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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Get a quoteDo 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.
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.
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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
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