As a recently qualified driver, you’ll pay more for your car insurance than more experienced drivers but as it’s a legal requirement shelling out for it is unavoidable. Third-party insurance is the minimum you must have to drive your car on UK roads, which means you’re covered for any damage or injury you cause to other people, cars, property or animals in an accident.
Although third-party insurance is the legal minimum you need, it’s worth considering taking out comprehensive car insurance as a new driver since you’re more likely to have an accident. This will cover damage to your own car as well as those of other people and it could be cheaper than third-party insurance.
When do you need new driver insurance?
You’ll be a new driver if you’ve recently passed your driving test and are getting car insurance for the first time but, in the eyes of insurance suppliers and the law, you’re classed as a new driver for the first two years after passing your test. During this period, you can have your driving licence revoked if you get six or more penalty points on it. You’ll also generally pay more for your car insurance if you’re a young driver under 25.
The penalties if you’re caught driving without insurance include a fixed penalty fine of £300, six points on your licence, and the vehicle could be seized. If your case goes to court you could get an unlimited fine or be disqualified from driving.
Car insurance for all drivers falls into three categories:
- Third party only: This covers you for injury to other people and damage to other vehicles and property if you’re in an accident that’s your fault. It won’t pay for damage to your own car in a fire or if it’s stolen, or for your injuries, but it will cover any passengers in your car who are injured. Third party is the minimum level of car insurance you must have by law.
- Third party, fire and theft: As the name suggests, you’re covered for everything you would be under third-party insurance as well as if your car is damaged in a fire or stolen. You may also be covered for damage if your car is involved in an attempted theft.
- Comprehensive: This covers all of the above, plus damage to your car if you’re in an accident, whether it was your fault or not. It will also cover your own injuries and, usually, vandalism and accidental damage to your car, too. Although this is the highest level of insurance, it can be cheaper than third party as insurers generally consider drivers who take out third-party insurance to be more likely to have an accident.
What are additional cover options for new drivers?
Like any type of driver taking out a car insurance policy, new drivers will be able to add some or all of the following extras to policies at an additional cost, depending on the provider. Think carefully about whether you really need each one before choosing it to avoid adding costs unnecessarily:
- Breakdown cover gives you assistance if you break down. The amount you pay for this will depend on whether you want cover if you break down at or near home or further afield.
- Legal cover adds motor legal protection in case you need to pay legal expenses to pursue claims, such as for personal injury or losses not covered by your insurance.
- Courtesy car cover gives you another car to use if yours is being repaired. Some policies include this as standard. You may also be able to upgrade to being able to get a courtesy car if yours is written off or stolen or get a larger courtesy car.
- Personal accident cover pays a lump sum if you’re injured in an accident in your car, whether it was your fault or not. It can also help you pay for medical treatment and may be included as standard.
- Key cover enables claims for the cost of replacing your car keys if they’re lost or stolen, which can include the cost of a locksmith.
- Windscreen cover pays for repairs to any chips or cracks in your windscreen or for replacing your windscreen if necessary. Many comprehensive policies include this as standard, but you can usually choose to add it if it’s not included in yours.
- Excess protection pays your policy excess if you have to make a claim, so you don’t have to pay for any of it yourself.
- No-claims discount protection means you can make one or two claims a year without affecting the number of no-claims discount years you have. You usually need at least three years of no claims before you can protect your discount, depending on the insurer, and may need to be 21 or over so this might not be available to you as a new driver.
What information is required when applying for new drivers’ insurance?
You’ll need to provide a range of information when you’re taking out car insurance. Insurers will usually ask for the following although some insurers will ask for more or less information than others:
| Personal details | Your name, date of birth, address, marital status, whether you are a homeowner and your driving licence details |
| Employment details | Whether you are employed, self-employed or retired, your occupation and the industry you work in |
| Convictions | Whether you have had any convictions for driving offences or have any other unspent convictions |
| Car details | Your registration number and when you bought the car, whether it’s had any modifications and who is the registered keeper and legal owner |
| Driving details | Your estimated annual mileage and whether you use the car for business, commuting or social reasons only |
| Security aspects | Where the car is kept overnight and whether it has an alarm or tracking device |
| Safety features | You may be asked whether your car has reversing or parking sensors or a dash cam fitted |
| Drivers | Who will be the main driver and details of any additional drivers |
| Accidents and claims | Whether you’ve had any accidents or made any claims within a certain period |
| Years of no claims | How many years of no-claims discount you have |
| Insurance details | The kind of insurance you want, when you’d like it to start, whether you’ll be paying for it annually or monthly and the voluntary excess you’re prepared to pay |
How much does car insurance cost for new drivers?
Not only is car insurance for young drivers more expensive than that for more experienced drivers, but the cost has gone up significantly over the past year. For example, drivers between 17 and 19 years old paid on average £1,268.54 for their insurance, based on comprehensive policies purchased through MoneySuperMarket between October and December 2023. That fell to £872.41 for people in their 30s.
If you are a new driver outside of the pricey 17 to 24 age bracket, you’ll pay more than a peer who learned to drive in their teens, but less than a 17-year-old who just passed their test.
The reason new drivers pay so much more is that they are statistically more likely to have an accident due to lack of experience. Learner drivers also pay over the odds for the same reason.
Insurance for learner drivers can actually be cheaper than for new drivers, however, as they must have an experienced driver in the car with them, may drive more carefully than drivers who’ve already passed their test and have to display L plates so other drivers are likely to be more careful around them.
What are the best ways to find a good deal on car insurance for new drivers?
Although paying more for your car insurance than the average driver is unavoidable if you’re a new driver, there are ways you can keep costs down as much as possible.
In addition to the car chosen to insure, which will have a higher premium if it’s new and expensive, other factors that can make your car insurance more costly include your job (it’s worth trying different job titles as this can affect your quote, as long as the one you use accurately describes what you do), where you live and what you use your car for. You also won’t have built up many no-claims discount years as a new driver. Modifications to your car and the mileage you do are other things that will affect the price.
Options to find the best deal for new drivers:
| Shop around | Costs will vary widely depending on the provider and some will cater specifically for new drivers, so it’s worth comparing as many different quotes as possible, which you can easily do through comparison sites. |
| Choose a higher excess | The excess is the amount of a claim you would have to pay yourself. The higher the voluntary excess you are prepared to pay, the cheaper your policy is likely to be. |
| Pay annually | You’ll save money by paying your annual insurance premium on one go if you can. This is because insurers are effectively lending you the money to buy your car insurance if you pay for it monthly, so they add interest. |
| Include a second driver | If you add an older, more experienced, driver to your policy your insurance can be cheaper as the other driver will be using the car for some of the time. You should only add a second driver if they will actually drive the car as giving false information will invalidate your insurance. |
| Take out ‘black box’ insurance | With black box insurance – also known as telematics – a device fitted to your car monitors your driving. If you’re found to be a safe driver you’ll be rewarded with a discounted premium when it comes to renewing your policy. |
| Improve security | Your car insurance is likely to be cheaper if your car has security features, such as an alarm, immobiliser and tracking device, fitted and is kept on a driveway or in a locked garage overnight, so it’s worth boosting your car’s security if possible. |
| Take an advanced driving course | Some insurers will reduce your premium if you have an extra driving qualification. This will also make you a safer driver, making it less likely that you’ll need to claim and helping you build up your no-claims discount. |
| Get insured on the family car | Rather than buying your own car, asking an older driver to add you as a named driver to their existing insurance for their car will keep costs down. You can only do this if you won’t use the car more than the main driver. |
How to compare car insurance for cheap new drivers quotes
It’s important to compare car insurance quotes to be able to get the best deal as a new driver and to compare like for like when looking at price differences. Here are the main areas to compare when deciding which policy to choose and whether it offers good value for your needs:
| The excess | If one policy is cheaper than another, check whether it has a higher excess and whether you’re prepared to pay it. You can also choose a higher voluntary excess to bring the price of a policy down |
| Features | Check which features, such as a courtesy car, personal accident cover and windscreen cover, are included as standard and whether it’s a black box policy |
| The price of extras | If you do want to pay for add-ons to your policy, such as breakdown or key cover, compare how much it would cost to add them to the policies you’re considering |
| The type of policy | It’s worth comparing the prices of comprehensive policies with third-party only and third-party, fire and theft ones. Although comprehensive policies give you a higher level of cover, they can actually be cheaper than the other types |
| Feelgood factors | Some policies have features such as the ability to offset some of your carbon emissions or money donated to charity if you buy them. These are unlikely to be a significant factor when you’re looking for the best-value policy but could sway your decision if you’re choosing between two similarly priced policies |
It’s also worth looking at policies on broker websites that specifically cater for new and young drivers to see if they offer good value, such as Marmalade, Young Car Driver and 4 Young Drivers, and from insurers that offer black box insurance, such as Insurethebox, Admiral, the RAC, Bell, Churchill and Carrot. Check Direct Line, too, as it isn’t on comparison sites.
Using a specialist broker website means you can easily get quotes from a wide range of insurers catering for new drivers to find the best insurance deal for you, so you could save a significant amount of money.
Marmalade has been helping young drivers get insurance since 2006 and provides learner driver, black box and student car insurance too. Young Car Driver compares more than 110 insurers to find you the best insurance deal without a black box, while Young Car Driver says its relationships with UK and European insurers mean it can negotiate excellent rates for under 25s.
Are there cars that are cheaper for new drivers to insure?
Cars are put into 50 insurance groups, which insurers use to help them decide the car insurance premiums they charge for each model. The cheapest cars to insure are those in group 1, while cars in group 50 are the most expensive. Which group a car is put into is based on a range of factors, including how much it costs to repair, how much it costs to buy new and its safety and security features.
According to insurer Admiral’s Car Insurance Price Index, these are the 10 cheapest cars for young drivers aged 17-25 (prices and data correct as of October 2023) with their average annual premium for comprehensive cover:
| Ford Puma | £864 |
| Seat MII | £902.15 |
| Volkswagen Up! | £912.59 |
| Skoda Citigo | £959.42 |
| Peugeot 108 | £1,006.17 |
| Fiat Panda | £1,016.89 |
| Ford KA+ | £1,016.90 |
| Volkswagen T-Roc | £1,043.78 |
| Citroen C1 | £1,048.76 |
| Vauxhall Adam | £1,056.45 |
Newly qualified drivers aged 17 will pay more for their car insurance than anyone else. Here are the cheapest cars to insure if you’re part of this group:
| Fiat 500 | £1,588.44 |
| Citroen C1 | £1,611.54 |
| Toyota Aygo | £1,612.84 |
| Ford KA | £1,725.91 |
| Hyundai i10 | £1,739.52 |
| Seat Ibiza | £1,823.58 |
| Ford Fiesta | £2,102.12 |
| Volkswagen Polo | £2,152.34 |
| Vauxhall Corsa | £2,262.69 |
| Volkswagen Golf | £2,291.49 |
New driver insurance FAQs
Telematics insurance – also known as black box insurance – uses a device fitted in your car to monitor how safe a driver you are and gives you a discount at renewal time. These policies can be among the cheapest for new drivers but you should still shop around as there may be standard policies that also offer good value for your needs.
Some insurers will reduce your car insurance premium if you’ve taken extra driving courses to pass an additional qualification such as the Advanced Driving Test or Pass Plus. These could also give you cheaper insurance indirectly as you’ll be a safer driver so less likely to have an accident you need to claim for. This will help you build up and keep your no-claims discount too.
Although you’re officially classed as a new driver for two years after you’ve passed your test, the more experience you have, the cheaper your quotes are likely to get. You’ll also build up a no-claims discount for every year you don’t make a claim.
You’ll still usually pay more for your car insurance up to the age of 25 than older drivers though.
Yes, you can be added as a named driver to the insurance of a friend or family member’s car, which can be cheaper than getting insured on your own car. You should only do this if you’ll be driving the car less than the main driver, as the insurance could be invalidated.
As a seasoned journalist and editor, with over 20 years’ experience, Cathy’s expertise lies in personal finance, property, smart homes, and technology. She currently writes for MailOnline Compare. Her career in journalism began in 2001, focusing on mortgages and property. Following this, she spent 12 years at Which?, where she contributed as a writer and editor across various teams including money, home, tech, and cars, for both Which?’s magazines and website.
