Student car insurance

As a student, you’re probably in the young driver or undergraduate age bracket. Unfortunately, insurance companies tend to see young drivers as a higher risk, which means getting cheap car insurance isn't always easy.

The location of the university you attend can influence the cost of your insurance too. As crime and insurance claim rates are often higher in the cities and areas students live, the cost of insurance may be higher than more rural areas.

The table below shows the average comprehensive policy price for a selection of the top universities in the UK. We've only included one central London university from the original list*. It's worth noting that the prices shown below are an average across all age ranges, and not just students.

*Universities have been taken from the 2017 UniRank league table. We've excluded three London universities as all would show the same car insurance premium.
**Confused.com price insurance index Q1 2018

Being a student with a car has its benefits. But the added expense of car insurance can mean many students have to give up the luxury of their own car, because they can't afford to insure it.

If you're looking to reduce the cost of your insurance, the good news is there are ways and means. Keep these simple tips in mind:

• Try to accurately estimate how many miles you expect to do over the year. Over-estimating could increase your premium.
• Increasing your voluntary excess could help to reduce your premium. Be sure to choose an amount you can afford to pay in the event of a claim though.
• Compare car insurance to make sure you're getting our best prices and the right deal to meet your needs.
• Consider a black-box policy. A black box or telematics policy will base your premium on your driving habits – safer drivers often benefit from reduced prices.

Also, choosing the right car can have an impact on your insurance premiums. Typically, the smaller the car, the cheaper it is to insure. If you haven’t already bought a car, then take a look at the top 10 cheapest cars to insure. 

When getting a quote, you should use the address where your car is for the majority of the year. So if you’re a student living away from home, you should – for insurance purposes – use your student accommodation as the main address on your policy. Student areas are highly populated and often higher risk, so this may hike up the price.

It’s worth noting that failure to state the correct address can lead to your policy being invalid in the event of a claim.  

Temporary car insurance can be a good option for students who only want to drive when they return home from university during weekends or holiday periods. Temporary car insurance policies provide fully comprehensive cover, and are available from one to 28 days. Read our guide to temporary car insurance for more information that you might find helpful.

We want to help drivers save money on their car insurance. Getting a quote is easy. Simply fill in your details, and we’ll search a range of top UK insurers to find the best car insurance deals for you. 

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