Young driver car insurance soars by £644 in a year

New drivers have been hit with yet another rise in insurance premiums as cover soared by £644 in the past year to reach an average of £2,009.

It contrasts the £1,365 that drivers under the age of 25 would’ve had to pay for cover in January 2023.

Young drivers now face paying £3,043 on average for the total running costs of a vehicle, highlighting a 25 per cent increase from the last year when this bill stood at £2,436.

The figures from comparison site Compare the Market show that drivers with automatic-only licences have been hit with the steepest increases in car insurance, with cover for these motorists soaring to £2,803 on average, representing a £916 increase year-on-year. Drivers with automatic-only licences now face paying £760 more for their insurance compared with motorists holding a manual and automatic licence.

This rise will come as a concern to the increasing number of drivers taking automatic-only tests, with DVLA data showing that in 2022-23, 138,354 passed their test in an automatic car, compared with the 34,749 drivers who did the same in 2012-2013.

Julie Daniels, motor insurance expert at Compare the Market said, “The increasing cost of car insurance is concerning for young drivers across the board, particularly those who have only learnt to drive automatic cars. These drivers face paying over £900 more this year to insure their car.

A tip for young drivers would be to look around for cheaper car insurance first, either when their policy is up for renewal, or when taking out insurance for the first time.

Adding an experienced named driver to a person’s insurance can also help reduce prices

– as long as the information is accurate. Finally, a telematic policy, also known as a black box, can help give a younger driver more affordable quotes.