by a fully licensed driver that has at least four years of driving experience. In addition to not being allowed to drive by yourself, as a G1 driver you are not permitted to drive between the hours of 12am – 5am or drive on a 400 series highway. Lastly, you are only permitted to drive if you have a blood alcohol level of 0%, and the accompanying driver has a blood alcohol level no higher then 0.05%.
Owning a car with a G1 licence
Technically there is nothing stopping someone with a G1 from buying a car. The only issue is, that you will not be able to list yourself as the primary driver until you have a G2 licence. For insurance purposes, you cannot be listed as a primary driver on a policy without a valid G2 or higher licence, which means you would need someone else to be listed as the primary operator. So in short, yes you can buy a car with a G1 it, but you cannot insure it as the primary operator.
It is imperative that if you do move forward with buying a car with a G1 licence that you are completely honest with your insurance company about your situation. Providing your insurer with false information can lead to a multitude of problems in the future, including the cancellation of your policy, leaving you without auto insurance.
Secondary driver option
Since as a G1 driver you cannot obtain an auto insurance policy as a primary driver, you may need to look into alternative insurance options. A popular way own a car with a G1 is to put your one of your parents or guardian’s name as the primary driver on the insurance, and you listed as the secondary driver. This way the car is legally insured, and the paperwork is in order. Since you are only a G1 driver you will only be able to drive with proper supervision from an fully licensed driver, so it makes since to list one of those people as your primary. Once you obtain your G2 licence you are able to become the primary driver on your policy.
A secondary driver by definition is a driver attached to an insurance policy who drives the vehicle less than the primary driver. This is a great alternative to make sure everyone driving a specific vehicle has proper coverage while not paying a substantial amount to insurance a young driver who will not be driving often. Those with G1 licenses are especially inexpensive to insure as a secondary driver; while they are inexperienced their licence class heavily restricts them, making them less of a risk in the eyes of your insurer.