Learner driver insurance

Do learner drivers need insurance?

Yes. All drivers need a valid car insurance policy before they get behind the wheel. This includes learner drivers. If you’re caught driving without insurance, you could get a £300 fine and 6 points on your licence.

If you own your car then you have the option to insure it for 12 months on a provisional licence. Once you pass your test, you need to contact your insurer to tell them you’ve passed, and you’ve now got your full licence. Your insurer will update your policy with these details.

If you’re learning to drive with a professional driving instructor, they should have insurance in place, which is included in the price of your lesson. You don’t need to take out a policy yourself for these lessons.

If you're driving someone else's car while learning, short-term learner driver car insurance from Tempcover is worth considering. It’s different to other car insurance policies because you can use it alongside any existing policy the car owner might have. Even if you have an accident and make a claim, it shouldn’t affect the owner’s policy or existing no-claims bonus. You can get cover for up to 28 days.

Learning to drive in a family or friends’ car is straightforward - they just need to add you to their existing policy as a named driver. This often works out cheaper than taking out your own policy, but it could affect the owner’s no-claims bonus if you have an accident. This in turn could cause their insurance costs to go up next year.