Do learner drivers need car insurance?
Learner drivers need to be insured on any car they use for driving lessons or to practise their driving, and to meet the requirements of that insurance - until their driving test and beyond!
Driving without valid insurance as a learner driver can lead to a fine, penalty points on their provisional driving licence, and higher future insurance costs.
Things that can invalidate the insurance include:
- not having a valid UK provisional driving licence
- not having appropriate supervision while driving
- not meeting the minimum eyesight requirements for driving
- being ‘unfit to drive’ due to over-the-counter or prescription medication, alcohol or drugs.
Whether the insurance will need to be paid for, and if it does the best type of insurance to get, will depend on a few different things - check below and see if you will need to pay.
Learner driving a car provided by a Driving Instructor
No additional insurance is needed.
As long as the learner driver meets the standard car insurance requirements they should be covered under the Driving Instructor’s car insurance policy, and a contribution to the cost of the insurance will be included in the driving lesson price.
Learner driving a car owned and insured by a family member or friend
Additional insurance is needed.
There are 2 options:
- add the learner driver to the current car insurance policy as a named driver
- buy a separate 'learner driver' insurance policy to run alongside the current policy - these 2 options can have very different costs.
For more detailed information about these 2 options - including the pros and cons of each, have a look at Learner Driver Insurance - driving a car owned by a family member or friend .
Learner driving a car owned by the learner
A valid car insurance policy is needed.
There are 2 options:
- a short term or temporary policy which will end the moment the learner passes their driving test
- an annual policy which will continue even if the learner passes their driving test during the period of the policy.
For essential information about these 2 options - including the pros and cons of each and a code to save £50 off an annual policy, have a read of Learner Driver Insurance - driving a car owned by the learner .
Learner driving a car provided by a car hire company
No additional insurance should be needed.
As long as the learner driver meets the standard car insurance requirements they should be covered under the car hire companies car insurance policy, and a contribution to the cost will be included in the car hire price.
Always check the wording of the policy to ensure the learner is covered for driving lessons and for taking their driving test.
Summary
Having a basic understanding of the various Learner Driver Insurance requirements is essential - to ensure the learner driver is legally covered to drive, whatever vehicle they are learning and practising their driving in!
This is the first in our Learner Driver Insurance series. Have a look at the other posts too, and if you can't find the answer to your Learner Driver Insurance related question - get in touch and we'll see if we can help :)
Learner Driver Insurance - driving a car owned by a family member or friend
Learner Driver Insurance - driving a car owned by the learner