Learner driver insurance

Learner drivers have two options when it comes to getting practice in before their test. The first is to get lessons with a professional instructor who will provide their own car with their own specialised insurance included in the price of their lessons.

The second option is to learn in a family member's or a friend's car with a suitable supervisor in the car with them. In this instance, the learner will require their own specialised learner driver insurance.

The latter of the two options is by far the cheapest and is more convenient for many learners, provided they have a car that they can use and a supervisor that is willing to help them. However, it is vital that all the necessary rules are followed and that both the learner and the supervisor have the right insurance.

So what exactly is learner driver car insurance? How does learner driver insurance work? And what does it cover? We're going to explore the answers to all this and more as we take a close look at learner driver insurance.

What is learner driver insurance?

Learner driver insurance is a short-term provisional insurance policy for drivers who have yet to pass their test. Learner drivers must be accompanied by an experienced driver when they drive for their insurance to be valid.

Learner driver insurance works in addition to any pre-existing policies on the vehicle, so any accidents or damage caused by the learner only impacts their insurance and not the vehicle owner's.

So let's now jump in and find out who can supervise learner drivers.

Who can supervise learner drivers?

Supervisors are the experienced drivers that legally must monitor any learner driver who has not yet passed their test.

In many cases, this is a professional driving instructor. However, if you have learner driver insurance, your supervisor can be any driver aged over 21 (though many providers stipulate they must be between 25 and 75) who has held a full driving licence for more than three years.

The supervisor doesn't need to be the owner of the vehicle (though they can be, of course), but the owner does need to have given permission for you to be insured on it.

Your supervisor must also be insured on the vehicle. This means that many people choose to learn in their family car and have a parent or other relative teach them. However, you can learn to drive in your own car as long as the supervisor is also insured in that vehicle as well.

What kind of vehicle can a learner driver be insured on?

You can learn to drive in any car that is covered by a regular category B full driving licence. As with any vehicle, you must make sure that it is roadworthy before driving it as well as ensuring that it is properly insured and taxed.

The car you learn to drive in must have an L plate on both the front and back of the vehicle, and they must both be easily visible. The plates must have red lettering on a white background and be at least 178mm x 178mm square.

Failure to display L plates, or having them displayed but only partially visible, or having plates that don't meet the legal requirements can lead to up to six points on your licence, which isn't a very good place to begin your driving career.

What are the requirements for learner driver insurance?

Here we will take a look at all of the legal requirements needed to be a learner driver and some of the more specific requirements that are only enforced by certain insurance companies.

• The learner driver must be aged 17 or above. The legal age to drive in the UK is 17. It is illegal to drive before then, even if you are only a learner.
• Learner drivers must have a provisional licence. This can be acquired by applying for one via the DVLA once you have turned 17.
• Both the learner and the supervisor must be insured on the car you are learning in. If the supervisor isn't already insured on the vehicle, then they must be named on the learner's insurance policy.
• The learner car must have a valid MOT certificate and up to date road tax.
• The supervisor must be over the age of 21 (or within the age margins described by your provider) and have had a full driving licence for more than three years.
• The learner car must have clearly visible L plates with red lettering and white background. The L plates must be a minimum of 178mm by 178mm square.
• Learner drivers are not permitted to drive on a motorway without a professional instructor.
• Some learner driver insurance policies have an upper age limit. Not all providers have such a limit and the age varies for the ones that do. The limit often lies between the late-20s and the mid-30s.

Can you switch a learner driver policy to another vehicle?

Your learner driver insurance is only valid on the car you declare on your policy and you are not covered for driving any other cars.

Once your insurance policy comes to an end, you can then switch to a different car under a new policy.

If you want to switch cars while your current policy is still active, you will need to contact your provider to see if they are able to formally make a switch on the policy.

How much is learner driver insurance?

As with all insurance, the price of learner driver insurance varies depending on a number of factors such as the model of car, how old you are, where you live, etc.

One of the key factors in determining the cost of learner driver insurance is the time period you choose to get the policy for. Some providers offer policies that last as little as a single day, and most also have policies that cover a few months.

The longer policies are cheaper per day than the shorter ones. So if you are planning to learn for a substantial period of time, then it may well be worth getting a longer policy for a better overall deal.

What is covered by learner driver insurance?

As with most vehicle insurance, there are three levels of learner driver insurance:

• Third-party insurance
• Third-party, fire and theft insurance
• Fully comprehensive car insurance.

However, some insurance providers only offer fully comprehensive policies to learner drivers.

Here we will take a look at what the different levels of learner driver insurance cover.

Third-party

Third-party insurance covers any damage or injury that is caused to another vehicle or person as a result of your driving. Third-party does not include cover for any damage or injury caused to you or your vehicle.

Third-party, fire and theft

Third-party, fire and theft includes all of the above and cover against any damage caused to your vehicle as a result of fire or if your car is stolen.

Fully comprehensive

This covers everything from the other two and also provides full cover for both you and the vehicle in the event of an accident, even if the accident was your fault.

How long can you get learner driver insurance for?

Some learner driver insurance providers offer policies for as little as a few hours. Others set their minimum at a single month.

Most providers offer policies that last around five or six months at the longest, though there are some that offer learner insurance for up to a year. However, once your initial policy has expired, it is usually possible to simply get another one.

Does learner driver insurance affect the supervisor's insurance?

If the learner driver is learning to drive in the supervisor's car (e.g. could be a parent or sibling's car), then the learner needs their own separate insurance. This means that any accidents that take place and result in an insurance claim whilst the learner is driving are covered by the learner's insurance. The no-claims bonus of the supervisor is not impacted by any claims made as a result of the learner driver.

Can you do your test in the car you have learnt in?

It is perfectly possible to do your test in the same car you have learnt in.

However, you will need to make sure that the tester is also insured on your learner driver insurance policy.

How can you save money on learner driver insurance?

There are many ways you can save money on your learner driver insurance policy. Here, we will take a look at just a few of the things you can do to save yourself some cash.

Pick the right car

Of course, the more expensive the car you drive, the more expensive the insurance will be. Cars are categorised into insurance groups numbered between 1 and 50, with 1 being the cheapest to insure and 50 being the most expensive. While the insurance group of a car isn't the only factor that determines the price of the insurance, it plays a key role.

Choose to learn in a car from a lower insurance group if you can. That way, you will save money on the cost of your own insurance.

Get your insurance policy for longer

As we have already seen, it is far more cost-effective to get an insurance policy that lasts longer than it is to get multiple short policies.

Before getting your policy, be realistic and consider how long you think you will need to be ready to pass your driving test. Then maybe add a week or two to that time frame just to be sure. It is better to overestimate and be over-prepared than it is to underestimate your practice time.

Get insured on someone else's car

Getting insured on someone else's car is far cheaper than setting yourself up as the main driver of your own vehicle and then adding a named supervisor to your policy.

So if you have access to a friend or family member's car and they are willing to allow you to learn in it, then take them up on the offer as you will save much more money that way.

Install a black box

A black box measures your driving record and informs your insurer of how safe a driver you are.

If you install a black box with a clean record and then renew your learner driver insurance, you will likely see a reduction in your insurance costs as the insurer will see that you are a safe driver.

Shop around

There are always good deals available that offer good cover at reasonable prices. Make sure you fully investigate all the options available before settling on a policy, as there is likely to be a better deal out there if you go looking for it.

Summary

Learner driver car insurance is a legal requirement for any learner driver who is looking to learn without a professional instructor. The learner must be accompanied by an appropriate supervisor who must also be insured on the car.