New driver insurance

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Is new driver insurance required by law?

Yes, car insurance is a legal requirement for new drivers. Everyone driving a car on a UK public road is legally required to have car insurance.

If you’re caught driving without insurance, you could face a hefty fine, points on your licence and higher insurance premiums. You could even be disqualified from driving.

New driver insurance isn’t a separate product to regular car insurance. It’s simply cover for those who have recently passed their driving test.

However, cheap car insurance for new drivers can be hard to come by. Read on to find out what you need to know about first-time car insurance.

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What type of new driver insurance do I need?

If you’re looking for new driver car insurance, there are three levels of cover to consider:

Comprehensive

  • Although it’s the highest level of cover, comprehensive cover can sometimes be the cheapest option for new drivers.

    In addition to type of policy typically covers damage or injuries to others, fire damage and theft. It should also cover the cost of repairing damage to your own car, no matter who’s at fault.

Third-party, fire and theft

  • Third-party, fire and theft offers the same cover as third-party insurance but could also pay out if your car is stolen or damaged by fire.

    If you’re responsible for an accident, this won’t cover repairs to your vehicle or your medical costs, which you’ll need to pay yourself.

Third-party only

  • Third-party insurance is the minimum level of cover you’ll need to drive on public roads.

    It covers the cost of injury to other people or damage you cause to other vehicles. It doesn’t cover the cost of any damage to your own car. You can also claim from a third party in the event of a non-fault claim.

How much is car insurance for a new driver?

The cost of car insurance for new drivers will depend on a number of factors, including where you live and what kind of car you drive.

According to our data, you might pay around2:

£1,881
a year, if you've held your licence for less than one year
£1,340
a year, if you're aged 17-24

How much is insurance for a new driver per month?

Broken down by month, our data reveals that new drivers typically pay around £157 per month for their new driver car insurance3.

What car insurance add-ons can first-time drivers get?

There are a range of add-ons to consider when it comes to new driver car insurance, including:

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Personal accident cover

Personal accident cover offers cover if you or a passenger are hurt in an accident. Policies tend to pay out a fixed lump sum, but this varies between providers.

Warning triangle icon

Breakdown cover

Breakdown cover provides roadside assistance if you break down.

Car icon

Courtesy car cover

Courtesy car cover offers a replacement vehicle if yours is being repaired.

Car with legal contract

Legal protection

Legal protection could help cover legal expenses if you’re injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault or have a car-related legal dispute.

Windscreen

Windscreen cover

Windscreen cover repairs or replaces a damaged windscreen.

Car keys

Key cover

Key cover replaces your keys/fob if they’re lost, damaged or stolen.

Fuel pump

Misfuelling cover

Misfuelling cover could help if you fill up with the wrong fuel.

Depending on the policy, some of the above might already be included as standard, so always double check before paying extra for add-ons.

Why is new driver car insurance so expensive?

Insurance quotes for new drivers can be very expensive because young and inexperienced motorists are statistically more likely to be involved in an accident.

In fact, around a fifth of all serious and fatal collisions involve drivers aged 17-24.

New drivers also won’t have had a chance to build a no-claims discount (NCD), which can lower your renewal premiums. Drivers with no NCD pay around £1,611 a year, compared with £822 for drivers with 1–3 years’ NCD2.

Despite recent falls in the price of car insurance, cost pressures on new drivers remain a significant issue.

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10 tips on getting cheaper insurance as a new driver

Compare quotes

Buy a smaller car

Choose a cheaper car brand

Consider a black box policy

Share a car with a parent

Increase your security

Reduce your annual mileage

Choose a pay-as-you-go policy

Pay annually

Pay a higher excess

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New and young drivers are often drawn to cars that are easy to drive, cheaper to insure and have a good safety record.

According to our data, these are the most popular car brands for 17-year-old motorists, along with how much they typically cost to insure:

Car manufacturer

Typical annual insurance cost2

Audi

£2,711

BMW

£3,084

Fiat

£1,341

Ford

£1,975

Peugeot

£1,759

Renault

£1,860

Seat

£2,348

Toyota

£1,740

Vauxhall

£1,924

Volkswagen

£2,082

Amy Rootham

What our expert says...

“The make and model of car you drive has an impact on how much insurance you pay. Each car is assigned an insurance group from 1 to 50, with the cheapest cars to insure falling into the lowest groups. If you’re a new driver, it’s worth bearing this in mind when choosing your first car.”

Amy Rootham, Insurance expert

What do I need to get a new driver insurance quote?

To help you compare the widest range of car insurance quotes for new drivers, we’ll need a few details about you and your car, including:

  • Your car's registration

  • What you use your car for

  • Where you keep your car

  • Your annual mileage

  • Where you live

  • Your driving history.

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New driver essentials

Get helpful tips for young drivers, guidance on motorway driving and find out which cars are cheapest to insure

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Driving tips
What is Pass Plus and is it worth it?
Find out whether Pass Plus could cut the cost of your insurance
Driving tips
Top tips for new drivers
See how to stay safe on the road and find the right cover
Driving tips
Driving on a motorway for the first time
Navigating motorways can be daunting at first, but we're here to help
Cost & savings
Young drivers: cheapest cars to insure
We explain how insurance groups affect the price of cover
All car insurance guides

Car insurance group checker

Check your car's insurance group and how it could affect your premium

FAQs

How long are you considered a new driver?

You’re considered a new driver for the first two years after you’ve passed your test.

Once you’ve been driving for over two years and you’ve started building a no claims bonus, your new driver car insurance costs could start to come down. In fact, our data shows that premiums can drop by £851 once a driver has held their licence for 1-3 years2.

What is the best insurance group for young drivers?

If you’re looking for cheap car insurance for new drivers, the best insurance group is likely to be group 1.

Cars in insurance group 1 are generally the cheapest to insure, with cars in group 50 among the most expensive.

However, the cost of your car insurance will still depend on various factors, like your age, claims history and where you live.

Use our car insurance group checker to find out which group your car – or one you’re interested in buying – belongs to.

Can new drivers go on their parents’ insurance?

Yes. If you’re a new driver and can’t afford your own car or insurance, your parents can add you to their policy as a named driver. That means you’re covered to drive their car, with the same protection they have.

However, be mindful that this will likely bump up the cost of their policy. And if you’re the main driver or owner of the car but you’re only added as a named driver, you could be committing fronting which is a type of car insurance fraud.

What’s fronting?

Car insurance fronting is when an experienced driver (often a parent) tries to cut the cost of their child’s insurance by claiming to be a car’s main driver.

If this isn’t true and you’re found guilty of fronting, you could face a substantial fine and six points on your licence.

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Amy Rootham
Reviewed 28 May 2026 by Amy Rootham Insurance expert

Amy helps make sure you get the best value when choosing insurance. Thanks to more than four years’ experience at Compare the Market, she understands what people look for, working closely with insurance providers to offer you deals and services that are fair, easy to understand and right for your needs.

Methodology

1 Correct as of June 2026.

2 Based on 51% of customers who compared quotes for this type of policy in June 2026.

3 Based on 51% of customers who compared quotes for this type of policy in June 2026. Based on the monthly cost when paying for the policy in one annual payment, excluding any interest charged on instalment payments.

4 Based on Online independent research by Consumer Intelligence during June 2026, 51% of customers age under 35 could achieve this saving on their car insurance through Compare the Market.

5 51% of young drivers between 17-24 years old could achieve a quote of up to £1339.58 for their car insurance based on Compare the Market data in June 2026.