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Young drivers often have more options than they expect. While premiums for newer drivers tend to be higher, quotes can vary significantly between insurers, and comparing across the market is one of the most effective ways to find competitive cover.
The difference between quotes for the same driver can run to hundreds of pounds. Money Expert searches across our panel of insurers so you can see your real options in one place, without spending hours doing it yourself.
Before you compare, it helps to understand what drives up premiums, and what you can do about it.
Insurers base their pricing on risk. Statistically, drivers aged 17 to 24 are involved in more collisions relative to the miles they drive, and this premium affects every new driver regardless of how carefully they drive.
The good news is that risk-based pricing also means there are ways to demonstrate lower risk and bring costs down.
UK insurers place every car into one of 50 insurance groups. Group 1 cars are usually the cheapest to insure. Group 50 cars are the most expensive, and some insurers will not cover young drivers in high-group vehicles at all.
If you have not bought a car yet, your choice of vehicle is one of the most powerful decisions you can make before you ever fill in a quote form. A smaller, lower-powered car in a low insurance group can make a significant difference to your annual premium.
Many first-time buyers assume that the minimum legal cover will always cost less. That is not always true. Because insurers often associate third-party-only buyers with higher risk profiles, comprehensive cover can actually come out cheaper for some young drivers.
The only way to know which type of cover costs less for your specific circumstances is to compare all three levels side by side.
There are three main levels of cover available, plus specialist options worth knowing about if you want to manage costs.
This is the minimum legal requirement. It covers damage to other people's vehicles and injuries to others if you are at fault in an accident. It does not cover your own car or your own injuries.
This includes everything in a third-party policy, plus cover if your car is stolen or damaged by fire. Your own vehicle is still not covered for accident damage, but you have protection against some of the most common risks young drivers face.
A step up from third-party-only, and often worth comparing against comprehensive cover to see where the price lands.
The highest level of cover. It includes everything in third-party fire and theft, plus protection for your own vehicle and injuries sustained in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
For many young drivers, this is the most sensible choice. It offers the broadest protection, and, as mentioned, can sometimes be the most competitively priced option when you compare properly.
Young drivers have several options available to help manage costs and find the best insurance policy including:
Policy Type | Overview | Benefits | Eligibility | Cost Impact |
Named Driver Insurance | Added to another policyholder's policy as a named driver | Often results in lower premiums compared to an individual policy | Open to full licence holders and learners who use the car less than the main driver | Splitting cover with an older, more experienced driver can reduce premiums for both |
Black Box Insurance | A small tracking device monitors driving habits including speed, braking, and cornering | Premiums tailored to your actual driving style | Suitable for full licence holders and learners | Safe driving can reduce costs compared to standard young driver rates |
Pay-As-You-Go Insurance | Also known as pay-per-mile insurance. Charges based on actual mileage driven | Ideal for infrequent drivers. Often includes comprehensive cover | Available to young and new drivers who drive below average mileage | Can significantly reduce costs for low-mileage drivers |
Student Car Insurance | Policies tailored specifically for students or those attending university | Helps reduce premiums and start building a no-claims discount | Available to licence holders enrolled as students. Some policies include telematics or mileage limits | Supports long-term cost reduction through no-claims history |
Learner Driver Insurance | Cover designed for provisional licence holders still learning to drive | Allows learners to gain experience without affecting the main driver's policy | Available to provisional licence holders. May include supervision requirements or driving hour restrictions | Protects the main driver's no-claims discount while learner builds experience |
While having a car in a lower group doesn’t necessarily mean you’re guaranteed to get cheaper car insurance, it definitely helps. Other factors will be taken into consideration too, such as your driving record, where you live, age, job title, how you’ll use the car and the exact make and model of the car you’re looking to insure.
Liz Hunter
Commercial Director
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There is no single answer. Premiums vary significantly based on your age, location, car, cover type, and driving history. But it helps to understand what shapes the number.
Age: The younger you are, the higher the premium tends to be. Costs typically start to fall as you build a claims-free history.
Car insurance group: Cars are rated from group 1 (cheapest) to group 50 (most expensive). Choosing a lower-group car is one of the fastest ways to reduce your premium.
Where you live: Urban postcodes with higher theft and accident rates attract higher premiums than rural areas.
Annual mileage: The more you drive, the more exposure you have. Lower mileage can lower your premium.
Cover type: Comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, or third-party only each carry different price points, and the cheapest is not always what you would expect.
Voluntary excess: Choosing a higher voluntary excess reduces your premium, but you will need to cover that amount if you make a claim.
Telematics: Black box policies can reduce costs for drivers who demonstrate safe habits.
No-claims history: New drivers have no history to show, which increases perceived risk. Building a clean record over time brings premiums down.
Not sure where to start? These guides cover the decisions that matter most for young drivers and the parents helping them.
How Much Is Car Insurance for a New Driver in the UK?
At What Age Does Car Insurance Get Cheaper?
What Are The Cheapest Cars to Insure For a 17-Year-Old?
How Much Does Pass Plus Lower Car Insurance?
Advanced Driving Courses Explained
These are the practical steps that can make a genuine difference to your premium.
Insurance group matters more than most first-time buyers realise. A car in group 1 to 5 will almost always be cheaper to insure than a car in group 20 or above. Before you buy, check what insurance group the car sits in and get a quote before you commit.
Some insurers will not cover young drivers in high-group vehicles at all. That is worth being aware of before you buy a car.
If you are a careful, low-mileage driver, a telematics policy lets you prove it. Rather than being priced purely on your age, you are priced partly on how you actually drive. For new drivers who are genuinely cautious, this can deliver meaningful savings over a standard policy.
It is not for everyone. If you regularly drive late at night or cover high mileage, the monitoring may not work in your favour. But it is worth comparing telematics quotes alongside standard ones to see the difference.
Choosing a higher voluntary excess reduces your premium. But only raise it to an amount you could realistically afford to pay if you needed to make a claim. Setting an excess you cannot cover means you effectively have no claim route if something goes wrong.
Think of it as a balance: lower the premium, but keep the excess within reach.
Where you park and how you secure your car affects your premium. Parking in a garage overnight is one of the most straightforward ways to reduce risk in an insurer's eyes. Anti-theft devices like steering wheel locks and approved alarm systems can also help.
These are small, practical steps that signal to insurers that you are taking security seriously.
Pass Plus is a government-backed advanced driving course you can take after passing your test. Some insurers view completion as evidence of lower risk and may offer a reduced premium as a result. Savings are not guaranteed, but the course also makes you a more confident driver.
Check with insurers before you book whether they recognise Pass Plus, as not all providers offer a discount for it.
Your premium is not fixed. As you build a claims-free record, your risk profile improves. Comparing at renewal rather than auto-renewing with the same insurer is one of the simplest ways to make sure you are not overpaying year on year.
Money Expert has been helping customers compare and save since 2003. We offer impartial comparisons across car insurance products, with no fees and no obligation.
Insurance providers calculate the premiums they offer based on the risk of the policy holder making a claim. Unfortunately for younger drivers, the statistics are not in their favour here. According to government statistics, in the UK in 2023, 32% of accidents involving drivers between the ages of 17 and 24 years resulted in casualties. Accidents involving these age groups report more than any other age group in the UK. This is one of the reasons why vehicle insurance is more expensive for young drivers.
Cars that are in the lowest insurance groups are often the cheapest to insure In addition, cars that are cheaper to repair and with less powerful engines generally pose less of a risk to insurers as statistically, they are less likely to be involved in an accident, and any claims that are made on them will cost less to settle versus more expensive vehicles.
No, only third-party insurance is legally required. However, fully comprehensive insurance can be beneficial for young drivers who are at a higher statistical risk of being involved in an accident. Although it may seem more expensive, it can sometimes be cheaper than third-party insurance due to market dynamics. Research and use comparison tools to determine if comprehensive insurance is the right choice for you.
A young driver is classed as someone aged between 17 and 24 years old. Anyone within this age range will generally be classified as an inexperienced driver by insurance providers, and therefore be subject to a higher premium.
If you're looking for cheaper car insurance then you'll be pleased to hear that yes, generally it does. It also goes down when you turn 25 years old. Although insurers classify anyone under 25 as a young driver, many insurance providers actually have two age ranges for young drivers; 17-20 and 21-24 years old. Once you move out of either of these age ranges, you should see a noticeable drop in your insurance premium.
Previously, young female drivers often paid less for insurance due to lower accident rates compared to males. However, recent European Court of Justice legislation now prohibits gender-based premium calculations. As a result, young female drivers may face higher insurance costs than before. To find affordable coverage, both male and female drivers should compare quotes and explore options online.
Young drivers can lower their insurance premiums by installing a telematics device (black box) that monitors their driving habits, opting for a car in a lower insurance group, taking an advanced driving course, and maintaining a clean driving record. Shopping around and comparing quotes from different insurance providers can also lead to more affordable options.
*51% of consumers could save £535.17 on their Car Insurance. The saving was calculated by comparing the cheapest price found with the average of the next four cheapest prices quoted by insurance providers on Seopa Ltd’s insurance comparison website. This is based on representative cost savings from May 2026 data. The savings you could achieve are dependent on your individual circumstances and how you selected your current insurance supplier.
