What you should know about learner driver insurance
Just like a fully qualified driver, as a learner you’ll need to be insured before you take to the road.
Professional lessons
This one is simple - your driving instructor will have insurance that covers you for your professional lessons. You only need to think about provisional insurance when you're practising outside of your lessons.
Private practice
Practising in a friend/family member’s car:
- Look at special provisional driver insurance. These are short-term policies that generally cost from approximately £3 per day and allow you to drive in any car up to the value of £20,000 (and up to insurance groups 15/16) without risking the car owners’ own insurance policy. This is the most popular way for learners to get that much-needed private practise.
- You can also be added as an additional driver on the car owner’s insurance policy. Do bear in mind however that this can be expensive and if you do have to make a claim you’ll probably affect the owner’s no claims bonus. Simply ask the car owner to contact their insurance company and get a quote for adding a learner driver.
Practising in your own car:
If you have your own car, you'll need to take out an annual provisional insurance policy. Although this can be initially expensive, you’ll start to build up your no claims bonus right away so long term it can actually save you money. You'll also get to practise in the car you'll be driving once you've passed.
So while you might just see provisional insurance as an extra cost, it's actually essential for getting the private practice you need. And it won't just help you pass your test, but it'll also ensure you clock up some much-needed experience - helping you become a better driver.
Hi, just to be clear, having learner insurance (I have provisional driver insurance) counts towards your no claim bonus? Thanks
Hi there,
Yep, if you’re the policyholder and you have provisional insurance with us you’ll be building up a no claims bonus straight away 🙂
Thanks,
Katey
Hi, I have Learners insurance and I have my own car, Do i need to insure the car as well as myself to practice in the car? thanks
Hi Sarah,
If you have learner insurance you’ll be covered for the car you’re insured on and this will also cover you as the policy holder.
I hope that answers your question – feel free to drop us an email at connect@ingenie.com if you need any more help.
Thanks,
Katey