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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Help! Our car insurance won’t cover our learner sone

46 replies

DeadlyDozen · 27/12/2025 10:28

We’re picking up a new car today. Just tried to get driving insurance do car for me as the main driver and my husband and son. Direct line won’t insure our son. Who do people use? Thanks.

OP posts:
landregistryahoy · 27/12/2025 10:38

Google learner driver insurance and get a separate policy.
Some cars can’t be insured for learner drivers or under 25s.

NotForTheMoneyandNotForTheApplause · 27/12/2025 10:41

People use comparison sites so they can get quotes for their specific circumstances or as @landregistryahoy says use Google to find all the options

BrunchBarBandit · 27/12/2025 10:42

I used marmalade to get my son learner driver insurance

tinyspiny · 27/12/2025 10:42

We got an RAC policy as an add on for our daughter when she was learning in our cars .

BlueMum16 · 27/12/2025 10:43

We used Marmalade Learner insurance. It was a completely separate policy that DS took out so would not impact my no claims. Wasn't expensive either

Glittertwins · 27/12/2025 10:43

We had the same with Direct Line for an Aygo. We moved all cars to Admiral.

BreezyPeachGoose · 27/12/2025 10:44

Marmalade

aquaaerobicschaos · 27/12/2025 10:44

I'm using Collingwood (it was considerably cheaper than Marmalade for me this time but used Marmalade with older dc)

gingercat02 · 27/12/2025 10:45

My Saga policy rather ironically has my 17yo on it. Can't remember exactly but not much over £200 for a 2020 Citroen C3. It's once they pass it hits 4 figures sadly.

Southernecho · 27/12/2025 10:45

Well i wouldn't be using a new or newish car for a teenager to learn in.

They will need their own car once they pass.

Otherwise, as pp have said, use a comparison site.

Fridgemanageress · 27/12/2025 10:49

I think it depends on the type of vehicle too.

we found this, a 1,4 beetle was dearer than a 2litre Saab convertible - utter utter madness we thought - needless to say our children learnt in a Saab, and when they passed it was a £28admin fee.

Usernamenotfound1 · 27/12/2025 10:51

My car is with admiral. Me and my dh as named driver.

i got a £20 refund when i added dc as a learner driver!

when they passed their test it was an additional £400 to add as a second named driver, which added up to about £700-£800 for the year’s policy.

i didn’t think that was too bad. It is an old banger though, I imagine a brand shiny new car will be pricier.

Shinyandnew1 · 27/12/2025 10:55

What is the new car?

We had learned insurance through Veygo-just paid for 2 hours at a time, I think it was less than a fiver when we took them out.

Usernamenotfound1 · 27/12/2025 10:58

Southernecho · 27/12/2025 10:45

Well i wouldn't be using a new or newish car for a teenager to learn in.

They will need their own car once they pass.

Otherwise, as pp have said, use a comparison site.

Edited

Why will they need their own car once they pass?

mine didn’t, they just borrowed mine. Unless the insurance is so phenomenally expensive it covers the purchase, tax, insurance and mot/repairs on a second car then they don’t “need” a car of their own.

i learned in my mums new car as that was the car she had. We were a single parent family and was better than buying a second car we didn’t need to learn in.

they can always get a few lessons under their belt before you let them loose in it anyway.

Glittertwins · 27/12/2025 11:01

No way are our DCs driving our cars. I doubt they’d even get insurance to be honest, they are far too powerful for young and new drivers.

TheatricalLife · 27/12/2025 11:02

DD has a separate policy with Collingwood for her car.
We didn't even try to put her on our insurance as the cars we have wouldn't be suitable for a learner really. She has a cheap little starter car which she absolutely loves.

Fridgemanageress · 27/12/2025 11:04

Southernecho · 27/12/2025 10:45

Well i wouldn't be using a new or newish car for a teenager to learn in.

They will need their own car once they pass.

Otherwise, as pp have said, use a comparison site.

Edited

I don’t know what deals are around now, but my eldest used our car occasionally after she passed, but she went everywhere on the bus and tube.

our next one had a brand new 2008 Peugeot on free insurance, free servicing, interest free credit for 60months, and she loved and cherished that car for years - probably one of the best presents we ever bought her.

Our son, didn’t have/want such luxury, he had a smart car which he loved, it was exceptionally cheap to insure and run, and then he got a figaro which he loved, and again that was a reasonable car to run, but he was more into mechanics than thdd a girls, even going to night classes at the local college.

I honestly think it’s what your children are doing at 17 years old.

Lostdaughter66 · 27/12/2025 11:06

We used Marmalade found them easy to use and you can extend month on month. Although I could have added him to my tesco policy it would have cost a lot more! Watch out for the excesses though - they are high whatever you do.

Leatherdoughnut · 27/12/2025 11:07

We insured a brand new car last year (VW Golf) for DC17, with Post Office insurance, it was by far the cheapest option (with no black box either), DC now 18 is still a learner, bizarrely the renewal premium was cheaper than last year. We will look again for another policy, once DC passes.

CapybarasAreJustGuineaBigs · 27/12/2025 11:08

Whose car is it? Will you really be the main driver?

IngridBurger · 27/12/2025 11:09

Shinyandnew1 · 27/12/2025 10:55

What is the new car?

We had learned insurance through Veygo-just paid for 2 hours at a time, I think it was less than a fiver when we took them out.

We did this too. Pay as you go essentially for when he drove. Much much cheaper than adding to our policy.

Original poster
DeadlyDozen · 27/12/2025 11:23

Thank so much everyone.

To clarify: I meant new to us but didn’t actually say that. It’s a second hand car.. Not too old as we wanted a warranty (no mechanical or electrical skills in our family!) but Kia so their warranty lasts to 7 years old.

It will be a third family car as our other 2 cars are work cars but it won’t be his even after he passes and I’ll drive it the most.

I’ve done as some suggested and got a separate insurance for him with marmalade. I probably haven’t done it the cheapest way but my last minute panic is resolved and we can go collect the car with proper insurance in place.

Thanks so much for the replies.

OP posts:
27pilates · 27/12/2025 11:28

I moved to another company that would insure him. However, before you do that OP it may be cheaper to just use Veygo which is like a pay as you go type insurance by the hour.

NotForTheMoneyandNotForTheApplause · 27/12/2025 12:11

Fridgemanageress · 27/12/2025 10:49

I think it depends on the type of vehicle too.

we found this, a 1,4 beetle was dearer than a 2litre Saab convertible - utter utter madness we thought - needless to say our children learnt in a Saab, and when they passed it was a £28admin fee.

If course it depends on the vehicle 😁thats how car insurance works and it's one of the reasons everyone needs to find the best deal for them.

ZenLikeAlways · 27/12/2025 12:14

Oh great another way of being fleeced to look forward to! How much is it - dare I ask?

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