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Everyone deserves to save money – in fact, you could save up to £390 by comparing your car insurance with MoneySuperMarket*
SUPER SAVE UP TO
£390
ON YOUR PROVISIONAL drivers INSURANCE1
Compare cheap car insurance
We do the hard work for you, comparing deals from the biggest providers in the UK so you can get the right cover - and save up to £3901 on your premiums.
151% of consumers could save up to £391.23. Consumer Intelligence, January 2023. UK Only.
2Accurate as of February 2023.
Learner driver insurance is car insurance for those holding a provisional licence, keeping you covered until you’ve passed your test. Everyone on the roads needs to be insured - even for driving lessons.
Most driving schools will cover you with their own policy, but if you’re taking private lessons in your own car, or using a friend or relative's, getting provisional licence insurance is a must.
Everyone needs car insurance – it’s a legal requirement, even if you’re a learner driver on a provisional licence. But depending on the car you’re using, you might not need to take out cover yourself.
If you're getting lessons with an instructor, you should already be covered
If you're getting private lessons in your own car, you'll need to buy insurance
If you're using your parents' car, they can add you to their policy - or you can get your own
Our mission is to make finding cheap car insurance easier – and when you take out cover with MoneySuperMarket you can benefit from:
Everyone deserves to save money – in fact, you could save up to £390 by comparing your car insurance with MoneySuperMarket*
Our car monitor gives you reminders on your road tax and MOT, as well as showing your MOT history and car valuation – helping you stay up to date, so you never miss a renewal
Our live chat tool is there so our experts can guide you through the car insurance question set, offering tailored support during business hours to help you get the right policy for the right price
51% of consumers could save up to £391.23. Consumer Intelligence, January 2023. UK Only.
There are three levels of learner driver car insurance to choose from, and each offers you a different amount of protection:
This covers you if there's an accident and you hurt another person or damage their property. It won’t cover you for damage to your own car.
This gives you third-party cover, plus you'll be insured if your car is stolen or damaged by fire.
This gives you all the previous benefits, but also offers extra protection for you and your car.
2Based on policies with at least one driver holding a provisional driving licence. MoneySuperMarket data collected between January and June 2021, accurate as of July 2021.
Learner driver insurance can last anywhere from a few hours to a whole year. If you plan to keep using the same car once you’ve got your licence, annual cover might be best. If you’re using a car solely for lessons, consider short-term cover – just make sure it’ll keep you covered until you pass your test.
Annual cover lasts a whole year. You can update your policy once you've finished learning to drive, or cancel it – but cancellation might come with extra fees
Short-term cover insures you on any car, as long as the licence holder is with you when you're driving. However, it usually costs more per day than annual cover
Car insurance premiums for learner drivers will depend on a few different factors. In general you’ll find that younger drivers pay more for cover due to their inexperience on the road – and you might expect the same to be true for learner drivers.
However when you’re learning to drive you’ll always be accompanied by a fully qualified driver with a few years of experience – and insurers take this into account. Additionally, most provisional licence holders will either be insured on another driver’s car or, if they own their own car, will have another experienced driver on their policy.
As a result the average premiums for learner drivers tend to be reasonably affordable – however you can expect this to jump up significantly once you hold a full licence and you’re insuring your own car.
Policy type | Annual Price |
|---|---|
Provisional UK car license | £887.35 |
The car’s registration number if you know it. If not, the make and model is fine. We’ll also need the car’s age and any modifications you’ve made
Social, commuting or business, and how many miles you’ll do in a year. You’ll also need to say where you’ll keep the car at night for security
Including your job, age and your address - the same for any additional drivers you may have. We'll also need to know what type of licence you have, how long you've had it, your claims and driving history
Details of your no-claims discount will help lower the prices you get. Use our no-claims discount tool to find out how many years’ no-claims discount your insurer will honour
Car insurance often comes with optional extras, but think about which ones you really need if you're learning to drive as they’ll likely increase the cost of cover. Some useful extras include:
If someone takes you to court over an insurance claim, legal cover can cover your legal fees – and even help with any settlements you have to pay
If the car you're driving breaks down, breakdown cover insures you for the cost of roadside repairs. This is useful if you haven't signed up for a repairs service
If there's a breakdown and it looks like repairs might take a while, this will make sure there's a replacement car you can drive until your usual car is fixed
If you're injured or killed in an incident on the road, personal accident cover keeps you and your loved ones protected from any extra costs
"Even if you're only taking driving lessons, you'll still need to have car insurance in place to drive on UK roads. It might be taken care of by your instructor or your parent/guardian who is giving you lessons, but if not, then comparing quotes with MoneySuperMarket can help you find an affordable deal - so you can concentrate on getting your full licence.
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A learner driver insurance policy will cover for your practice lessons if you are accompanied by a qualified supervisor. This can be anyone who is at least 21 years old and have held a full UK driving license for a minimum of 3 years. However, some insurance policies will specify that your supervisor in the car has to be of a certain age (usually 25) so be sure to check the cover requirements of your policy. Your cover may also include time limits when you are permitted to drive.
A learner driver policy is separate to your supervisor's insurance. This means that their no claims bonus will not be affected if you get into an accident while driving their car.
It is important to note that a learner driver policy will only cover you if you are a learner. Once you pass your drivers test, you will no longer be insured to drive the car home from your test or thereafter until you have a new insurance policy in place.
Car insurance can be a little pricier for learners – but there are still ways you can keep your premiums down:
Cheaper cars are usually cheaper to insure – and better to learn with too
Adding yourself to someone else's policy could save you money
Let insurers know you're a safe driver with telematics insurance
The best way to save money is to shop around – try our comparison tool
Every insurer has different criteria, but you’re likely to be offered learner driver insurance if you meet all the following:
- You have a valid provisional licence
- You’re a UK resident aged between 17 and 35
- You don’t have any previous driving offences or convictions
- The car you’re driving is registered and has an MOT
- The car isn’t worth more than a certain amount – but this varies between providers
If you’re driving with a provisional licence, there are some things you’re not allowed to do.
- You can’t legally drive unless you’re supervised by another driver aged 21 or older who’s had their licence for at least three years.
- You mustn’t drive on the motorway unless you’re with a certified driving instructor and the car has dual controls
- You need ‘L’ plates on the car whenever you’re behind the wheel – or ‘D’ plates is Wales
Usually, your supervisor can be anyone – a friend, a family member, or a private teacher. They just need to be over the age of 21 with at least three years’ driving experience. However, some insurers might have extra criteria, so make sure you check the small print before you buy
Once you’re a fully licensed driver, your learner driver insurance policy is no longer valid. You’ll need to update your policy or get a new one, don't worry, there are ways to make your policy cheaper. Remember, it’s illegal to drive without valid insurance – even if you’re just driving back from your test.
Adding a named driver lets insurers know that someone more experienced will also be driving the car. This should lower the cost of your premiums, but it’s important that the named driver does actually drive the car – if they don’t, your insurance could be invalidated.
Fronting is an illegal practice in which a less experienced motorist is added as a secondary driver on a car’s insurance policy, when they’re actually the main driver. Fronting is always against the law, and if you’re caught you could end up in court – better to be honest with your insurer about who’ll be doing most of the driving.
This varies across insurers, but it's likely you will have to have the policy registered under your own name as a learner driver in order to start building a no-claims bonus.
You can add a learner driver to your existing car insurance policy, but it may be better for learner drivers to take their own cover out so they can start building a no-claims bonus,
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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