Compare car insurance for 17-year-olds

Provisional car insurance is designed for learner drivers who only hold a provisional licence.

This type of policy allows a 17-year-old to practise driving in:

• A parent or family member’s car
• Their own car while learning

Most policies require the learner to be supervised by a qualified driver who meets the legal requirements.

One of the main benefits of provisional insurance is that it is usually separate from the car owner’s main policy, meaning any claims made by the learner typically won’t affect the owner’s no-claims bonus.

Once a 17-year-old passes their driving test, an annual policy is usually the most practical long-term option.

Many young drivers choose black box insurance (also known as telematics insurance). This involves monitoring driving habits such as:

• Speed
• Braking
• Cornering
• Mileage
• Time of day driven

Because insurers see 17-year-olds as higher risk, black box policies are often a common way to reduce premiums for new drivers.

Temporary car insurance for 17-year-olds (also known as short-term car insurance) provides cover for a limited period, such as:

• One day
• One week
• One month

This can be useful for:

• Practising in a borrowed car
• Driving home after buying a car
• Short-term cover while arranging an annual policy

Temporary insurance is flexible but is usually more expensive per day and not suitable for ongoing use as the main driver.

A 17-year-old can be insured as:

• The main driver (primary user of the car)
• A named driver on someone else’s policy

Being a named driver can sometimes be cheaper, but the policy must reflect reality.

If a parent is listed as the main driver when the 17-year-old is actually the primary user, this is known as “fronting”, which is insurance fraud and could invalidate the policy.