Compare student car insurance quotes

It is a legal requirement for everyone who owns and drives a car to have at least third-party car insurance in place. This applies to students who have a car at university.

Third party insurance will cover you for injury or damage caused to others, but it won’t cover you for damage to your own vehicle.

• If you don’t have a valid student car insurance policy:

• You may be given a fixed penalty of £300 and six points on your licence

• Your car could be clamped, seized or destroyed

If your case is referred to the courts, you may face an unlimited fine and be disqualified from driving.

The cost of car insurance for students is generally higher than average, as most student drivers are under the age of 25 and are considered to be more of a risk on the roads than older drivers. 

Students are also are more likely to be new drivers, meaning they haven’t been able to build up a no claims discount. 

Students are also likely to be driving with other students in the car with them so could be held responsible for injures to their friends if involved in an accident. Insurers have to pay out more to young people who suffer life-changing injuries, as the compensation must last their lifetime.

Even mature students may find their car insurance costs more than expected, as listing your occupation as ‘student’ puts you in a high-risk category. 

You may also be subject to higher premiums based on your new address if you’re moving away to study. Some university accommodation is in high crime areas, so be prepared for this if you want to take your car with you.

Don’t be tempted to change your occupation or address on your application in an effort to save money — honesty is always the best policy, as providing false information is considered as fraud.

If you are leaving your car at home while you’re at university, or you don’t plan to use it while you’re studying, you may still need to buy car insurance. The only way around this is if you declare your vehicle off the road with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

If you have a SORN, you won’t be able to drive your car at all and you will need to leave it parked in a garage or on a driveway or private property – it cannot be parked on a road. 

If you only drive your car from time to time, for example to drive home for the holidays, you might want to consider temporary car insurance for students. 

This can work out cheaper than an annual policy and you can usually take out cover for between one and 28 days.

Even if you don’t drive much while at university, your car will come in useful for trips home or getting around during the holidays. One major benefit of keeping your car at university is that you’ll be eligible to earn a no claims bonus, even if you only drive your car for a few weeks of the year.

A black box installed in your car or downloaded as an app on your smartphone will monitor how you drive. The safer you drive, the less you'll pay for car insurance.

• Add a more experienced named driver: If you are not an experienced driver you can cut car insurance costs by adding a named driver who is older and more experienced to the policy. But don’t pretend they are the name driver if you are. That is called fronting and is a crime.

• Change the type of car you drive: Another factor is the type of car you drive, with the car’s speed, security features, and value all playing a big part – read our guide to the cheapest cars to insure to find out which cars attract the cheapest insurance premiums.

• Increase your voluntary excess: Opting for a bigger voluntary excess may result in a cheaper monthly premium. But make sure you can afford any voluntary excess if you need to claim. This excess is in addition to the compulsory excess set by your insurer. This is what you will have to pay if you ever have to claim. However, you can also insure your excess, so that if your claim exceeded your excess it too would be paid. 

• Pay upfront: Pay for your insurance in one go if you can. Spreading the cost of your car insurance over 12 payments, monthly, may seem cheaper but remember you will be paying interest on top of the amount you pay towards your car insurance premium.    

• Drive less: Limiting your miles makes you less of an insurance risk. Simply because you are reducing your risk of having an accident. When you take out your car insurance policy the insurer always asks for an estimate of your maximum annual mileage. You need to try and you’re your mileage low, although you need to be realistic as to how much you will drive. 

• Install extra security: Having an alarm or immobiliser is considered a theft deterrent and by deterring car thieves you can reduce your car insurance. Not all insurers will offer this, so check first.

• Do an advanced driving course: Some insurers will offer a discount for drivers who have completed an advanced driving course. There are several recognised providers such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

• Shop around: Shopping around, aim for a month before your car insurance renewal comes up could also save you money. It may be your current car insurance is the cheapest available but because pricing changes it’s always best to stay vigilant.

• Consider a multi car insurance policy: If your parents’ driveway is heaving with cars it may make more sense to try and include all those cars and yours on one policy. Some insurers allow you to take out a single multicar policy including for children at university. Check to see if you can reduce your insurance costs with a multi-car insurance policy.

• Don’t own a car: This might sound like a drastic alternative but if you don’t always need access to a car, maybe you can borrow a friend’s or family member’s car. Many insurers offer short term and temporary car insurance which, in some cases can be taken out for just a day. Compare quotes for short-term or temporary car insurance.

Fronting is where you get another person, typically a parent or older sibling, to buy car insurance and put you down as a named driver despite the fact that you’ll be doing most of the driving. While it might seem a good way to get cheaper insurance, it’s actually fraud and could land both you and your ‘main driver’ in a lot of hot water. If you’re caught you could face the following consequences:

• You could be prosecuted for fraud, fined and end up with a criminal record

• If you were caught as a result of an accident, the insurer wouldn’t make any payout

• Your insurance could be cancelled, leaving you and the other driver without cover

• Other insurers would know, meaning you both could have trouble getting insured in the future

When you buy car insurance you might be surprised to learn that it offers more than just the straightforward protections you’d expect. You may get the following extras thrown in as standard if you opt for comprehensive insurance:

• A courtesy car while your car is being fixed

• Up to 90 days of third-party-only cover for driving in Europe

• Windscreen damage repair cover

• Lost and replacement key cover

Some or all of these examples could be included as standard, or you may have to pay for them – which is why it’s a good idea to read the policy documents of the top few best quotes you get.

If you’re willing to spend a little extra on top of your premium you could get a range of added benefits, including:

• breakdown cover

• personal accident cover

• fully comprehensive European driving cover

Most modifications will have an effect on the premium you pay. Usually, they result in a small lift in your premium, although some could see the amount you pay go down.

Among the modifications that could have a negative impact on what you pay are:

• Alloy wheels

• Window tints

• Bespoke paint jobs

• Spoilers

• … and eyelashes on headlights!

Among the modifications that could have a positive impact on what you pay are:

• Having an immobiliser fitted

• Having a tracker fitted

• Having a tow bar fitted (caravans slow you down)

• Upgraded braking system

You must tell your insurer if you’ve had any modifications done to your car or any non-factory fitted mods had been added before you purchased the car. 

No. If you are over 25 in particular, you’ll be rewarded with lower premiums than your younger fellow students would be, especially if you have a few years’ driving experience under your belt.

You will still pay more than someone of your age who is working as insurers have a view of student life that doesn’t conform to their ideal for a driver. 

Access to alcohol, erratic hours and the increased likelihood of there being passengers in the car (and accidents involving them) all affect premiums.

You should always use the address where your car is going to be parked for most of the year. In the case of students, this will be at their university and not at their parents’ home. 

Don’t be tempted to use the latter (unless you live at home while attending university) as it could result in any claim you make being rejected and your policy voided. 

This is because your premium is based on the area where your car is located most of the time, which may be considered a higher risk compared to where your parents live.