Learner Driver Insurance

What is learner driver insurance?

Learner driver insurance is a specialist form of car insurance designed to cover drivers who are learning to drive, before they pass their test. It lets you get real-life practice outside of paid lessons, in your own car or in a friend's or family member's car.

To practise, you need to be insured on the vehicle and accompanied by an adult over the age of 21 who has held their licence for at least three years. That adult can be a family member or a friend. Some insurers set a higher minimum age for the accompanying driver, for example 25, so check with the provider before you buy.

What types of learner driver insurance are there?

There are three main options: short-term cover, full cover on your own policy, or being added as a named driver on someone else's policy.

If you are added as a named driver, you and the policyholder can decide between you who covers the extra cost. Short-term quotes are available through our partner InsureLearnerDriver.co.uk.

What levels of cover can a learner get?

Learner driver insurance comes with the same three levels of cover as a standard car insurance policy.

• Third party: the minimum cover required by law. It covers damage to other vehicles and other people, but not damage to your own car when you are at fault.
• Third party, fire and theft: the same as third party, plus cover if your car is stolen, damaged by fire or damaged during an attempted theft.
• Fully comprehensive: covers all of the above, plus your own vehicle if you are in an accident.

Even though fully comprehensive offers the highest level of cover, it is not necessarily the most expensive option, so it pays to compare all three.

How much does learner driver insurance cost?

Short-term learner driver insurance starts from £1.80 a day, but the price you pay depends on your own circumstances and the car you are learning in. Get a quote to find out what it would cost you.

If you are added as a named driver to someone else's policy, the cost shows up as an increase on their premium rather than as a separate price for you.

Is it better to be a named driver or have my own learner policy?

Your own policy typically removes the risk that a claim you make while learning affects someone else's insurance. If you have an accident as a named driver, the claim will most likely count against the main policyholder's insurance, including the loss of their no claims bonus.

Being a named driver is simpler when you are learning in a friend's or family member's car, and the extra cost can be shared between you. Whichever route you take, check the detail with the insurance provider before you buy.

One thing to avoid: the policyholder should never be listed as the main driver if you will be doing most of the driving. That is called fronting and it is insurance fraud.

Do I need to tell my insurer when I pass my test?

Yes. If you have a full learner policy, you need to inform your insurance provider once you pass, and you will then be covered on your new full licence. Short-term learner cover is designed for the learning period, so you will need new cover to drive as a qualified driver.

Once you have passed, you can run a young driver car insurance comparison to see what cover is available to you as a newly qualified driver.

How can I keep the cost of insurance down after I pass?

Newly qualified drivers aged 17 to 25 face some of the highest car insurance premiums in the UK, because insurers see inexperienced drivers as more likely to be involved in accidents. There are legitimate ways to bring the cost down, which we cover in detail in our guide to the cheapest car insurance for young drivers.

• Choose a car in a low insurance group, with a small engine and no modifications.
• Consider a black box (telematics) policy, which can reduce your premium if you drive safely, or compare car insurance without a black box if you would rather not be monitored.
• Pay annually rather than monthly, as monthly payments include interest.
• Increase your voluntary excess, provided you could afford the total excess if you claimed.
• Be realistic about your annual mileage and accurate about your occupation.

You will not have a no claims bonus when you first pass, so it is worth reading about car insurance without a no claims bonus. Each year you drive without claiming earns you a discount on renewal.