Car insurance for 19-year-olds

The cost of car insurance can often become a concern for 19-year-olds. It’s a cruel reality that car insurance tends to be more expensive during these early adult years where you’re most likely to be struggling to make a lot of money.

Still, there are ways for 19-year-olds to lower the cost of car insurance, and we’ll be exploring this idea in the guide below.

Cheapest cars to insure for a 19-year-old

A great way to reduce your car insurance premium is to choose a car that’s cheaper to insure. In the table below, you’ll find a list of the most affordable cars for 19-year-olds to insure.

Why is car insurance more expensive for 19-year-olds?

Car insurance companies use a range of factors to calculate premiums for each customer, and their age is one of the most significant.

Historically, younger drivers are the most likely to make a claim on their policy, and that’s why 19-year-olds tend to face such hefty premiums. It’s the insurers’ way to protect themselves against this added risk.

Average insurance cost for a 19-year-old

We ran several quotes to find an average figure for a 19-year-old seeking car insurance. Based on these results, we found a 19-year-old with a comprehensive policy can expect to pay 1935 per year.

• How we got this rate

  To generate these quotes we used the following information:

  • Toyota Yaris 1.5l
  • The vehicle is a 2018 model
  • Manual transmission
  • Petrol
  • 1.5 litre engine

Average insurance cost for a 19-year-old by location

There are many factors that will affect the cost of a 19-year-old’s car insurance premiums, and your location is another significant one.

To show the potential impact of your home address, here are some average quotes for a 19-year-old living in three different locations. The quotes are for a Volkswagen Polo 1.2 S 5d.

• Cheap: £1134 (Truro, TR8)
• Average: 1481 (Chester, CH1)
• Expensive: 1746 (London, E10)

• How we got these rates

  These rates are based on the average cost of cover for cars in the locations shown. Our research suggests E10 is one of the most expensive locations, CH1 represents an average cost location and TR8 represents one of the cheapest locations. Updated: June 2024 (source: Confused).

What other costs are involved in getting your first car?

As well as paying for their car insurance, you’ll need to make sure you have the money available to cover the following costs.

• Petrol. The more you’re using your car, the more it’ll cost to keep tank full.
• Car tax. An annual bill, also known as vehicle excise duty, paid to the government. Your bill will differ depending on your choice of vehicle, its emissions and when it was registered.
• MOT. If a car is more than three years old, you’ll have to pay for an MOT test every year. This test is to check that the car meets the legal standards for safety and environmental friendliness.
• Servicing and maintenance. As the car gets older, you’ll inevitably have to pay for the cost of repairs and maintenance. Your MOT test will identify what maintenance jobs are necessary.
• Repairs. You can make an insurance claim if you want your insurer to cover the cost of repairs. However, as this will impact your no-claims bonus, you might prefer to cover the costs of cheaper repairs from your own pocket.

How to get cheaper car insurance at 19 years old

• Choose a cheaper car. Scroll up to see our list of cheapest cars to insure.
• Add a named driver. A more experienced driver added onto your policy will often reduce your premium.
• Take your ‘Pass Plus’ course. This course teaches advanced skills not taught during driving lessons, such as driving at night or on the motorway. Most insurers offer a discount to motorists with a ‘Pass Plus’ certificate.
• Add a telematics box. A telematics box tracks your driving activity and pass the information on to your insurer, so they can confirm you’re a safe driver. Most insurers will offer you a discount if you agree to this.
• Increase your voluntary excess. Agree to contribute more to the cost of a claim, and your insurer will usually cut your premium.
• Add additional safety measures. If you can make your car safer, most insurers will be happy to reduce your premium.
• Avoid unnecessary modifications. Modifications such as a spoiler or an expensive sound system can send your premium skyrocketing. These items are expensive, and your insurer will factor in the cost of replacing them when calculting your premium.

The bottom line

If you’re 19 years old, it’s worth shopping around for the best car insurance deal. Doing so could potentially save you hundreds of pounds. Hopefully, this guide will make the process easier for you.

Frequently asked questions

• Will my gender affect the cost of my car insurance

  In 2012, the European Union forbid insurance companies from discriminating on their customers by gender. Following Brexit, the UK is free to ignore these rules, but they remain in place at the time of writing.

• At what age does car insurance get cheaper?

  It depends on a number of factors, but you should be able to find a cheaper deal after one year of making no claims on your policy.

• Can my parents help me get cheaper car insurance?

  Yes, because adding a more experienced driver onto your policy as a named driver can reduce the cost of your premium.

• Are older cars cheaper to insure for a 19-year-old?

  Insurers consider the cost of repairing a vehicle more than its age. However, as older cars tend to be cheaper to repair, they are usually cheaper to insure.

• Do all insurance companies insure 19-year-olds?

  Most insurers will be willing to cover you at age 19, although all insurance companies are free to set their own age limits for their customers.

Written by

Danny Butler

Publisher

Danny is a publisher at Finder specialising in insurance and investing. He previously worked at the global insurer Aon and has appeared in national media giving advice on insurance. Danny holds a BA in International Business from the University of Plymouth and has undying loyalty to his average-poor football team, Portsmouth FC. See full bio

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Danny has written 369 Finder guides across topics including:

• Car, home and business insurance
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