Car insurance for new drivers
As a new driver, you'll need to sort your car insurance before you hit the road.
If you’re caught driving without insurance you can get 6 points on your licence, along with a fine. As a new driver, getting 6 points in your first 24 months since passing your test is enough to get your licence revoked.
Before you compare car insurance quotes you’ll need to think about what sort of cover you want and how you’ll use your car.
If you haven’t passed your test and need insurance to drive your own or someone else’s car you will need learner driver insurance.
There are three levels of cover to choose from:
Third-party only is the minimum level of cover available and only covers other parties against damage or injury. It doesn’t cover damage to your own car or any injuries you might suffer following an accident.
Third-party, fire and theft offers the same as above but does allow you to make a claim if your car is damaged or stolen. It also covers fire damage.
Fully comprehensive cover is the top level of cover available for your car. With comprehensive cover, you can claim for damages even if you’re at fault.
When you apply for your policy your insurer will also want to know what class of use you will fall into. This is essentially just means how and why you use your car. Classes include:
- Social, domestic and pleasure
- Social, domestic, pleasure and commuting
- Personal business use (including all the above in addition to business driving).
If you need to make a claim on your insurance you will usually need to pay an excess, as you might on your home or travel insurance.
In addition to a compulsory excess you may also agree to a voluntary excess as this can be an effective way of lowering the cost of car insurance.
Find out more about insurance for young drivers.
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How to get cheaper car insurance as a new driver
There are a few things you can do that could help you pay less for your car insurance:
- Choose the right car
- Shop around by comparing prices
- Add a named driver
- Pay annually
- Drive carefully to build up your no-claims bonus
- Consider a black box policy
- Be accurate with your anticipated mileage
- Increase your voluntary excess.
Choose the right car as the make and model of your car plays a big part in the cost of your insurance. Expensive cars that are pricey to repair and come with bigger engines generally cost more to insure than cars where parts are easier to come by and the engine is smaller.
Shop around using a comparison site. It’s an obvious one but comparing quotes from a range of companies gives you more choice and range of policies to choose from.
Add a named driver as having an experienced driver on your policy may help reduce your price. You should always list the person who drives the car most often as the main driver, and any occasional drivers as additional. Otherwise this is seen as 'fronting' which is illegal.
Pay upfront if you can afford to. While opting to pay monthly means you can spread the cost, it can increase your price by up to 15% because insurers will charge you interest for the privilege. (Based on Confused.com data January - September 2021.)
Drive carefully to build up your no-claims bonus. as over time a no-claims bonus is likely to help save you money as most insurers will offer discounts for drivers who don’t claim.
Consider a black box policy to monitor your driving. Telematics, or black box policies, use an app or box installed in your car to monitor your driving and then calculate your premium based on how and when you drive. So long as you drive safely it can make car insurance more affordable for new drivers.
Be accurate with your anticipated mileage as the more you drive the higher your road-risk. Think about how much you’ll realistically be driving. The greater your mileage the more your insurance is likely to cost, so don’t put down more than you need.
Increase your voluntary excess as the more you agree to pay, the lower your premium is likely to be. However, it’s important not to select an amount you would struggle to pay in the event of a claim.
See our guide for more tips on how to save money on your car insurance.
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Need more help?
Which cars are the cheapest to insure for new drivers?
Generally, the lower the car insurance group that your car is in, the cheaper your insurance will be.
The Skoda Yeti, Dacia Duster and Mazda CX-5 are among the cheapest cars to insure in 2021.
If you haven’t bought your car yet, take a look at our guide for the full list of cheapest cars to insure.
Can I drive other people’s cars on my insurance?
The option to drive other cars (DOC) isn’t always included automatically on your insurance policy. Insurers who do offer DOC will require you to be at least 25 or over when your policy starts. To find out more, take a look at our guide on driving other cars.
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.
What is NCB?
A no-claims bonus (NCB) takes into account the total number of years where you’ve not made a claim on your car insurance policy.
As a new driver, you won’t yet have any NCB, but you can start building one from the start of your first policy.
Insurers only accept each full year of insurance without a claim, so if you cancel a policy part way through the year, you won’t earn a bonus for that period.
Proof of a no-claims bonus is usually only valid for two years, so if you take a break from driving and don’t use your bonus on a policy within two years, you’ll go back to square one next time you take out a policy.
The discount offered by insurers can be significant in reducing the price of your insurance.
What is voluntary excess?
Voluntary excess is an amount you agree to pay towards the cost of a claim. The more you agree to pay the lower your premiums are likely to be. The voluntary excess will be in addition to a compulsory excess which will be specified by your policy.
Let’s say you have a voluntary excess of £250 and a compulsory excess of £100, that means you’d pay a total excess of £350. When you get a quote, we clearly show the breakdown of excesses on the policy, so be sure to choose an amount that you can afford to pay if you need to make a claim.
How can I work out my annual mileage?
The average UK driver clocks up around 8,000 miles a year.
If you have a rough idea of how many miles you’ll be driving each day, you can use this table to get an estimated annual figure.
You should include things like your commute, daily trips to the shops/school runs etc.
| APPROXIMATE DAILY MILES | APPROXIMATE WEEKLY MILES | APPROXIMATE ANNUAL MILES |
|---|---|---|
3 |
21 |
2000 |
6 |
42 |
3000 |
11 |
77 |
5000 |
20 |
140 |
8000 |
31 |
217 |
12000 |
42 |
294 |
16000 |
50 |
350 |
19000 |
Do I have to tell my insurer about an accident if I’m not going to claim?
As a new driver, if you’re involved in an accident and you decide not to make a claim, you still need to tell your insurer. If you don’t keep your insurer updated, it’s possible this could void your insurance policy, so you won’t be able to claim when you really need to.
Will I get cheaper new driver car insurance if I'm over 30?
New drivers tend to pay more for insurance whatever your age, because you have very limited driving experience.
However, the good news is you won’t be considered as such a high risk as new drivers in their teens or early twenties, and could pay less than these groups for new driver insurance.
Types of car insurance
Black box car insurance
lets you prove you’re a safe driver, and save money on your policy, even if you’re inexperienced or seen as high risk.
Classic car insurance
offers cover for owners of classic cars. For insurance purposes, a classic car can be any car that’s older than 15 years.
Business car insurance
covers you if you use your car for work, including travelling between offices or across the country.
Car insurance
is a legal requirement if you're driving in the UK. Find out more about choosing the right cover at the right price.
What our car insurance expert says
As a new driver, getting your first insurance policy can be expensive. But there are ways to keep your costs down. You could try a black box insurance policy, start off with a smaller or less powerful car or even just compare quotes to find a cheaper deal.
Alex Kindred
Car insurance expert
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