Insurance for driving in own or parents car

Are you learning to drive in your own car or your parents’ car? Do you plan on taking your test in your own car?

Find out how to get the insurance you need as a learner driver, and how to get the best arrangement for your situation.

Learner Driver Insurance in Your Own Car – What Type of Insurance Do You Need?

If you get driving lessons with a qualified driving instructor in the driving instructor’s car, then there’s no need to worry about car insurance while you learn to drive. The instructor or the driving school will have the necessary insurance in place for their vehicle.

But if you want to practice outside of lessons, or if you want to learn to drive and take your test in your own car, then you’ll need to have your own car insurance in place.

Learner Driver Insurance Options

You have two options here. You can either:

1. Get your own learner driver insurance, or
2. You can become a named driver on someone else’s car insurance policy

To find out which option is best for you, you need to ask yourself a few key questions:

• Are you driving yours or someone else’s car?
• Will you continue to drive the car after you pass your test?
• Will you be the main driver of the car once you’ve passed your test?

Learner Driver Insurance for Your Own Car

If you’re driving your own car, it might be your best option to get your own insurance policy as a learner driver. Having your own policy means that you can start to build up your no claims bonus.

Until you pass your test and get your driving licence, it’s illegal for you to drive without supervision. And there are strict rules for who can supervise learner drivers. If you have your own learner driver insurance, you can add a friend or a family member as a named driver on your insurance. You’ll then be covered for as much driving practice as you want to get outside of your main lessons.

Find out more about our learner driver insurance.

Insurance for Driving Test in Your Own Car

Your learner driver insurance could cover you for taking your driving test in your own car. However, your insurance policy will have to specifically cover driving tests, so it’s worth talking to your insurance provider first.

For more information, check your policy wording.

New Driver Insurance on Parents’ Car

If you’re learning to drive in your parents’ or someone else’s car, there’s a few more questions to ask. Your best insurance option will depend on whether you will continue to drive the car after your test and who is going to drive the car the most?

If you plan to continue driving your parents’ or someone else’s car, your best option may be to become a named driver on their car insurance. This means you’ll most likely end up paying less for your car insurance than you would if you got your own policy, however:

• The price of your parents’ car insurance will go up
• You may not be able to build up a no claims bonus – meaning you might end up paying more for your insurance later down the line

Every car insurance policy has a “main driver” – the person who drives the car the most. If you intend to be the main driver on your parents’ policy, you will need to inform the insurance company.  However, if you are going to be the main driver, it might be better to get a new driver car insurance policy of your own, and to make your parents a named driver on your policy. 

Learner Insurance into Full Insurance Policy

Once you pass your driving test, whether you’re a named driver on someone else’s policy, or you have your own insurance policy, you’ll have to let your insurers know immediately, as you may not have the correct cover to continue to drive.

With a full driving licence, you no longer need supervision when driving outside of lessons. As you’ll now be free to drive independently, your learner driver insurance will need to be updated to show that you are no longer a learner driver.

When you talk to your insurer, they may be able to update your learner driver policy into a new driver insurance policy. At Go Girl, we specialise in giving new drivers comprehensive cover at an affordable price.  Find out more about our new driver insurance.