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^[1]Correct as of November 2026

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How much do new drivers pay for car insurance?

Using Confused.com data, the median cost of car insurance for new drivers is £1,886^[2], which is significantly higher than the national average of £713^[1] for a comprehensive car insurance policy.

Factors such as your age group and what size engine your car has can also influence how much you pay for car insurance as a new driver.

^[1]Each quarter, Confused.com data team analyses more than 6 million car insurance quotes from UK customers to create its car insurance cost report. This report tracks average premiums quoted through Confused.com for new policy quotes in the UK. Unless otherwise stated, all prices shown refer to comprehensive car insurance quotes obtained via Confused.com. Data from June - August 2026 showed the average comprehensive car insurance policy cost £713.

Age group

Age group	Median cost^[2]
17-20 years old	£2,140
21-24 years old	£1,938
25-34 years old	£1,478
35-49 years old	£1,192
50-59 years old	£1,104
60-69 years old	£1,084
70+ years old	£1,416

*Based on Confused.com data, median cost of comprehensive car insurance for new drivers who have 0 years of driving experience. July to September 2026.

Moving from the 21-24 year old to the 25-34 year old group shows a 24%^[2] saving, which is the biggest saving across all age groups. For a new driver, turning 25 matters more to pricing than turning 21 does. 25 is a well-known age where many insurers' risk curves start to flatten. This is mainly due to a large drop in claims at that age.

By the time drivers reach their mid-30s to late 50s (35-49 and 50-59), the risks insurers look at, such as how often people claim, are typically at their lowest. This can mean age has less effect on price.

Insurers treat older drivers as a higher risk factor due to things like slower reaction times, higher claim rate as well as more ‘at-fault’ claims.

Engine size

Engine size	Median cost^[3]
Under 1.0L	£1,657
1.0L-1.2L	£1,829
1.2L-1.4L	£1,909
1.4L-1.6L	£1,959
1.6L-2.0L	£2,343
2.0L+	£2,725

^[3]Based on Confused.com data, median cost of comprehensive car insurance by vehicle engine size for new drivers who have 0 years of driving experience. July to September 2026.

Premiums for new drivers rise the most once you go past 1.6L engines. The 1.6L - 2.0L and 2.0L+ categories cost new drivers 41% and 64%^[3] more than if they had a car in the under 1.0L engine category. So when it comes to engine size, it’s really a case of comparing under and over 1.6L engine vehicles, as that’s where the biggest difference can be seen.

Why is car insurance for new drivers so expensive?

The reason new drivers face higher premiums is purely based on driving experience and driving history. Insurers see drivers with years of experience behind the wheel as less of a risk than someone who’s only recently passed their driving test.

All new drivers have 0 years of licence experience. However, drivers aged 17-20 are considered a higher risk by insurers because they have little or no driving experience. This is reflected in the cost of their car insurance, which is typically more expensive. The 17-20 group pays nearly double^[2] the 60-69 new driver group despite both having no driving experience.

What car you drive can also affect how much you pay. 17-20 year-olds in general will drive cheaper, smaller-engined cars than older new drivers. Even though the cars chosen by young new drivers are cheaper and less powerful, they still pay the most for car insurance. This shows that the premium gap between 17-20 and 60-69 year-old new drivers is age related, not just what car they drive.

Adding a named driver could lower your premium

"Insurers often quote new drivers based on risk that they can actually measure, and the first year on the road as a new driver is the riskiest. Road safety charity, Brake found 1 in 5 drivers have an accident in the first year after passing their driving test.

"One of the biggest ways to lower this risk is adding a named driver to your policy. New drivers who don't add a named driver pay around £2,395, compared to those who add a named driver over 40 and pay £1,954, around 18% lower ^[4]. Make sure that you're the main driver of the car, otherwise you'll be at risk of fronting, which could invalidate your policy."

⁴Based on Confused.com data showing the median average cost of car insurance based on drivers adding a name driver over the age of 40 to their policy. Using organic fully comprehensive car insurance quotes July to September 2026.

Matt Crole Rees Motor General Manager & Motor Insurance Expert

When does insurance start to go down for new drivers?

You should start to see the price of your car insurance come down as you start to gain experience behind the wheel and build up your no-claims bonus (NCB). According to Confused.com data, this is the drop in price you could see:

Years held driving licence	Median cost^[5]
0 years	£1,886
1 year	£1,594
2 years	£1,269
3 years	£1,102
5 years	£901
10 years	£688

^[5]Based on Confused.com data showing the median annual cost of car insurance based on how many years customers have held their licence. Using organic fully comprehensive car insurance quotes July to September 2026.

New drivers with 0 years of driving experience pay nearly 3x what a driver with 10 years of driving experience pays for their comprehensive car insurance.

A brand new driver with 0 years of experience will still pay 18%^[5] more than someone with just 1 year of driving experience.

The biggest drop-off comes between 0 years and 5 years of driving experience, where premiums fall by around 52%^[5].

What level of cover do you need?

As a new driver, when you're getting ready to get behind the wheel, you'll need to think about what level of insurance cover you want for yourself and your car. A lot of people prefer the higher level of cover you get with a fully comprehensive policy, with Confused.com data showing that roughly 91%^[6] of new drivers choose fully comprehensive cover when getting their car insurance.

	Third party only	Third party fire and theft	Comprehensive
Damage to others’ car or property	Covered	Covered	Covered
Cover if your car is stolen	Not covered	Covered	Covered
Fire damage to your car	Not covered	Covered	Covered
Damage to your own car	Not covered	Not covered	Covered
Cover if other people are injured	Covered	Covered	Covered

^[6]Based on Confused.com data - 91% of new drivers chose fully comprehensive cover when getting a car insurance quote - July to September 2026.

The legal minimum insurance to drive on the road in the UK is third-party only car insurance. You’ve got 3 options to choose from when it comes to getting car insurance:

Third-party only: This is the most basic level of cover you can get. New drivers can often think that because you don’t get as much cover with third-party insurance, it can be cheaper. But that’s not always the case. You’ll only be covered for any damage to other people’s cars and any injuries that other people suffer.

Third-party, fire and theft: As well as what’s covered with third-party only, you’ll also get cover for fire damage to your own car. You won’t be covered for damage to your own car though, which as a new driver is something you may want to consider.

Fully comprehensive: The highest level of cover you can get for yourself and your car. You’ll be covered against damage to other people’s cars and any injuries, plus damage to your own car.

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How to save money as a new driver

Optional extras

Only add the optional extras you need. Each one adds to your premium, and some may already be included in your policy, so check before you pay twice. For example, comprehensive cover often includes windscreen cover. Extras like no-claims bonus (NCB) protection suit some new drivers but not others, so compare what they cost against what they cover.

Mileage

Make sure you’re accurate when estimating your mileage while getting a quote. According to the Department for Transport, the average annual mileage in the UK is 7,100 miles. As a new driver, you’re probably not going to be driving more than the average, so make sure you only pay for what you need.

Annual vs monthly payments

Paying for your insurance in one annual payment can save you money compared to paying monthly. This is because monthly payments normally have interest added to them, meaning you’ll pay more over the course of 12 months for your policy. As a new driver, insurance is more expensive than normal. If you can afford it, paying upfront will save you money.

Add an experienced named driver

Adding an older and experienced named driver can help bring the cost of your policy down. Insurers consider new drivers much higher risk due to their inexperience on the road. Older, more experienced drivers are considered safer and less risky in the eyes of insurers.

Compare quotes

Prices can vary between insurers for new drivers, although most insurers treat inexperience and young drivers as higher risk. By comparing quotes, this is a great way to get a good deal on your car insurance.

Consider a black box

One way to prove to your insurer that you’re less of a risk on the road is to get a black box or telematics policy. That way they have access to important factors such as your speed, braking habits and when you’re driving so they can adjust the price of your policy depending on how you drive.

Will black box insurance help me as a new driver?

Since new driver policies are usually more expensive, a black box insurance policy could help. It uses telematics to track your driving habits and will adjust how much your policy costs based on how well you drive.

If your insurer thinks your driving is poor, they could limit the number of miles you’re allowed to drive, or even restrict what time of day you drive. This is something to think about when getting a black box policy.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering black box policies:

They might not save you money right away as many policies require you to build up a driving score over the course of a year. This isn’t always the case, but it could mean that you’d have to wait 12 months before seeing any financial benefit.

They might come with a curfew and some policies will penalise you for driving at night. While you’ll still be able to drive whenever you like, doing so past a certain time could affect the discount you get at renewal.

You might have to use your own mobile data if you have an app-based policy. It'll run through your phone's mobile data and if you’re not on an unlimited data plan, this could be another cost to consider.

They might not save you money at all if you’re a very poor driver as you’re unlikely to build up enough of a driving score to get a discount. You may even have your policy cancelled by your insurer, which can make it very difficult to find cover at a reasonable price in the future.

Look out for policies marked up with a 'black box' logo when comparing quotes if this is a cover type you're interested in.

Parents’ policy, named drivers and fronting

Adding yourself as a named driver to your parents’ car insurance policy is one way to get yourself on the road. People mainly use it to get some driving experience and save money on the cost of insurance.

Depending on the policy, you may be able to build a no-claims bonus (NCB) as a named driver as well, which would help you when you eventually get a policy in your own name.

Fronting is when someone who plans to be the main driver on a policy is put as a named driver instead. It’s a type of car insurance fraud. If you bought a car and got your parents or an older, more experienced driver to take a car insurance policy out and put you as the named driver, this would be fronting.

If you’re caught doing this by your insurer, your policy could be invalidated, or even worse, you could end up with a criminal record. You can find out more on fronting through the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

If you’re going to be added as a named driver, you must do this honestly and not be the main driver of the car. Otherwise, a policy in your own name is the best option.

Regional differences in new driver premiums

Where you live is a big factor in how much you end up paying for your car insurance. Here’s a breakdown of some regions in the UK, and how much you can expect to pay for your car insurance.

Area	Median annual cost^[7]
Greater London	£2,286
West Yorkshire	£2,244
West Midlands	£2,165
Lancashire	£2,154
Greater Manchester	£2,115
City of Glasgow	£2,023
Leicestershire	£1,873
Cornwall	£1,439
Gwynedd	£1,430
Northumberland	£1,422

^[7]Based on Confused.com, the median annual cost of comprehensive car insurance for new drivers for different regions in the UK - July to September 2026.

Car insurance checklist for new drivers

As a new driver, getting things like insurance, tax and MOT sorted for your car can feel daunting. Here’s a list of things you can check through to make sure you’ve got everything in place ready for you to hit the road:

Before you get a car insurance quote, have your licence number and vehicle registration to hand. An idea of the value of your car, annual mileage and where the car will be kept will also help
Car insurance, car tax and an MOT are all legal requirements to drive on the road in the UK
Check the car insurance group of a car before buying to get a rough idea of how much it’ll cost to insure
Choose the correct class of use for your car insurance. If you’re going to use your car to drive to work, you’ll need social and commuting cover
Read the policy documents before you commit to an insurance policy
Save your insurer’s phone number to your own phone. If you have an accident and are in an area with limited signal, this could be useful.

Optional extras for your policy

Breakdown cover

New drivers sometimes buy cheaper cars to try and keep insurance costs down, but older cars can be more likely to break down. Breakdown cover comes in different levels, from roadside help to at-home cover. So you can pick the level of cover that's right for you.

Top tip: It’s sometimes cheaper to get separate breakdown cover from your car insurance policy. Price this up when getting a quote to see if you can save some money.

Windscreen cover

This will help cover the cost of having to have a replacement windscreen fitted or a bad chip or crack in your windscreen repaired. This might be included as standard if you choose fully comprehensive cover.

No claims bonus (NCB) protection

This could be useful as a new driver if you want to help keep your no-claims bonus intact for your first year on the road. It may cover a number of claims over the course of 12 months, depending on your policy, but it's important to remember that it won’t stop your premium from rising after an accident. It usually costs extra, so check the price and terms before you add it.

Legal cover

This will help recover losses such as any injury claims or even loss of earnings after being hit by an insured driver. Again, legal cover may already be included in certain policies.

Personal accident cover

Personal accident cover is designed to protect you if there’s an injury or even death from an accident that you have.

Courtesy car cover

If you rely on your car to get to school, college or work, courtesy car cover might be an optional extra to think about. The one drawback to this is that if your car needs to be repaired, it usually has to go through an approved garage by your insurer.

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What do I need to get a quote?

It doesn’t take long to compare quotes, there are a few details you’ll need to get started:

Personal details:

Your occupation, age and address
Your driving licence number. This isn’t essential but some insurers may reduce prices if you provide it.
Details of any additional drivers you want to add to your policy.

Car details:

Registration number, if you know it. If you don’t, you can find the make and model of your car.
Any modifications to your car. Things like tinted windows, spoilers and alloy wheels.
Estimated annual mileage.

Once you enter your details, we’ll compare up to 209 car insurance providers to help find a policy that suits your needs. You can filter prices by monthly or annual payments, and you can also add policy extras – also known as add-ons – if you need extra cover.

If you’re interested in black box insurance for new drivers, look out for policies labelled as ‘black box policy’. When you read through the ‘more info’ section of the policy, it’ll tell you what type of black box policy it is, so whether it uses an app or a device fitted to your car.

How long am I considered a new driver for?

You’re considered a new driver for around 2 years according to gov.uk. This is treated as a sort of probationary period and there are certain limits that new drivers have, including getting no more than 5 penalty points on your driving licence.

What’s the best insurance group for new drivers?

Having a car close to group 1 of the insurance groups will give you the best chance at having cheaper car insurance.

Car insurance groups are ranked from 1-50, with number being the cheapest and number 50 including some of the most expensive cars to insure.

Can I just insure myself as a named driver on someone else's policy?

If you’ve just passed your test and haven’t bought a car yet, or if you’re an infrequent driver and aren’t clocking up many miles, you could just insure yourself as a named driver on someone else’s policy.

This allows you to drive the policyholder’s car, and often works out cheaper than taking out a full main driver policy yourself.

However, there are a few things to be aware of: mainly that you won’t be able to use the car as much as the main driver. If you do, you could be fronting. This is a type of insurance fraud and comes with serious consequences like driving bans, fines and worse.

But, for those who use it as intended, named driver insurance can be a handy way to keep your cover costs down as a new driver.

Will an advanced driving course help make my insurance cheaper?

Few insurers offer up-front discounts for taking advanced driving courses such as pass plus.

It's still worth letting us know if you have an advanced driving course when you get a quote just in case.

Can new drivers drive other cars on their insurance?

This depends on your policy.

Some fully comprehensive policies come with ‘driving other cars’ cover, but this is usually only to be used in emergencies, and most insurers will require you to have a few years of experience under your belt.

If you’re under 25, your policy won’t normally allow you to drive any other car than the one you’re insured for - regardless of how long you've been driving, and regardless of whether it's an emergency or not.

If you do need to drive another car, you could try temporary insurance. This allows you to take out cover for anything from 1 hour to 28 days on another car, and can run alongside an existing 12 month policy you have on your own vehicle.

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Methodology

Correct as of July 2026
*Qualifying products. App only. Maximum claim limit. T&Cs apply.
^[1]Each quarter, Confused.com data team analyses more than 6 million car insurance quotes from UK customers to create its car insurance cost report. This report tracks average premiums quoted through Confused.com for new policy quotes in the UK. Unless otherwise stated, all prices shown refer to comprehensive car insurance quotes obtained via Confused.com. Data from June - August 2026 showed the average comprehensive car insurance policy cost £713.
^[2] Based on Confused.com data showing the median annual cost of comprehensive car insurance for new drivers who have 0 years of driving experience. July to September 2026.
^[3] Based on Confused.com data, showing the median annual cost of comprehensive car insurance by vehicle engine size for new drivers who have 0 years of driving experience. July to September 2026.
^[4] Based on Confused.com data showing the median annual cost of car insurance based on drivers adding a named driver over the age of 40 to their policy. Using organic fully comprehensive car insurance quotes July to September 2026.
^[5] Based on Confused.com data showing the median annual cost of car insurance based on how many years customers have held their licence. Using organic fully comprehensive car insurance quotes July to September 2026.
^[6] Based on Confused.com data - 91% of new drivers chose fully comprehensive cover when getting a car insurance quote - July to September 2026.
^[7] Based on Confused.com, the median annual cost of comprehensive car insurance for new drivers for different regions in the UK - July to September 2026.

Reviewed by Matt Crole Rees Motor General Manager & Motor Insurance Expert Updated on 04 November 2026

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