driving school in San Jose/Santa Clara ; new driver insurance

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Q. After living many years in the south bay area, I have finally decided to take the plunge and learn to drive, since there are some trips that my bicycle and public transit just don't permit when living in suburbs. I learned the driving code with the DMV handbook and passed the DMV written test easily the first time in november with 2 errors (apparently a good enough score to be a driving instructor around here ;)). However, I don't have any experience behind the wheel. I just went driving once with my partner in an empty corporate parking lot on a week-end, but he didn't have any patience at all for me, so I'm looking for a good driving school / instructor in the Santa Clara or San Jose area. Please let me know of any good or bad experience. I have already decided on the car I want - an environmentally friendly 2001 Toyota Prius hybrid car. Since it takes a very long time to get one, I have already placed the order with a local dealer, and the car should come around mid-may. At that time, I hope to be recently licensed to drive the car, so I will be needing insurance. I am under 25 so apparently I'm at a disadvantage for getting insurance. I will turn 25 in June, but I have heard this won't help my insurance rates as I still won't have any driving record. I have looked at several insurance web sites. Many won't insure new drivers at all and require a 1.5 year or 3-year driving record. I have also talked to some insurance companies willing to insure me - including Allstate with whom I have my homeowner's policy, but the rate quoted was prohibitive : between $2000 - $2500 for 6 months - with the highest liability limits (100/300k), comprehensive/collision coverage. I need the high limits since I own a house and have assets that I wouldn't want to put at risk. But at $4000 to $5000 a year for insurance, the annual insurance premium is 1/5th to 1/4th the price of the car itself, and I don't like to have such huge recurring expenses ! Can anyone recommend an insurance company with more affordable premiums for new drivers ? $2000 to $2500 a year I could accept, but for 6 months it just seems like too much. I don't have parents in this country that could add me to their insurance. My partner has insurance with CSAA and is paying only $800 per year on his 1997 Nissan Sentra GXE - with 100/300 limit but no collision coverage. He is also under 25 (he will be 24 in a few days) but has been driving since he was 16 and has a very good driving record. Are there insurance companies that will give discounts if we get a joint insurance ? Also, does it matter who the new car will be registered to ? ie. could the premium go lower if I register the new car to my partner as he is a more experienced driver, even though I would be the primary driver on the car ? Thanks in advance for any tips !

A. Your cheapest option is probably to get married and onto your partner's policy. However, I realize that there may be reasons you don't want to do that. I don't think you can get on his policy any other way, but he might ask his Ins. Co. My wife and I are both under 25, we have two newer cars (96 and 98), and clean driving records. We pay about $1250 per year for the minimum coverage plus comprehensive and collision. We don't own a house, so we don't need the higher liability limits. We have Safeway Direct Insurance, headquartered in Arcadia. They were a pleasure to deal with when our car was attacked by blowing sand a couple of years ago. A search on the web turned up their regular phone number 626-301-1955. They have a toll-free number, but I don't have it handy. You might ask them what kind of rates they will give you. When we first came here, I had

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