13 August 2025
Learner driver insurance: a complete guide
6 minutes
Once you turn 17 and get your provisional licence, securing insurance is the next step before you're ready to hit the road. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about learner driver insurance, including the types of cover available, and how to find the right cover for you.
What's covered:
- What is learner driver insurance?
- What does learner driver insurance cover?
- Optional extras you can add to your policy
- What's not usually covered?
- How much is learner driver insurance?
- Key takeaways
Are you looking for learner driver insurance? Get in touch with us! A member of the Howden Oxford team would love to help you find the perfect policy!
What is learner driver insurance?
Learner driver insurance, also known as provisional insurance, is a flexible type of insurance policy specifically for learners who are practising outside of professional lessons. Regardless of your driving ability, it's a legal requirement to have insurance when you're behind the wheel. Most insurers offer two main learner policy types- learner insurance for your own car, or for driving someone else's (e.g. a family member's car).
When you're taking lessons with a professional driving instructor, insurance is already taken care of — it's included in the cost of your lessons and arranged by the instructor, so you don’t need to worry about getting separate cover.
Learner driver insurance on your own car
Taking out your own annual learner driver insurance policy comes with several benefits. One of the biggest advantages is that you can begin building your No Claims Discount (NCD) from day one as you gain experience behind the wheel.
Many of these policies also include a black box, which tracks your driving and offers useful feedback. This data can help you and your instructor pinpoint areas for improvement, such as braking and acceleration. Developing safe driving habits early on can lead to long-term savings.
You can typically choose from different policy lengths depending on how often you plan to practise:
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Short-term cover: Ideal if you’re only driving occasionally or close to your test date. Also known as temporary learner driver insurance, these policies can last from a few days to a few months.
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Annual cover: Better suited for regular driving over a longer period. Annual policies often offer better value per day and may include added benefits like black box feedback or transition options once you pass your test.
Tip: Taking out insurance before passing your test can save you money
Learner driver insurance on someone else's car
If you’re practising in a parent’s or friend’s car, you don’t necessarily need to be added to their existing policy. Many insurers offer learner driver insurance that sits alongside the car owner's cover. This means you’re insured to drive the car without affecting their NCD — even if you need to make a claim. You can also choose between short-term or annual cover, depending on your needs.
Some annual policies even continue after you pass your test, allowing for a smoother transition to full driver insurance.
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Named driver insurance
Another option is to be added as a named driver on the car owner's existing insurance policy. This can be a cost-effective way to get insured, especially if the owner already has a competitive premium.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
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If you’re involved in an accident, the claim will be made against the main policy, which could affect the car owner's NCD.
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You won’t start building your own NCD until you take out a policy in your own name.
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Some insurers may charge a higher premium for adding a learner driver, depending on your age and experience.
Tip: This route can work well for short-term practice, but if you’re planning to drive regularly or want to protect the car owner's NCD, a standalone learner policy may be a better fit.
What does learner driver insurance cover?
So how does learner driver insurance work? As with most motor insurance, there are three types of cover available for learner drivers:
Third party (TPO)
This is the minimum legal requirement of cover for any motor insurance, and it covers you for any damage caused to another person, their vehicle or their property.
Third party, fire & theft (TPFT)
This type of cover includes everything covered by a third-party policy, as well as protecting you against theft and fire damage to your car.
Fully comprehensive
This policy provides the most extensive cover, including all of the above as well as loss or damage to you, your car and your property, even if you're at fault.
Note: some insurance providers only offer fully comprehensive policies to learner drivers.
Optional extras you can add to your policy
You can also enhance your insurance policy with a range of optional extras for added protection and peace of mind. Some of these may already be included in your policy, so be sure to check first:
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Breakdown cover - Offers assistance in case your car breaks down while on the road. This can range from simply Assistance, Recovery, or can extend to Home start.
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Legal protection cover - If you’re involved in a non-fault accident and need to pursue legal action to reclaim uninsured losses, this enhancement can help cover the associated expenses.
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Personal belongings - Cover for loss or damage to your belongings, up to an agreed excess.
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Excess protection cover - This will reimburse your policy excess in the event of a claim.
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Personal accident cover - offers financial compensation in case of personal injury or death, providing support for you or your loved ones after a serious accident.
What's not usually covered?
Insurers can't cover learner drivers for everything, and certain situations or damages may not be covered. It's important to know what they are to avoid being caught out if you ever need to make a claim. The following circumstances are typically not covered by most insurers:
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Driving without a licence
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Any driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
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Keys left in ignition - if your car is left unattended with the keys in the ignition, and is stolen or damaged due to this negligence, your insurance is unlikely to cover the loss.
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If a car is being retrieved from an impound.
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If a learner driver drives a car outside the agreed use outlined in the policy.
How much is learner driver insurance?
There are a number of factors which can affect the amount you pay for your car insurance as a young driver. Some of these could include:
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Age - younger drivers (especially under 21) are considered higher risk.
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Type of vehicle - cars with low engine sizes (1.4 or under) and/or in lower insurance groups are generally cheaper to insure.
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Where you live - living in an area with high accident or theft rates can raise your insurance cost.
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Driving history - if you’ve had any previous driving experience or claims, this can affect your premium.
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Length of policy - whether you choose to get cover for only a few weeks, or for several months, affects your insurance cost.
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Level of cover - surprisingly, comprehensive cover is often cheaper than third-party only for learners, since insurers see third-party only as higher risk.
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Time of day restrictions - some policies restrict driving at night or during high-risk hours. Policies with fewer restrictions may cost more.
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Excess amount - opting for a higher voluntary excess can lower your premium.
Tip: Longer-term policies tend to offer better value per day compared to short-term ones. So, if you’re planning to practise over an extended period, opting for a longer policy could save you more overall.
Key takeaways
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Insurance is legally required for any learner driving outside of professional lessons.
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Driving instructor lessons include insurance
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You can get learner driver insurance on either your own car or someone else's
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Being added as a named driver on someone else's policy is cheaper but may affect their NCD if you make a claim.
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Learner driver insurance policies range from short-term to annual cover. Longer-term policies tend to offer better value per day than short-term ones
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Levels of cover range from third-party only to fully comprehensive, with comprehensive often being better value for learners.
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Common policy exclusions include driving without a licence, under the influence, or outside agreed policy terms.
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Insurance costs vary based on age, car type, location, driving history, policy length, and level of cover.
Learner driver insurance: FAQs
What happens to my learner driver insurance policy after I pass my test?
Once you pass your driving test, your learner driver insurance usually ends right away, even if you're still in the test centre car park. That’s because these policies are designed specifically for provisional licence holders. To keep driving legally, you’ll need to switch to a new driver insurance policy that covers fully qualified drivers.
Some insurers offer policies that automatically transition to full licence cover without needing to cancel or start a new policy. However, most providers require you to contact them directly to update your policy or take out a new one. If you’ve purchased an annual learner policy, you may be eligible for a refund for the unused portion—provided no claims have been made.
Do you need insurance to supervise a learner driver?
The person supervising a learner driver does not need separate insurance for themselves, but the car must be insured to cover the learner while they’re driving. This can be done in two ways:
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The learner is added to the car owner’s policy as a named driver.
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The learner takes out a dedicated learner driver insurance policy for that vehicle.
If the supervising driver intends to take control of the car during practice (e.g. in an emergency), they must be covered by the car’s insurance policy—either as the main policyholder or a named driver.
Some insurers may also require the supervising driver to be over 25 years old, so it’s important to check the specific terms of the policy before heading out.
Can I add a learner driver to my car insurance?
Yes, you can add a learner driver to your existing car insurance policy as a named driver. However, doing so may increase your premium and could affect your No Claims Discount if they’re involved in an accident. It’s also important to ensure the learner is not the main driver, as this would potentially be considered “fronting,” which is illegal (unless you specify them as the main user).
How is learner driver insurance different to normal car insurance?
Learner driver insurance is a specialised type of insurance designed to cover individuals learning to drive and holding a provisional driving license. Normal car insurance, on the other hand, is for drivers with a full, valid driving license.
Can you have multiple learner drivers on the same insurance policy?
No, learner driver insurance policies generally only cover one named learner per policy. If multiple learners want to practise in the same car, each must take out their own individual policy for that vehicle. This ensures that each driver is properly covered and avoids complications with claims.
Can learners drive abroad?
No, learner drivers cannot drive abroad using a UK provisional licence. These licences are only valid within the UK, and learner driver insurance does not extend to international driving.
Will I be covered to drive at night as a learner?
Yes, learner drivers in the UK are legally allowed to drive at night, provided they are supervised by a qualified driver and have valid insurance. Many learner driver insurance policies include night-time cover, but it’s wise to check your specific policy for any restrictions.
Is it possible to change vehicles on a learner driver insurance policy?
Some insurers may allow you to change cars during your policy term, , as long as the new vehicle meets the insurer’s criteria. You may also need to pay a small fee. However, you can typically only be insured on one car at a time.
Will my learner driver insurance cover me during my driving test?
Many learner driver insurance policies do cover you for your driving test, especially if you’re using your own car. However, not all policies include this by default, so it’s important to check with your insurer before booking your test. If you're using your instructor’s car, their insurance typically covers the test automatically.