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17 Year Olds

How much does car insurance cost for a 17 year old? Costs by region, cheapest cars to insure, and how to reduce your premium.

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Telematics could reduce premiums for safer young drivers

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How much is car insurance for a 17 year old?

A 17 year old in the UK pays between £1,873 in South West England and £2,997 in London per year for car insurance, depending on where they live. That is a spread of over £1,100 between the cheapest and most expensive regions.

£1.9k

Cheapest (South West England)

£3.0k

Most expensive (London)

#	Region	Average premium
1	South West England	£1,873.41
2	Wales	£1,930.39
3	East Midlands	£1,942.15
4	South East England	£1,949.74
5	East of England	£1,962.03
6	Scotland	£1,968.57
7	Northern Ireland	£2,158.07
8	North East England	£2,201.07
9	West Midlands	£2,301.02
10	Yorkshire	£2,402.30
11	North West England	£2,410.17
12	London	£2,997.04

London is consistently the most expensive region for 17 year old drivers, with average premiums 60% higher than the South West. The South West, Wales and the East Midlands are the cheapest regions, while the North West, Yorkshire and the West Midlands sit just below London.

Source: Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q3 2026. Based on a random sample of over 100,000 UK car insurance quotes.

Why is car insurance so expensive for 17 year olds?

Department for Transport data shows drivers aged 17 to 24 represent around 7% of UK licence holders but are involved in 22% of fatal collisions. Insurers typically price policies on risk, not individual ability, so new drivers may pay more until they can build a driving history.

Young driver insurance and new driver insurance are among the most expensive policies in the UK because insurers typically base premiums on statistical risk. Car insurance for new drivers is typically higher because there is no driving history for insurers to assess, and first time driver insurance reflects the higher probability of a claim in the first year of driving.

There are four main reasons a 17 year old pays so much:

No driving history. Insurers have no evidence you drive safely, so they may assume average risk for your age group.
No no-claims bonus. Every year of claim-free driving unlocks a discount. Year one starts from zero.
Higher claim probability. First-year drivers are more likely to make a claim than experienced drivers.
Higher-risk driving hours. Young drivers are more likely to drive at night, when accident rates are higher.

Read our young drivers insurance guide for the full picture on why premiums are set the way they are, and what changes as you get older.

What are the cheapest cars to insure for a 17 year old?

Every car in the UK is placed into one of 50 insurance groups, set by Thatcham Research. Group 1 is the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Small city cars with modest engines tend to sit in groups 1 to 5, and they are almost always the cheapest first cars for new drivers.

Cars in insurance group 1 are typically the cheapest to insure. Insurance group 1 cars tend to be small hatchbacks with engines under 1.2 litres.

Popular cars typically found in groups 1 to 5 include:

Hyundai i10
Kia Picanto
Volkswagen Up
Toyota Aygo
Fiat Panda
Ford Ka
Citroen C1
Vauxhall Corsa (lower trims)
Skoda Citigo
Seat Mii

These are also some of the best first cars for 17 year olds because they are affordable to buy, cheap to run, and sit in the lowest insurance groups. They are also the cheapest cars to insure for new drivers, not just 17 year olds.

The exact insurance group depends on the specific model, engine size, and trim level. A Vauxhall Corsa with a 1.0-litre engine may be in a different group to the same model with a 1.4-litre engine. You can read more in our car insurance groups guide.

How can a 17 year old get cheaper car insurance?

Taking out your first car insurance policy is a big expense. These tips can help new drivers reduce the cost.

There is no single trick that will slash a 17 year old's premium, but stacking a few small savings adds up quickly. Here are the eight most effective ways to bring the price down.

Compare quotes from multiple insurers. Prices for the same driver can vary by hundreds of pounds. Compare via Brumble to see prices from 130+ insurers. This is the most effective way to find cheap car insurance for a 17 year old. Compare quotes →
Choose a car in a low insurance group. Groups 1 to 5 are cheapest. Smaller engines, lower value, and cheaper parts mean lower premiums.
Consider black box (telematics) insurance. A telematics policy monitors your driving and can reward safe drivers with lower premiums. See black box insurance.
Add an experienced driver as a named driver. Adding a parent or experienced driver to your policy can reduce the premium. This is sometimes called named driver insurance for young drivers. Never list them as the main driver if you are the main driver: that is called "fronting" and is illegal.
Increase your voluntary excess. A higher excess means a lower premium. Choose an amount you could afford to pay if you needed to make a claim.
Pay annually if you can. Monthly payments include interest, which could add interest to the overall cost.
Park off the road. Parking on a driveway or in a garage overnight is cheaper to insure than parking on the street.
Reduce your estimated annual mileage. Fewer miles means less risk. Be honest, but do not over-estimate.

Building a no claims bonus as a young driver is one of the most effective long-term ways to reduce your premium. Each claim-free year earns a discount, and after five years you could see significant savings.

Is black box insurance worth it for a 17 year old?

A black box (telematics) policy uses a small device fitted to your car or a smartphone app to record how you drive. It tracks your speed, braking, acceleration, cornering, mileage, and the time of day you drive. Your insurer uses that data to set your renewal price and, on some policies, adjust your premium during the year.

The upside: a safely driven black box policy can cut premiums well below the standard price for a 17 year old, and it builds evidence of safe driving that pays off at renewal.

The downside: your driving is monitored, poor driving habits can push the premium up mid-term or at renewal, and some policies come with night-time curfews or mileage caps.

For most 17 year olds who drive safely, a black box policy is one of the most effective ways to bring the cost down. Our black box car insurance guide explains how the policies work and what to check before you buy.

Can a 17 year old get temporary car insurance?

Yes. Temporary (short-term) car insurance is available for anything from 1 hour to 28 days. It is useful for borrowing a parent's car, test-driving a used car before you buy, or getting practice hours in a family car while you learn.

One caveat: not every temporary insurance provider covers 17 year olds. Some set a minimum age of 18 or even 19, so check the age limits before you apply. Providers that do accept 17 year olds usually require a valid provisional or full UK licence.

See our temporary car insurance guide for what is available and how it compares to an annual policy.

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How much does car insurance drop at 18?

Premiums fall each year as you build driving experience and a no-claims bonus. The biggest drops tend to happen between 18 and 20, as the first years of claim-free driving unlock real discounts. Prices flatten out from around age 21.

In London, for example, the average premium falls from £2,997 at 17 to £2,682 at 18. In South West England, the biggest single-year drop comes between 18 and 19, when the average premium falls from £1,630 to £1,019.

This is why comparing car insurance for 17 year olds in the UK is so important. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive quote can be hundreds of pounds, so it pays to check how much car insurance costs across the UK for a 17 year old before you buy.

Car insurance by age: cheapest and most expensive region, Q3 2026

Each bar runs from the cheapest to the most expensive UK region for drivers of that age. Labels above each bar show the cheapest region and labels below show the most expensive region.

Source: Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q3 2026. Based on a random sample of over 100,000 UK car insurance quotes.

See this data as a table

Car insurance by age: cheapest and most expensive region, Q3 2026. Source: Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q3 2026. Based on a random sample of over 100,000 UK car insurance quotes.
Age	Cheapest region	Price	Most expensive region	Price
17	South West England	£1,873.41	London	£2,997.04
18	Wales	£1,426.37	London	£2,682.03
19	Wales	£982.51	London	£2,316.79
20	Wales	£730.52	London	£1,526.89
21	South West England	£723.17	London	£1,305.93

See how prices change: 18 year olds, 19 year olds, 20 year olds, 21 year olds.

Car Insurance for 17 Year Olds FAQs

Based on regional averages of between £1,873 in South West England and £2,997 in London, that is around £156 to £250 per month. Monthly payments typically include interest, so paying annually saves money.

The cheapest policies tend to be telematics (black box) policies on low insurance group cars. Choosing a car in groups 1 to 5 and opting for a telematics policy can bring premiums significantly below the average. Comparing quotes from multiple insurers is the most effective way to find the cheapest price.

Yes. A 17 year old with a valid full or provisional UK driving licence can take out car insurance in their own name. They can also be added as a named driver on a parent or guardian's policy.

Fronting is when an older, more experienced driver is listed as the main driver of a car that is primarily driven by a younger driver, in order to get a cheaper premium. It is a form of insurance fraud and is illegal. If discovered, the policy can be voided and claims refused.

There is no legal requirement for fully comprehensive cover, but it is often the cheapest option for young drivers. Third party only cover can be more expensive because it is associated with higher-risk drivers.

If learning with a qualified instructor, the driving school's insurance covers the learner. If practising with a family member or friend, the learner needs to be insured on the car being used, either as a named driver on the owner's policy or with a short-term learner driver policy.

Choose a low insurance group car, consider black box insurance, compare quotes from multiple insurers, add an experienced named driver, park off the road, pay annually, and keep your estimated mileage realistic.

Not automatically on your birthday. Premiums typically decrease as you gain driving experience and build a no-claims bonus. After one claim-free year, you should see a reduction at renewal. By age 18, with one year of driving experience and one year of no-claims bonus, your premium could be noticeably lower than at 17 as you build driving experience.

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