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Two men in a car

What is young driver insurance?

Young driver insurance is a type of policy which is aimed specifically at younger people aged under 25 to help them with the costs of cover. This type of young person car insurance cover can help these drivers who typically pay the highest sums for insurance. It works in the same way as car insurance for older drivers but often comes with cost-cutting features. These include telematics technology to help drivers lower their costs if they can show their insurer they are driving consistently well and they keep their mileage down.

What are the different types of young person car insurance?

There are three types of car insurance to choose from:

You can find out more about these levels in our guide to the types of car insurance available. The cost of your policy depends on many things including the level of cover you have. As prices are typically the highest for young drivers, there are a few options to cut costs. These include:

Insurance group, Unmodified car, Higher excess, Black box

Is young driver insurance right for you?

It’s important to buy the correct car insurance. Young driver insurance might be the best option for you if you:

  • Are aged under 25
  • Have recently passed your driving test
  • Have an unmodified car
  • Are a young driver with a car in a low insurance group
  • Are a young driver who can afford a higher excess
  • Are happy to use features such as black box insurance to lower costs
Our expert says

Car insurance for young drivers can be expensive because younger, inexperienced drivers are considered to have a higher risk profile. It can be tempting to go for less comprehensive cover to keep costs down, but it's usually safer and sometimes cheaper to get fully comprehensive insurance.

And remember, every year you drive without incident or making a claim, your premiums should come down.”

Leoni Moninska author headshotLeoni Moninska, Insurances Expert

How can I get a young driver car insurance quote?

It’s quick, easy and straightforward to get a range of young driver insurance quotes. As the insurance market is so competitive, one of the best ways to keep your costs down is to compare prices. That’s because prices can vary considerably between policies and insurers.

To get a quote you’ll need to enter some personal details, such as your job and address, and also some information about your car. You will then be given a list of quotes allowing you to see the overall price and what’s included in each policy before you make a final decision.

See all car insurance providers we work with at Uswitch and compare today.

Is young driver insurance not right for you?

Find alternative types of cover that might be more suited to your needs.

Chart showing the average price per age group

How much is young drivers insurance?

The cost of young drivers insurance can vary depending on a range of factors. The biggest impact will be how long it has been since the driver has passed their test and received their full UK driving license.

Young drivers between the ages of 17-19 are most affected by high insurance costs, due to the potential inexperience and high risk driving. From the age of 18 the average cost starts coming down year on year as seen in the graph to the left.

Age 17: Average cost of car insurance: £1,612.

Age 18: Average cost of car insurance: £1,845.

Age 19: Average cost of car insurance: £1,709.

How can I get cheaper car insurance as a young driver?

Cheap car insurance for young drivers may seem impossible yet there are ways to lower your costs. Despite young drivers paying the highest fees, there are many simple tips and tricks to make car insurance cheaper.

These include:

  1. Lowering your annual mileage
  2. Keeping your car in a safe and secure spot overnight
  3. Increasing the amount you pay for an excess if you need to make a claim
  4. Adding a second driver to your policy

The type of car you drive also matters, picking a small, cheap, car could be far less to insure than an expensive top-of-the-range model.

Cars are rated on how quickly the car accelerates and its top speed.

They are also rated depending on the value of the car as new, the security features it has, how long it will take to fix if it is damaged in a standard accident and how much the individual parts cost.

Check out our guide on the cheapest cars to insure to learn more.

Average cost of young drivers insurance based on years license held

Years since getting driving licenseAverage cost of car insurance
Less than one year£1,297.45
One year£1,007.25
Three years£781.98
Four years£739.21
Five years£692.24

Data from Confused.com 31/05/23

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FAQs

How does black box insurance for young drivers work?

With black box car insurance a telematics box will be installed in your car (or an app installed on your phone) that can monitor how and when you drive by using GPS technology. 

The device measures factors like speed, mileage and braking. It tells the insurer how safe a driver you are. 

If you are a steady motorist, stick well within the speed limits and don’t break too hard, you may be able to get cheaper car insurance

Some black box policies work more like pay-as-you-go mobile phone plans, where you can top up the number of miles you plan to cover

Other black box policies restrict driving at night or during rush hours, which are notorious time for accidents – so make sure you read the small print


Why is young drivers’ car insurance so expensive?

Young drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents than drivers over the age of 25, and the resulting claims are more expensive. Young drivers often travel with other young people in the car with them. 

If passengers, or anyone else for that matter, are injured or killed as a result of an accident, the insured’s policy provider must pay up.

  1. A life-changing injury for a young person will cost your insurer a lot more than the same injury for an older person, so the insurer has to pay out enough money to care for the injured person for the rest of their lives.
  2. Young drivers have more accidents – AA research reveals that nearly 40% of young drivers have been involved in a crash by the time they turn 23.
  3. As well as being more likely to have an accident, young and new drivers often have to pay more because they’ve had no chance to build up a no-claims bonus.


What age does car insurance go down for young drivers?

Young driver insurance prices usually start to fall for young drivers when they turn 25 but in some cases it could be before this age. There are lots of factors affecting the price of insurance, not just age, so other things such as a driver’s car or their profession, may also be impacting on the price of a policy.

What is the cheapest car insurance for young drivers?

Insurers place cars into individual insurance groups from 1 to 50. Typically, if the car is in group 1 it will be amongst the cheapest to insure and 50 will be the most expensive. 

While you can’t change your age, you can choose a car which is less expensive to insure in order to cut down on the cost of young driver motor insurance. 


How else can I get cheap car insurance as a young driver?

It’s tempting to want to buy a car that has modifications, such as body kits. These often appeal to young drivers wanting to personalise simple-looking hatchbacks or medium-sized cars. 

  • However, avoid them if you want to save money on your car insurance. Modifications are known to increase premiums by hundreds of pounds. 
  • Modifications can make a car more attractive to thieves and they can attract vandals
  • Standing out from the crowd is not a good idea if you want to keep the cost of your insurance down


Should I increase my excess as a young driver?

Yes, you could increase your excess and this is a good way to lower your premium costs. However, it’s important to make sure you can still afford to pay it if you do need to make a claim.

Is basic third party cover cheapest for young drivers?

Basic third-party cover is not always the cheapest for young drivers and in some cases, fully comprehensive insurance will provide better value for money. The only way to find out though is by running an insurance quote as many things affect the price you pay.

Can young drivers pay for car insurance in instalments?

Yes, car insurance for young drivers can be paid in instalments, often spread over 12 months. This may be more affordable than paying for insurance in one go but most insurers will add interest to monthly payments so you will end up spending more overall.

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Ben Gallizzi author headshot
Written by Ben Gallizzi, Senior Content Editor
Updated on 1 August 2024