Yes, car insurance is a legal requirement for new drivers, including provisional licence holders.
The minimum level of cover you must have to drive on public roads in the UK is third-party insurance. This covers injuries you cause to other people and damage you cause to other cars. It does not cover you or your car.
🚩 If you’re a new driver your licence will be cancelled if you get six or more points within two years of passing your test.
You can choose between:
Fully comprehensive
Third party, fire and theft
Third party only
💡 Top tip: If you can pay the higher premium upfront, paying annually is the cheapest way to save money on your car insurance in the long-term. Usually, with every year of driving without making a claim, your premium will come down
Black box or telematics insurance can make up for your inexperience on the road. These policies are designed to track how well you drive over time.
If you drive safely black box insurers usually bring your premium down quicker than if you had taken out a standard policy.
Although the upfront cost may be high in your first year, you’re setting yourself up for cheaper premiums year-on-year if you consistently drive well and don’t make a claim.
As a new driver you may not need to drive every week. For example, if you’re at university you may only drive when you’re at home during the summer holidays or if you can rely on public transport, and you can’t afford high insurance costs, then temporary car insurance may be worth considering.
Temporary insurance can typically last between one and thirty days, so it's useful if you’re only driving occasionally.
Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) policies charge you based on how much you drive - either the number of hours/days or the number of miles. PAYG can be a good idea if you’re not driving very often and usually make small trips.
While telematics and temporary car insurance technically fall into this category, pay-per-mile insurance can take the form of a rolling contract where you pay a set rate every month, and then an additional price for each mile you drive.
You can choose between three types of car insurance:
Average price for new drivers: £1453
✔ Highest level of protection
✔ Injuries and damage to you and your car
✔ Medical expenses
✔ Fire and theft
✔ Injuries and damage to others
✔ Legal protection
Average price for new drivers: £1699
✔ Injuries and damage to others
✔ Fire damage to your car
✔ Theft of your car
Average price for new drivers: £949
✔ Legal requirement
✔ Injuries and damage to others
Based on a fully comprehensive policy, here is what is and isn't covered with new drivers insurance:
Damage to your vehicle from accidents, theft, fire or vandalism
Third-party damage caused by your vehicle
Motor legal protection, which pays out for legal costs you may face related to a claim
Serious or fatal injuries - compensation if you’re seriously or fatally injured in a road accident
No-claims bonus protection - the vehicle owner won’t lose their no-claims discount if you have an accident in their car
Non-named drivers - Anyone who was not named on your policy
Standard wear and tear to your car, such as worn brake pads or tyres
Drugs and alcohol - Accidents if you're under the influence (this can include prescription drugs)
Driving without a valid licence - if you’re driving after your licence has been revoked (cancelled)
Mileage beyond agreed limits may not be covered or your premium may be adjusted if you exceed the thresholds set by your insurer
Certain types of vehicles, such as classic cars, commercial vehicles, and high value cars, may not be covered
Add-ons will cover you for scenarios and costs that are not typically included in car insurance policies.
They can provide extra peace of mind, but come with an extra cost.
If your car breaks down, breakdown cover provides assistance at the roadside to get your vehicle moving again.
Provides a replacement vehicle while yours is being repaired.
Pays a lump sum if you’re seriously injured in a road accident.
Protects your no claims discount for a certain number of claims.
Covers certain legal fees if you are involved in a road incident.
Covers the cost of replacing lost, damaged or stolen keys.
Covers the cost of draining and cleaning the fuel tank if you accidentally put the wrong fuel type in your car (known as misfuelling).
Covers damaged or stolen personal belongings in your car.
10% of 17-19 year olds pay this amount or less for fully comp with us
It costs this amount on average for 17-19 year olds to insure their car
First-time drivers pay an average of £1481.20
Prices tend to drop as you become more experienced and can demonstrate your driving history to insurers.
📣 Did you know? Road safety charity Brake says that 1 in 5 drivers crash within a year of passing their test.
Being offered lower prices in the future will depend on you being a good driver.
Being involved in accidents, making claims, or getting driving convictions will increase the price you're quoted when renewing or switching insurance provider.
There are also other factors which affect the cost of car insurance, including:
Policy type
Where you live
What type of car you drive
Number of years with a driving licence | Average annual premiums |
|---|---|
0 | £1481.20 |
1 | £1208.02 |
2 | £1059.33 |
5 | £844.10 |
New drivers have little to no experience on the road and, therefore, are riskier to insure
New drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident, so insurers expect to pay out more money for this demographic
Young drivers are more likely to take risks like dangerous overtaking or speeding due to brain development, over-confidence and not being able to assess hazards as well as more experienced drivers can
All of these factors mean that new drivers are disproportionately impacted when insurance premiums rise in general.
Although car insurance prices started trending downwards in 2024-2025
This is because of increases in:
the cost of replacement parts and repairs
energy prices
the number of claims
the price of used cars
You can expect the cost of insurance to significantly drop after the first year of driving, from an average of £1481.20
Once you’ve held your driving licence for five years the average price is about 40% less than a first-time driver’s premium.
When you reach 10 years, the average price is £661.28
The most popular cars for first-time or new drivers tend to be smaller, less powerful models that are cheaper to insure.
These cars are usually in the lower insurance groups.
Vehicle model | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
VOLKSWAGEN UP! MOVE UP | £698 |
FORD KA STUDIO | £775 |
SUZUKI ALTO SZ | £812 |
FIAT 500 LOUNGE | £817 |
FORD KA EDGE | £838 |
PEUGEOT 108 ACTIVE VTI 68 | £842 |
FORD KA ZETEC | £875 |
HYUNDAI I10 SE | £893 |
PEUGEOT 107 URBAN | £942 |
HYUNDAI I10 ACTIVE (85) | £954 |
Compare quotes from a range of insurers: Don’t go with the first quote you find. Comparing car insurance quotes helps you find the best deal for the type of policy you want. MoneySuperMarket can do the hard work for you. Fill in some details about yourself and your car, and we'll show you quotes from up to 185
Buy your policy a month before you need it: The cheapest time to take out car insurance is 28
Not bought your first car yet? Buy a smaller car: Car insurance will usually be cheaper if you're insuring a smaller car with a smaller engine. Why? When cars are manufactured they're added to insurance groups. These groups, ranging from 1 to 50, are designed to help insurers determine the cost of insuring a vehicle, so if your car is in insurance group 1, then it's going to be cheaper for the insurer and favourably affect your risk profile. You can check the insurance band of any car by using our insurance group checker.
Driving fewer miles could bring down insurance costs: As a new driver it's hard to know how many miles you'll drive. However, overestimating your annual mileage will cost you. Insurers charge high-mileage drivers more because the more miles you drive, the more at risk you are of being involved in an accident. If you can, consider using your car less and don't overestimate your annual mileage when getting quotes.
Share a car with a family member or parent: Adding your mum, dad or both parents or another experienced driver to your policy as a named driver could decrease the price you'll pay as a new driver. Older drivers are less risky in the eyes of insurers, so having experienced drivers also driving your car can reflect well on your overall risk profile.
Consider a black box insurance policy: Black boxes and telematics devices give new drivers a little bit of control over the cost of their car insurance. If you drive well in the first year of having a policy, this will usually bring down next year's quote by more than if you did not have a black box installed.
Avoid modifying your car or buying a car with modifications: Accessories and modifications like alloy wheels and spoilers can increase your premium. But if you’ve already bought a car with modifications it’s important to declare them to your insurer so you don’t invalidate your insurance.
Yes, black box or telematics insurance can help reduce the cost of your premiums as a new driver.
Insurers either install a small GPS tracking device in your car or you plug-in a device to your car or download an app. This allows insurers to monitor your driving behaviour such as:
Vehicle speed
Braking
Cornering
Acceleration
What time of day you drive
No. Contrary to popular belief, most black box insurance providers don’t impose curfews, although driving late at night may still impact your score as there is an increased risk of accidents.
No, but if you show you are a competent, safe driver by not speeding or harshly braking/accelerating/cornering then over time your insurance premiums typically go down.
Insurers may also offer discounts, money-off vouchers and cashback if you can show you’re consistently driving well.
The average cost of a fully comprehensive telematics policy is £1217.87
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According to the Association for British Insurers, the average cost of car insurance fell by 5% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the last quarter of 2024.
However, claims pressures remain due to the cost of repairs and a shortage of skilled technicians.
The good news is there are still ways to save money on your car insurance if you've just passed your test. Comparing quotes with us is one of the best ways to ensure you're getting the lowest price.
If you’re a new driver, driving safely on a telematics policy could also help you save in the long run. Still saving for a car? Adding yourself as a named driver to another policy could help bring the cost down when the time comes to take out your own car insurance.
Sara Newell Motor & Home Insurance Expert
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
Excess payments refer to how much you’ll need to put towards the total claim cost before your insurer pays the rest.
By increasing your voluntary excess fee on top of the compulsory amount, you indicate to insurers you won’t make small or frivolous claims, so they will usually reduce the cost of your policy.
A no-claims bonus is what you earn when you go some time without claiming on your policy. The longer you’ve gone without claiming, the more your insurers will knock off your premiums.
While advance driving courses like Pass Plus or IAM make you a better driver, they won’t always save you money on your car insurance policy. Discounts depend on your insurer and the average person typically won’t see any difference in premiums.
However, younger or inexperienced drivers might be able to save a few quid, and if the skills you learn help you avoid accidents in future, this will also help keep your costs down.
Once you’ve passed your driving test you will not be covered under your learner driver insurance and you must change to a new policy. You can do this by:
Contacting your current insurance company to find out how much they would charge you for a full new driver insurance policy
Comparing quotes for new driver insurance to decide whether it’s best to stick with your current insurance company or switch to a new provider
Taking out short term car insurance to cover you for a few hours or days as a temporary measure if you need to drive straight away but want more time to find the right long term policy
As a young or new driver, you might be able to knock a few quid off your premiums by adding another more experienced driver to your policy – in most cases this will be your parents.
While this can be a good way to get cheaper cover, people sometimes take advantage of this by declaring the older or more experienced driver as the ‘main driver’ even when the newer driver is using the car more frequently. This is known as ‘fronting’ and is illegal.
Yes, if you have personal possession cover included in your car insurance policy but this isn’t a standard feature of car insurance.
You’re more likely to have cover for personal belongings if they are stolen from your car if you have comprehensive car insurance but it’s best to check your insurance policy documents to be sure.
Alternatively, you may be able to claim on your home insurance if you have cover for items you take outside your home. Again, check your policy wording.
Opting for black box telematics insurance can be a good way for first-time drivers to reduce their premiums but not all black box insurance policies work in the same way.
For example, some may give you an immediate discount while others may require you to build up a good driving score first and may not reduce your premium until renewal.
So it’s important to shop around and find the right policy for your individual circumstances.
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Yes, you can earn SuperSaveClub rewards when you buy car insurance through MoneySuperMarket.
This includes:
Up to £15, which you can withdraw as a pre-paid Mastercard or a gift card for brands like Sainsbury's and Amazon.co.uk
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Yes, car insurance is included in our Super Save Price Promise.
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refund the difference
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Reviewed on 12 Dec 2025 by
