What is Learner Driver Insurance?
Whether you’re a learner or a seasoned pro, it’s a legal requirement to have insurance when you’re behind the wheel. Learner Driver Insurance covers the learner while they practice their driving skills in a friend or family member’s car and continues to provide cover during their test.
This flexible, short-term policy protects the car owner’s No Claims Discount while providing the learner with the cover they need – just choose 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 or 240-days' cover. There are a few rules and stipulations around where you can drive and who with (supervising drivers need to be aged 25 or over and to have held a full UK driving licence for at least 3 years), so take a look at our complete guide to Learner Driver Insurance.
How Long Should Learner Driver Insurance Last?
With so many lengths of short term cover to choose from, you may find it difficult to determine exactly which length is best for you.
The answer depends on where you are in your learning journey. Some drivers just need a few weeks of extra practice before their test, while others may want longer cover to build confidence over several months.
Our learner driver insurance allows provisional licence holders to choose a policy length that suits their circumstances, helping them practise in a friend or family member's car without affecting the car owner's No Claims Discount.
Explore different cover lengths to find out more about each policy.
| Cover Length | May Be Suitable For |
|---|---|
| 30 Day Learner Driver Insurance | Learners with an upcoming test who want extra practice before test day. |
| 60 Day Learner Driver Insurance | Drivers looking to gain additional experience alongside regular lessons. |
| 90 Day Learner Driver Insurance | Those working towards a test date over the coming months. |
| 120 Day Learner Driver Insurance | Learners wanting longer-term flexibility while building confidence. |
| 180 Day Learner Driver Insurance | Drivers with a longer learning journey or delayed test dates. |
| 240 Day Learner Driver Insurance | Learners seeking extended cover while practising regularly over time. |
Not sure which length is right for you? Our learner driver insurance guide can help you understand your options and choose cover that matches your learning journey.
Can Short Term Cover be extended?
Not sure exactly how long you'll need cover for? Don't worry. Many learner drivers find that their test date changes or that they need a little more practice than expected before they're ready to take their test.
If your learner driver insurance is coming to an end and you're still learning, you may be able to arrange additional cover. Marmalade will send a reminder before your policy expires, and because your details are already saved, renewing your cover can be quick and straightforward. Simply log in to your account, review your details, choose a new policy length and make payment to get covered again.
If you need help extending your policy, our team will be happy to help.
Do learner drivers need insurance?
In short, yes. Anyone who is driving on a UK road, by law, needs to have valid insurance in place – even if they are a provisional licence holder. If you’re driving with an instructor, they are likely to already have this in place. However, if you are planning on practising outside lessons in your own car or that of a family member or friend, then you definitely need insurance as a learner driver.
The penalty for driving without valid insurance is £300 and 6 penalty points - or more if it goes to court. No-one wants that at the start of their driving career, right?
1
Get covered
Get a quote for your learner insurance. The hassle-free comprehensive cover is flexible, easy to arrange and sits alongside the main insurance on the car.
2
Get practising
Practise in a friend or family member’s car – with no risk to the car owner’s No Claims Discount. Need extra practise? Go the extra mile and take out another policy to extend your cover while you get test ready.
3
Pass your test
Previous Learner Driver Insurance customers are eligible for 10% off their next Black Box Insurance policy, based on using the same details.
Learn the Language of Car Insurance
Car insurance can sometimes feel full of unfamiliar terminology, particularly if you're arranging cover for the first time, so we've created a range of easy-to-follow guides to help explain common insurance terms, understand pricing and learn what happens throughout your insurance journey.
Whether you're taking out learner driver insurance for the first time or helping someone else get on the road, these guides can help make things clearer.
Helpful insurance guides
- Jargon Buster
- Car Insurance Policy Explained
- Car Insurance Price Explained
- How to Cancel Car Insurance
- Car Insurance Renewal Explained
- Car Insurance Groups
- How to Claim
These resources explain common insurance terms, how cover works, factors that may affect premiums, what happens if you need to make changes to a policy and what to expect as you progress from learner to full licence holder.
Increase your chance of passing your driving test with private practise
Who can supervise a learner driver?
Any driver over 25 who has held a valid full UK driving licence for at least 3 years can supervise a learner while they’re practising. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the car owner, as long as they have permission and are qualified to drive the vehicle you are using. Bear in mind, if their licence is for automatic vehicles, they can’t supervise you in a manual car.
The DVSA recommends learner drivers get as much private practise alongside lessons as possible, especially since learners are taking around six months or more to pass their test. With their Ready to pass? campaign, the DVSA state that, on average, it takes 22 hours of private practice between driving lessons for learners to build confidence and pass their test. That’s why they are urging learners to get in some extra practise if they think they aren't ready - rescheduling their test to give themselves some extra time.
Before you head out practising, check out our guide to make sure you get the most out of private practise.
Why consider Marmalade's Learner Insurance?
No risk to the car owner’s No Claims Discount
The car owner’s No Claims Discount is unaffected – even if the learner needs to make a claim!
Be on the road sooner with instant cover
Get a quote in minutes and you can be covered to drive straight away, once you’ve paid.
Save money when you take out a new policy
Stay with us and enjoy discounts such as 10% off Black Box Insurance.
Over 15 years of experience
We’re learner and young driver specialists! We’re here for you from provisional to full licence with loads of helpful guides and tips
Common questions about learner insurance
This policy is designed specifically for learner drivers, so cover will end as soon as you pass your driving test. So, if you do take the test in the insured car - make sure you arrange a lift home from the test centre.
Your journey with Marmalade doesn’t have to end - discover the options with our insurance finder tool.
You will need to pay the first £250 towards the claim if there is a fire, the car is stolen, or you have an accident whilst you're driving. Learn more about our policy details here.
It can vary depending on factors such as the length of your chosen policy and where you live. Get a quote online.
Yes, you will need to take your insurance policy documents with you and ensure the car meets the requirements set by the government. Remember, your cover ends immediately after the test has been passed, so you need to organise a lift home.
Our short-term learner insurance policy will cover you to take your driving test in a friend or family member's car as it's designed to sit alongside an existing motor policy of a car owned by someone else. The policy ceases once you pass, so make sure you have a lift arranged or have another policy in place.
If you’re looking for car insurance for a driving test on your own car - check out our Black Box Insurance. It's designed to cover a young driver in their own car before and after they pass with no increase in price on passing. If you're not quite decided yet on what type of insurance you need, we have a handy guide to help you compare insurance options for learner drivers.
You may well be able to, it all depends on your current policy as some insurers won’t allow it. For those that do, it could affect your No Claims Discount should they have a bump. Get a quote for our learner driver insurance; it won’t affect your No Claims Bonus as it sits beside your existing policy.
You can enjoy learner driver insurance for as long as you are learning to drive. We'll send you reminders before your policy expires. As your details are saved with us it's super easy to get you covered! Simply log in, check your details, choose your policy length, pay and you're sorted!
There are lots of ways to get in touch with the team - live chat, social media, and email. Live chat is a great place to start - simply click on the speech bubble at the bottom right of this page. You can find out more about how to get in touch on our contact us page.
As this is a short-term policy, you won’t start building your No Claims Discount just yet. If this is important, why not check out our Named Young Driver Insurance which is an annual policy in the young driver’s own name and allows them to start earning their own No Claims Discount.
The great news is that it offers seamless cover from learner to full licence, with no price increase on passing the driving test!
If you're looking to insure a learner driver on your car there are two options. They can take out a standalone policy that covers them when they are behind the wheel until they pass their test, like our learner driver insurance, or you can speak to your insurance company about adding a named driver.
Unsure which policy to choose?
We’ve got a handy tool to help you figure it out - simply answer three quick questions and we’ll show you the options that may suit your young driver
What's covered by our Learner Driver Insurance policy?
Legal liability | |
Damage to the car owner’s vehicle | |
Medical expenses up to £250 | |
Personal belongings up to £100 |
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