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15 Feb 2024

Learner driver insurance explained

Find out what insurance you need when learning how to drive, whether you’re driving your own or someone else’s car

Dean SobersSenior researcher & writer

In this article

Do learner drivers need car insurance?
Learner driver insurance if you've got your own car
Learner driver insurance if you're driving someone else's car
Cheapest ways to insure a learner driver
Temporary learner driver car insurance

Your first driving lesson can be an exciting moment, but it's vital that you start as you mean to go on.

The law requires everyone behind the wheel to be properly insured, including drivers who are learning. Before you drive on a public highway, you must have valid insurance cover in place.

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Do learner drivers need car insurance?

All drivers taking to the public roads must be properly insured. Otherwise, they are breaking the law. They also risk being out of pocket in the event of an accident.

If you're learning to drive through a professional driving school or with a private instructor, and using their vehicle, you're not normally responsible for arranging insurance cover. They usually buy a professional policy that covers all their students, though do check to make sure before your first lesson.

However, if you're learning to drive in a private car ‒ your own vehicle or one owned by family or friends ‒ you'll need insurance. And even if you're just doing some occasional practice sessions on top of your lessons, you must be insured to get behind the wheel.

Learner drivers looking for car insurance have two options:

A dedicated learner driver policy	Becoming a named driver on someone else's policy
Covers you to drive in a specific vehicle, whether your own or someone else's*	Covers you to drive the main policyholder's vehicle only
Likely to be more expensive than being a named driver	Will increase the policyholder's premiums
Start building your own no-claims discount	Could impact the policyholder's no-claims discount if you have an accident
You'll need to arrange this yourself	Usually easy for the policyholder to set up

*Even with your own policy, you'll need to be accompanied by an 'eligible supervisor'. How insurers define this varies ‒ it can be more than the legal minimum of a 21-year-old with a valid driving license held for over three years, so check with them first.

Find out more: how to get cheap car insurance

Learner driver insurance if you've got your own car

If you have your own car, you'll need a dedicated learner driver insurance policy. It's a separate policy of your own, and you can buy different types of cover as you see fit.

Third-party policies cover you only for injury and damage you cause to someone else or their car, but you can add fire and theft cover, which will also pay out in the event your vehicle is stolen or catches fire
Comprehensive cover is the most extensive type of insurance; it covers your costs in the event of an accident

Make sure you understand the terms of your policy. As well as detailed rules on who is allowed to supervise you, there may be additional constraints. For example, some policies limit your driving to daylight hours.

It's important to note that your learner driver insurance will stop providing cover as soon as you pass your test. You'll then need a policy for qualified drivers instead, and you'll need this before you drive home from the test centre.

Not all car insurers are the same ‒ our research consistently shows both the quality of their policies and their customer service vary hugely. See best car insurance policies in the UK or our individual car insurer reviews to find out more.

Check you're getting a great deal and search for a new car insurance policy using the service provided by Confused.com. Get a quote now

Learner driver insurance if you're driving someone else's car

If you're driving someone else's car, you still have the option of taking out your own insurance policy.

This has some benefits: there'll be no need to worry about the premiums of your friend or family member increasing, or affecting their future premiums if you have an accident. And you can start building up your own no-claims bonus.

The alternative ‒ becoming a named driver on the owner's policy ‒ gives you access to their car with the full amount of cover on their policy.

The named driver approach may also work out cheaper, but this will vary according to individual circumstances.

Cheapest ways to insure a learner driver

The good news is that taking out car insurance while you still only have a provisional driving license may cost less than you expect.

Insurers know you're inexperienced, but they also take into account the fact that you'll always be accompanied by a fully qualified driver.

1. Shop around

Once you've got your provisional license and know which vehicle you're going to drive, run quotes on one or more comparison sites.

Running searches for quotes where you pay monthly may result in insurers appearing on your credit file, but it won't affect your credit rating.

Get tips on using comparison sites in our guide to finding cheap car insurance.

2. Consider insurers with restrictions

You could be offered a lower premium if you agree to certain conditions, such as only driving within certain hours or limiting your mileage.

Once you qualify, you may be able to get cheaper car insurance through insurers that use telematics to track your driving. Find out more in our guide to 'black box' car insurance.

3. Increase your excess

Increasing your voluntary excess (how much of a claim you'll pay yourself) will reduce your premium, but make sure you could afford the excess if you had to claim.

4. Add an experienced named driver

If you have your own car, adding an experienced named driver could bring your premiums down, but they will actually need to drive the car occasionally.

5. Don't assume comprehensive cover is more expensive

It's worth running quotes for both third-party and comprehensive cover, but you may find comprehensive cover to be cheaper. This is because insurers associate third-party customers with higher levels of risk and sometimes charge them more.

Key Information

Beware 'fronting'

Don't become a named driver on someone's policy if you are likely to drive the car more than they do, or you own the car yourself.

This is known as 'fronting' and is considered fraud. You or they could have your insurance claim denied, policy cancelled and even face prosecution, leading to a criminal record.

It could also make it difficult for both of you to get insured in the future.

Temporary learner driver car insurance

Car insurance is typically sold on an annual basis, but you can also buy cover for shorter periods ‒ anything from a day to a few months.

When you're learning to drive, this could be a good option. You could buy insurance as and when you need it for practice sessions, or just for as long as you expect it to take to pass your test.

This approach can save you money, but temporary cover is more expensive than an annual policy, so the more of it you buy, the less chance there will be of netting a saving.

If you're doing a lot of practice, or planning on taking your time before applying for your test, an annual policy might be more economical.

If you do go for an annual policy, remember that your learner driver insurance is no longer valid once you've passed your test. You'll need to speak to your insurer about standard cover.

This is one potential disadvantage of an annual learner policy ‒ your insurer might not be the most competitive provider when you need a standard policy, but it may demand cancellation fees before you move on.