Car insurance costs soar for 17-year-old new drivers in the UK to £3,075

Newly-passed 17-year-olds face paying £3,075 on average for their insurance, a website has calculated - with the cost of cover increasing once drivers receive a full licence.

By Katie Elliott, Personal finance reporter based in London, Vicky Shaw

Vehicles on a motorway

A 17-year-old who has just passed their driving test faces paying £3,075 on average for their insurance, data from Compare the Market (Rui Vieira/PA) (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

A 17 year old who has recently passed their driving test could be looking at an average insurance cost of £3,075, according to data from a website. This marks a significant increase of £1,071 from last year's typical car insurance cost for a 17 year old, which stood at £2,004, as stated by Compare the Market.

The website's comparison was based on quotes from March 2024 and March 2023, generated from its customers' searches. The research also found that insurance quotes tend to be lower for slightly older new drivers.

For instance, a 22 year old new driver's average premium this year was estimated at £2,503, while a 27 year old new driver's typical price was £1,986. Across all age groups, the average car insurance cost for a driver with a provisional licence was £726, which jumps to £2,731 once the driver passes their test and obtains a full licence.

Car insurance costs rise after passing the test due to the lack of supervision from an experienced driver. However, the website noted that car insurance is £771 cheaper after a motorist has gained a year of driving experience.

Julie Daniels, a motor insurance expert at Compare the Market, commented: "The significant increase in the cost of car insurance could make driving prohibitively expensive for lots of teenagers."

She added: "Newly-passed 17-year-olds must now pay more than £3,000 on average for their first year's car insurance. This will put substantial strain on their or their parents' finances."

"However, premiums for new motorists with no claims should then hopefully fall in subsequent years."

She added: "As the cost of car insurance continues to increase, it may force some potential young motorists to delay learning to drive.

"For those eager to get on the road sooner, choosing a telematics policy may be a good option for some young motorists, whose premium could be reduced if they demonstrate they are a safe driver."

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