Driving Tuition — general appetite, process and glossary

Driving Tuition — ADI & PDI status

PDI (Potential Driving Instructor): a trainee who has passed Parts 1 & 2 of the qualifying exam and holds a trainee licence, also known as a "Pink Badge." Can legally charge for lessons while working towards Part 3. ADI (Approved Driving Instructor): fully qualified, has passed all three parts of the exam and is entered on the DVSA Register of Approved Driving Instructors — the "Green Badge" stage.

How to become a PDI: pass Part 1 (theory test), pass Part 2 (driving ability test), complete a minimum of 40 hours of practical training with an Approved Driving Instructor Training provider, then apply to the DVSA for a trainee licence — valid for 6 months, issuable twice (12 months total). A PDI doesn't need the trainee licence to start teaching: once Parts 1 & 2 are passed they can teach unpaid straight away while working towards Part 3, and can be insured on this basis.

Progression to ADI: pass Part 3 (the instructional ability test, maximum 3 attempts), after which the DVSA adds the instructor to the Register and issues the green ADI badge.

Why this matters for underwriting: a PDI's trainee licence is time-limited (6 months, renewable once). If it lapses before Part 3 is passed and the policy hasn't been reviewed, the instructor may no longer be legally qualified to teach for payment — diarise the licence expiry date and check status before renewal.

Driving Tuition — minimum weekly tuition hours by insurer

Each insurer sets its own minimum weekly tuition hours for the instructor — always confirm against the relevant insurer's own appetite before quoting.

ERS: 15 hours per week. KGM: 15 hours per week. Markerstudy: 15 hours per week. AXA: 10 hours per week. Ageas: 5 hours per week. Allianz / Highway: 0 hours per week — an instructor who is only looking to teach is acceptable.

Driving Tuition — pre-quote checks by insurer

Before quoting a risk on any insurer, run that insurer's standard checks — skipping a check is exactly how a risk that should have been declined or referred ends up on cover.

AXA: Cue Check, AXA Calc, Parking Check, Credit Check. Send checks to signoff@bginsurance.co.uk.

Ageas: Parking Check, Cue Check, Credit Check.

ERS: Cue Check, ERS Calc, Parking Check, Credit Check. Send checks to uwdesk@insurancerevolution.co.uk.

Markerstudy: Cue Check, MS Calc, Parking Check, Credit Check, QRS Check. Send checks to signoff@bginsurance.co.uk.

Allianz: Parking Check, Cue Check, Credit Check.

KGM: Parking Check, Cue Check, Credit Check, KGM Calc.

Driving Tuition — new-starter documents checklist

Requirements vary slightly by insurer, but as a general checklist you should be requesting: a copy of the proposer's ADI badge or PDI badge / Pink Badge (as applicable); a copy of the driving licence (front and back) and a DVLA licence check / Share My Licence; proof of No Claims Discount (and a franchise NCD letter, where mirroring from a franchise); proof of Part 2 pass certificate (Ageas / ERS PDI routes); proof of DSA grade, where required (AXA); a driving school company car letter, where a franchise/company car bonus is being claimed; and a fully completed proposal form or statement of facts (Allianz).

Document requirements differ by insurer — always check the specific insurer's own section, or the full underwriting guide, rather than assuming one insurer's list covers another.

Driving Tuition — universal decline red flags

These patterns turn up across almost every insurer on the panel. If a risk shows one of these, it's very likely a decline or a referral — always check the specific insurer's own appetite before assuming.

Decline: any driver currently disqualified or without a valid licence. Decline: any previous policy voided, cancelled, or refused by another insurer. Decline: non-motoring criminal convictions. Decline: left-hand drive vehicles. Decline: vehicles modified beyond dual controls, standard equipment, or disability adaptations. Decline: vehicle not fitted with dual controls where required for tuition. Decline: proposer not ADI or PDI qualified (or a PDI with no evidence of progress). Decline: high-value, high-performance, 4x4, or imported vehicles — always check the specific insurer's vehicle decline list. Decline: second occupations from the "unacceptable occupations" list (taxi driving, courier/food delivery, construction, motor trade, and similar).

Driving Tuition — NCB mirroring rules by insurer

NCB mirroring rules are one of the easiest places to get an insurer's rules mixed up between schemes — check this before applying any mirrored, matched, or franchise bonus.

AXA: yes, can mirror and apply no claims bonus. Markerstudy: yes, can mirror and apply until 4 years NCD, then must move to protected NCB; private car bonus is transferable and mirrorable; no fault or outstanding claims. Highway: no, cannot mirror and apply — can only mirror where the policyholder has 0 years NCB on the driving school policy, or mirror from a recognised franchise. KGM: no, cannot mirror and apply — same as Highway, can only mirror where the policyholder has 0 years NCB on the driving school policy, or mirror from a recognised franchise. ERS: no, cannot mirror NCB at all under any circumstance — franchise NCB can still be applied. Ageas: yes, can mirror and apply, including from private car or standard van policies (not motorhomes/catering vans); cannot apply van bonus itself; named driver bonus and franchise NCB are both usable.

General rules for every insurer: only mirror the number of fault-claim-free years that genuinely exist — never round up. Don't mirror where there has been a fault claim in the last 3 years. Always obtain proof of what's being applied — actual bonus, mirrored bonus, named driver proof, or a franchise NCB letter.

Driving Tuition — optional extras pricing

Optional add-ons available alongside the core policy, offered where relevant: Breakdown (code BD) £54.60. XS Protector (code XS) £25. Guaranteed Hire Vehicle, ADI, 14 days (code GHV) £15. Guaranteed Hire Vehicle, ADI, 21 days (code GHV) £20. Guaranteed Hire Vehicle, ADI, 28 days (code GHV) £30. Guaranteed Hire Vehicle, PDI, plus Motor Legal, 14 days (code GHV) £26. Guaranteed Hire Vehicle, PDI, plus Motor Legal, 21 days (code GHV) £39. Motor Legal (code ML) £10. Public Liability (code LI) £28.

Guaranteed Hire Vehicle terms differ by instructor status: the ADI-only version doesn't include Motor Legal, while the PDI version bundles Motor Legal in as standard — quote the correct variant for the instructor's status.

Driving Tuition — glossary

ADI: Approved Driving Instructor — fully qualified instructor. PDI: Potential/Trainee Driving Instructor — working towards ADI status (Parts 1–3). NCB / NCD: No Claims Bonus / No Claims Discount. SDP: Social, Domestic & Pleasure use. SDP+C: Social, Domestic & Pleasure, plus Commuting. CCJ: County Court Judgment. EDI: Electronic Data Interchange — the system used to transmit policy data to the insurer. FNOL: First Notification of Loss — the initial claim report. MTA: Mid-Term Adjustment — a change made to a policy during its term. RTA letter: Road Traffic Act letter — formal notice issued ahead of cancellation for non-provision of documents. ABI group: Association of British Insurers vehicle rating group — used to price/assess vehicles. OGI: Open GI — the broking system used to process and transmit policies. QRS: Quick Risk Score.