Last Updated: 30/01/2018
Temporary learner driver insurance
The spiralling cost of driving lessons with instructors means that private lessons are often a more affordable option. Like all drivers, if you want to practice in a friend or relative’s car, you need to have the right insurance to do so.
If you want to learn to drive at your own pace in a vehicle you’re familiar with, you’d normally have to be added to the owner’s existing cover or pay for an annual learner driver policy.
With the obvious lack of driving experience most learner drivers have, these options often come with a hefty price tag.
One way to reduce the cost of insuring a learner and get flexible cover that suits your own situation is with a temporary learner driver policy.
Like other temporary car insurance policies, learner drivers get short term cover to borrow and practice in a friend, parent or other family member’s car.
Cover is available from just 1 day up to 3 months at a time, so whether you need that last bit of practice before your test or you’re getting behind the wheel for the first time, you can select a policy duration that fits your needs.
I’m worried about letting a learner use my car!
Many parents and family members are worried about letting someone learn in their car.
Naturally, there is a risk involved in letting a learner driver use your car and when you consider the increase in your annual premiums, for a lot of people it’s not worth the risk or expense.
While no one can ever guarantee an incident free drive, one thing we can protect with temporary insurance is your existing No Claims Discount.
If the worst should happen, you don’t have to worry about affecting your existing insurance because it’s a separate standalone policy.
There’s no increase in your premiums for letting a learner use your car and if they have an accident, your No Claims Discount won’t be affected.
All temporary learner driver policies from Tempcover come with comprehensive cover as standard, an upgrade from the third-party only cover most annual insurers will offer if you add a learner to your policy.
This means that should they be at fault for an accident you’ll be able to claim for damage to your own car, as well as any damage to third parties, so everyone is covered:
- The learner
- Your car
- Your No Claims Discount
Having insurance that offers comprehensive cover and protects everyone is the best way to put your mind at ease while a learner uses your car.
Why are private lessons so important?
The average cost of a driving lesson is £24 and the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) recommends around 47 hours of practice.
If everything goes smoothly and you pass first time, the total cost of lessons for a learner will be £1,128. A large sum as it is, but if you need extra lessons and take longer to learn, the cost soon mounts up to thousands and thousands of pounds.
With that cost in mind, many learns find private practice an affordable and flexible option to increase your experience while you’re having professional lessons.
They’re a great opportunity for learners to practice what they’ve learnt in their lessons with an instructor.
Private lessons should never completely replace lessons with a professional. Not only are learners gaining unbiased and certified training but they also drive in dual control cars, the safest way to be on the road with a new driver.
They are however a free and flexible option which allows learner drivers to develop their skills at a time and pace that suits their schedule.
Why is temporary insurance the best option?
Private lessons are incredibly useful for learners, not only for their practical test but also their theory exam.
The downside of private lessons is you need to make sure that they fit around both the learner and car owner’s schedule.
The means it's important to have cover that’s flexible and works around everyone because you don’t want to pay for cover you don’t need or use.
You may want a little bit of extra practice before your driving test and so paying for a years’ worth of cover, when you only need it for a week is big waste money and effort. With a temporary learner policy, you only pay for the amount of time you actually require. From 1 day to 3 months; you can get the right duration of cover for your situation.
It’s simple to purchase a policy and you can get a quote in minutes. Whether you need cover to start instantly or in a months’ time, the process is always simple and straightforward.
It’s the best and most affordable way for a learner driver to legally practice their driving skills privately and give the vehicle owner peace of mind that their car is comprehensively covered.
What do I need to get learner driver insurance?
Short term insurance is the ideal solution for many learners. You can expect to get a policy if you are 17 and older and have been a UK resident for a minimum of 12 months. To get a quote you’ll need:
- Your personal details, name, address, email etc.
- The number plate of the car you want to drive.
- Your driving licence number.
- A debit, credit card or Paypal account.
Who can I drive with?
As a learner, you’re not allowed to drive a car without supervision. Any driver is allowed to supervise you as long as they are over 25 and have held a full UK driving licence for at least three years (as long as they do not have a DR coded conviction within the last 5 years).
They do not need to be the person who owns the car; you just need to have the vehicle owner’s permission.
Start a quick and easy quote now and get temporary insurance in minutes.
