Overview
Go.Compare Car Insurance has launched a short-term learner driver insurance comparison service in partnership with Comparison Creator. The company said it is the first comparison site to offer a dedicated panel of insurers for learner drivers, bringing quotes from several specialist providers into one search.
The service is designed for motorists who need temporary cover while learning to drive and practising ahead of a test.
Go.Compare said the dedicated panel reduces the need for customers to request separate quotes from individual insurers and gives learners a clearer view of available policy options, features and prices.
Tom Banks, motoring insurance expert at Go.Compare Car Insurance, said learning to drive is often expensive and demanding. He said the new service gives learner drivers a single place to compare short-term insurance options before choosing a policy.
Insurers available through the panel include Veygo, Safely Insured and Collingwood. Banks said access to specialist learner driver cover is important for motorists who need additional practice before taking their test.
The main benefit of having a panel is that it saves customers time and reduces the effort of running multiple quotes separately. It also gives learners more choice and transparency over what’s available in the market, including the cover, features, benefits and costs of each policy.
Tom Banks, motoring insurance expert at Go.Compare Car Insurance
The launch extends an existing relationship between Go.Compare and Comparison Creator. The two companies already work together on comparison services for gadget, breakdown and mobile phone insurance.
How much is learner driver insurance?
According to Go.Compare, the median price paid for insurance for those with a provisional licence is £290. For those who’ve had their UK full driving licence for less than a year, it’s over three times that amount at £1,168.
Insurers see new drivers as a bigger risk than learners who have an experienced driver with them, so learners generally end up paying less.
| Licence Type | Licence Held For | Median Price Paid |
|---|---|---|
| UK provisional | Undetermined | £290 |
| UK full | Less than a year | £1,168 |
| UK full | 1 year | £853 |
| UK full | 2 years | £699 |
| UK full | 3 years | £656 |
| UK full | More than 3 years | £375 |
Steve Jones, director of Comparison Creator, said the technology is built to support more tailored comparison journeys for specialist insurance products. He said the learner driver service gives customers access to multiple providers through one comparison process rather than separate searches.
By making it easier to access specialist products through a single comparison journey, we’re helping deliver a better experience for customers while supporting innovation across the insurance market.
Steve Jones, director of Comparison Creator
What does learner driver insurance cover?
Cover varies between insurers and policies so it’s important to check your policy details carefully. Here’s what you can usually expect comprehensive learner insurance to cover:
| What’s usually covered | What’s not usually covered |
|---|---|
| Legal liability if you injure someone or damage their property | There might be restrictions on when you can drive and the number of miles you can cover |
| Medical expenses if you or one of your passengers is injured in the vehicle | Driving without a qualified driver – typically they’ll need to be over 21 years old and will have to have held a driving licence for at least three years |
| Theft or fire damage to the vehicle | Driving after you’ve passed your test, even if it’s just home from the test centre. You’ll have to make other arrangements |
| Repair of damage even in a collision that’s your fault, or replacement if the car is written-off | Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol |
| Taking your driving test in the car |
What is the best type of car insurance for learner drivers?
The best policy for you depends on your circumstances, like how long you’ll need to use the car for and whose car you’ll be driving.
Annual learner insurance
This can cover you up to a year, providing flexibility if you need more time to pass your test. It’s likely to be more expensive than a single month’s temporary cover, so it’s worth comparing the two, depending on how long you expect to need it for.
Short-term learner insurance
If you want to practise driving with someone else between lessons, like your parents, you could opt for short-term learner insurance. It’ll cover you from a couple of hours up to four weeks. If you need to extend your cover for longer you can then take out another short-term policy afterwards. Just be aware that if you need longer than a couple of months learner driver cover, an annual policy probably works out cheaper.
Named driver insurance
With this type of cover, you’ll benefit from the same cover as the main driver, but if you have an accident in the car, they could lose their no-claims discount. There might also be a charge to add you to the policy.
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs. Insurtech makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance.
It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
