Car insurance for learner drivers

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.

What is 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.

What does learner driver car insurance cover?

Are learner drivers higher risk?

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.

Pros and cons of taking out a dedicated learner driver car insurance policy

The bottom line

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.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I need learner driver insurance?

  If you’re only going to take lessons with a professional instructor, you will usually be insured as part of the cost of the lessons. However, it’s recommended by the DVSA that learners partake in approximately 20 hours of driving practice outside of professional lessons. If you take to the road without insurance, you could find yourself facing a hefty fine and points on your licence before you’ve even got it. That said, practice outside of lessons isn’t always possible. If you think it’s unlikely you’ll get the opportunity, don’t buy learner driver insurance.

• Does learner driver insurance cover a driver taking the test in their own car?

  Check the policy terms to be certain, but typically, yes. Usually, as long as the insurance you’ve taken out is for your own car, you should be covered to take your driving test in that car. In this case, the examiner will be the eligible supervisor.

• Does learner driver insurance cover you once you've passed your test?

  If you have a dedicated learner driver car insurance policy, your cover will end once you’ve passed your test. If you’ve taken out an annual policy or been added as a named driver to someone else’s policy, you should be able to continue cover by informing the insurer. You shouldn’t drive the car until you’ve informed the insurer, and the premiums may go up.

• Can you get short-term learner driver insurance?

  Yes. You can buy short-term learner driver policies that last anything from a few days to a few months. Some policies let you top up if you find you need more time.

• How long should I take out learner driver insurance for?

  How long is a piece of string? When you start driving, it can be hard to judge when you’ll be ready to take your driving test. According to the DVSA, there’s no minimum number of lessons you must have or hours you must practise driving. It all depends on how quickly you learn. Your instructor will have more of an idea, though. Ask their opinion and take it on board, regardless of whether you think you’ll pass sooner or later than they estimate.

• Who can supervise a learner and is there a minimum or maximum age?

  According to the DVSA, anyone you practise your driving with (on an unpaid basis) must be over 21, have had a full driving licence for 3 years (from the UK, the EU or other specified European countries), and be qualified for the type of vehicle you are learning in. Some insurers may have additional criteria. For example, some require the supervisor to be over 25.

• How is learner driver insurance different to provisional insurance?

  It’s not – they’re different terms for the same thing.

• Can more than 1 learner driver be insured on the same car?

  Yes. As long as all learner drivers of a car either have their own insurance policy to drive that car or are named drivers on the main driver’s policy, it’s fine for more than 1 driver to learn in the same car.

• Does learner driver insurance count towards your no claims bonus?

  Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut answer to this. You’ll need to check that your learner driver insurer is able to give you proof of no claims and that your new insurer will accept this when you pass your test. Most insurers will only accept full years of no claims driving, so if you only take out learner driver insurance for a very short period, it’s unlikely to make much difference anyway. Learner driver experience is more likely to count towards your no claims if you take out a full annual policy to start with and simply update your policy when you pass your test.

• Can I put a learner driver on my existing car insurance policy?

  Yes, you can add a learner driver as a named driver to your existing car insurance policy. Doing so is likely to increase your premiums because their lack of experience makes them a greater risk than you. It may well be cheaper than a stand-alone learner driver policy, though.

• Can you get short-term learner driver insurance?

  Yes. In fact, most dedicated learner driver policies are only designed to last until you pass your test – typically a few months at most. You can also get insurance for just a few days, should you wish. Find out more in our guide to temporary learner driver insurance.

• What extra cover is available for learner drivers?

  Learner drivers can get many of the same car insurance add-ons as those that have passed their test. Extras that might come in handy, depending on your specific needs, include breakdown cover, personal accident cover, courtesy car cover and legal expenses insurance.

• How has the driving test changed?

  At the end of 2017, the DVSA introduced a number of changes to the driving test in England, Scotland and Wales. Changes included increasing the independent driving part of the test from 10 to 20 minutes, asking most people taking their test to follow instructions from a sat nav, removing the “reverse around a corner” and “turn in the road” manoeuvres, and requiring candidates to answer a vehicle safety question while driving.

• Will taking a Pass Plus course help me get cheaper rates after I pass my test?

  Probably. Taking a Pass Plus course will increase your experience as a new driver once you’ve passed your standard driving test. Insurers like the fact that experience reduces your risk of having an accident and usually reduce your premiums accordingly.