Fast, flexible and affordable cover

Fast, flexible and affordable cover
- Cover for cars, bikes and vans
- From 1 hour to 28 days
- Suitable for learner drivers and tradesmen
Like any driver, learner drivers need to be insured in order to drive legally. If you’re having lessons with a professional driving instructor, insurance to drive their car is likely to be included in the cost of the lessons. But practice makes perfect. If you want to hone your skills in your own car, or one belonging to a friend or family member, then you may need to take out learner driver car insurance.
Dedicated car insurance policies for learner drivers are designed to cover you to practise in a friend or family member’s car – or in some cases your own car – while you’re learning to drive. You might also see it referred to as “provisional licence car insurance”.
Most learner driver car insurance policies require you to be aged between 17 and 35. You must hold a valid, clean UK provisional driving licence.
Learner drivers can also ask to be added as a named driver on someone else’s policy, or take out a regular, annual car insurance policy. In both cases, you’ll need to inform the insurer when you pass your test and the premiums may change.
For the cover to be valid, you’ll need to be accompanied by an eligible friend or family member. To be eligible to accompany you, they must typically:
Read your policy carefully for any other conditions – for example, some policies may limit you to only driving at certain times of day.
Bear in mind that a dedicated learner driver car insurance policy will only cover you until you pass your test. At this point, you’ll need to take out regular car insurance. So if you pass your test in your own car, for example, learner driver car insurance usually won’t cover you to drive it home. Insurance for young, inexperienced drivers can be pricey, so once you’ve passed your test, check our guide to the best car insurance for young drivers.
Dedicated learner driver car insurance is only designed to last until you pass your test. There are policies available that cover you from as little as a few hours up to a few months.
Most new drivers don’t know before they get behind the wheel how long it will take before they feel ready to take their test and, of course, there’s a chance you may not pass first time. Some policies let you start with a shorter term and top up as you need to.
There are 2 main alternatives to taking out a dedicated learner driver insurance policy:
The majority of learner driver policies offer comprehensive cover when driving someone else’s car. This offers the fullest level of cover and makes sure you are covered for damage to the car you’re driving if you cause an accident, as well as damage to other people’s cars and property.
There are 2 other types of cover, but these won’t offer the same protection as comprehensive cover and may not even be any cheaper.
You may be surprised to hear that premiums for learner drivers are often lower than for younger people with a full licence. This is because while you’re learning, you’ll always be accompanied by a more experienced driver which reduces the risk of accidents. So when you pass your test, there’s a good chance you’ll see your premiums go up as you’ll be driving without supervision for the first time.
That said, learner driver car insurance still won’t be as cheap as insurance for an experienced driver with a clean driving record. Also, pro-rata, temporary insurance policies generally work out more expensive for like-for-like cover than buying an annual policy. So if you opt for a dedicated, short-term learner driver insurance policy, you may find you pay more on a day-by-day basis than if you took out an annual policy from day one. An advantage of short-term policies, though, is their flexibility. For example, you can take one out for just a few days as you approach your test date if you want to get extra practice in beyond your professional lessons.
A bonus to note is that if you invest in learner driver insurance, you could end up earning a discounted rate on a standard annual policy when you pass, providing you stay with the same provider. Bear in mind that this may not necessarily be the cheapest option, though, and you should always shop around for the best policy once you’ve passed your test.
The best way to maximise learner driver car insurance affordability is to do your research. Compare what’s out there and choose the best possible quote. Here are some other helpful hints to guide you in the right direction to cut back costs on learner cover:
You might assume that learner drivers are at a much higher risk of being involved in an accident – and therefore needing to make an insurance claim – than those that have passed their test. But, in reality, as learner drivers must always be supervised by a more experienced driver, this decreases their risk. This means that premiums as a learner driver may be lower than you expect.
However, all of that is likely to change when you pass your test, as you will be driving without the safety net of an experienced person to alert you to risk factors you may not have registered. Data from the Association of British Insurers shows that younger drivers (aged between 17 and 24) are far more likely to be involved in accidents than those aged 25 and over. The younger group makes up just 7% of UK licence holders, but are involved in 24% of all fatal collisions.
Some key lessons here. Firstly, don’t go gung ho the minute you pass your driving test: A bit of caution will keep you safer and your no claims record clean. Secondly, shopping around for the best car insurance deal is vital if you’re a younger driver.
You have a legal obligation to have car insurance to drive as a learner driver. If you take lessons with a professional instructor, you’re likely to be insured as part of the lesson cost. If you want to practise in your own car, or a friend or family member’s, you’ll need your own insurance. Dedicated learner driver car insurance is an easy, flexible way to get insured, but consider your personal circumstances and whether you can get more suitable or cost-effective cover by taking out an annual policy or becoming a named driver on someone else’s car insurance.
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