They are expensive to buy
Automatic cars are generally more expensive to buy than manuals resulting in higher premiums
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No, automatic cars tend to be more expensive to insure than manual cars.
Our research found that drivers of automatic cars pay nearly £1001 a year more on average for their insurance than owners of models with manual gearboxes.
The typical cost of a yearly insurance premium for a motor with a manual transmission is £6811 compared to £7851 for automatic cars - or a fifth cheaper1.
1Average premiums for drivers who are main and only driver, on fully comprehensive policy. Data collected by MoneySupermarket, January – September 2020, accurate November 2020.
There are many factors that affect the price of your car insurance premium, including the type of car you have.
In general, automatic cars are more expensive to insure than manuals. This is for several reasons:
Automatic cars are generally more expensive to buy than manuals resulting in higher premiums
Because automatic cars tend to cost more, they also have higher repair prices
An automatic gearbox is more complex than a manual gearbox, so costs more to replace
Having an automatic only licens may result in higher premiums as more claims are made with this license
There are three main types of automatic car insurance to choose from:
Usually the chepeast option, fully comprehensive cover will cover you for damage, repairs, medical expenses, fire damage and theft, as well as damage done to someone else, their car or their property.
£785 on average2
Third-party, fire and theft policies offer cover for other people, their vehicles and their property, as well as protection for your own vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged by fire
£1,070 on average2
Third-party only car insurance is the least comprehensive type of cover available, and it’s the minimum legal requirement you must meet to drive on UK roads. It’s also usually the most expensive of the three
£1,392 on average2
Automatic: £1,019
Manual: £854
Automatic: £999
Manual: £750
Automatic: £781
Manual: £735
Automatic: £1,236
Manual: £937
Yes, you’ll find that if you’re only licensed to drive an automatic car, your premiums will go up significantly because insurers tend to believe that motorists who only know how to drive an automatic car are less skilled drivers – and therefore make more claims and pose a higher risk. If you have a full UK car license, you can drive both manual and automatic cars, meaning you’ll be rewarded with cheaper premiums.
Remember, there are many factors that affect the cost of car insurance, including driver’s age, experience and even location.
3MoneySuperMarket data from 1 June 2020 to 1 September 2020, accurate November 2020
Age group | Full UK car licence3 | Automatic only3 |
|---|---|---|
17 to 19 | £1,978 | £2,669 |
20 to 24 | £1,328 | £1,847 |
25 to 29 | £896 | £1,339 |
30 to 39 | £700 | £953 |
40 to 49 | £511 | £764 |
50 to 64 | £339 | £523 |
65 or above | £313 | £375 |
There are a few ways you might be able to get cheaper car insurance for your automatic car, including:
Try to pick a make and model in a lower insurance group, as they’re safer on the road and cheaper to cover
Pay a higher voluntary excess – as long as you can still afford it – as this shows insurers you won’t bother with frivolous claims
Keep the car safe and secure, as storing vehicles in a locked garage reduces the chances of theft or vandalism occurring
Pay annually, because insurers generally charge interest for the benefit of spreading the cost of cover over 12 months
Add an experienced named driver to your policy, so insurers see you won’t be solely responsible for the vehicle
Using a telematics policy monitors how safely you drive via an app or a black box installed in your car. If you drive carefully, you could see a significant saving
Anyone holding a manual license can legally drive and rent an automatic car. Letting the car handle the gears might feel a bit strange at first but you’ll soon get used to it.
An automatic car is said to be easier to learn to drive than a manual. All you need to do is put your car in ‘D’ for ‘drive’ and off you go. Manual cars will usually have up to five gears, and you’ll need to make sure you’re in the right gear for the speed and road conditions you are driving in. Check out our manual vs. automatic guide for more guidance.
When you take out automatic car insurance, you may want to consider some additional features to bolster your cover. Depending on your provider, you’ll usually have the choice of:
Breakdown cover, which gives you access to roadside assistance if your car breaks down
Windscreen cover, which lets you claim for the cost of replacing a cracked or shattered windscreen
Legal cover, which will pay out for certain legal costs related to a claim by you or another party
Driving abroad cover, which insures you for taking your car overseas and driving in the EU
Courtesy car cover, which provides a replacement vehicle for you to use while yours is in repair
Multi-car cover, which lets you drive more than one car under a single policy
Personal accident cover, which pays out in the event that you’re injured or killed in a road accident
Replacement keys, which covers the cost of replacing a set of keys if they’re lost, damaged or stolen
Wrong fuel, which pays for repair costs if you accidentally top up the tank with the wrong fuel
You work hard to earn your money, and we don’t think you should waste a penny of it paying over the odds on your household bills. That’s why at MoneySuperMarket, we’re on a mission to save Britain money.
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