Car insurance for learner drivers
A learner driver is usually covered by the insurance on the car they are learning in, not by a policy of their own. The questions that matter are whether the policy needs the learner listed, what excess applies if they crash, and whether the supervising driver meets your state's rules.
Insurers answer those questions differently, so check the policy rather than assuming. This page compares what three insurers' documents say, sets out the supervisor rules in each state, and explains whether a learner changes what you pay for CTP.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
Is a learner covered on your car insurance?
Generally yes, under the policy for the car they drive, but the conditions differ. Some policies cover anyone driving with your permission and charge an extra excess if the driver is not listed. Others do not cover a household member who is not listed: Budget Direct, for example, does not cover unpaid driving tuition of a household member who is not listed on the insurance certificate, so a learner who lives with you needs to be listed.
The excess is where insurers differ most. RACQ's age and inexperienced driver excesses do not apply to a driver with a current learner licence who is properly supervised. AAMI applies its age excess as if the learner were listed, and says its inexperienced driver excess also applies to learner drivers. With NRMA, the excess follows the supervising driver.
| Question | Why it matters | What three insurers' documents say |
|---|---|---|
| Does the learner need to be listed? | An unlisted driver can mean an extra excess, or no cover at all | Budget Direct: household members who are not listed are not covered for unpaid tuition. NRMA: anyone driving with your permission is covered, with an undisclosed driver excess if they are not listed |
| What excess applies if the learner crashes? | Age and inexperienced driver excesses can sit on top of the basic excess | RACQ: no age or inexperienced driver excess for a supervised learner. AAMI: the age excess applies as if the learner were listed, plus its inexperienced driver excess |
| Does the supervisor affect the excess? | Some insurers charge the supervisor's excess | NRMA: a learner with a supervising driver who has a driver excess pays that excess; with an unlisted supervisor aged 25 or over, the undisclosed driver excess applies |
| What changes when they get their Ps? | A provisional driver drives alone, and pricing changes with it | Tell your insurer: out-of-date driver details can affect a claim. See car insurance for P platers |
Supervising driver rules in each state
Every state sets who can supervise a learner. The rules matter for insurance as well as the licence: a learner who drives without a qualified supervisor is breaking their licence conditions, and policies commonly exclude cover when the driver is not properly licensed.
| State | The supervisor's licence | The supervisor's alcohol limit |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | A current full Australian driver licence | Under 0.05 |
| VIC | A current full licence, not probationary | No more than 0.05 for most drivers; 0.00 for driving instructors and drivers with a Z condition |
| QLD | An open licence for the class, held for at least 1 year | Under 0.05 |
| SA | A full licence for the class, held for the past two years | Under 0.05 |
| WA | A driver's licence held for at least 4 years | The same limits that would apply if the supervisor were driving |
| TAS | A full licence held continuously for the previous 12 months | Check with Transport Tasmania |
| ACT | A valid full Australian driver licence | Zero |
| NT | A full Australian driver licence; the supervisor must be over 18 and not on a learner or provisional licence | Check with the NT Motor Vehicle Registry |
Does a learner driver change your CTP price?
Possibly in NSW, and nowhere else. NSW Green Slip insurers ask for the youngest driver's age and can use it to set the price. But Allianz, for one, says learner drivers are covered automatically, and asks you to add a young driver's date of birth once they get their provisional licence, when the premium may change. Ask your Green Slip insurer how it treats a learner.
In Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, CTP is community-rated: MAIC says owners of a class of vehicle pay the same premium regardless of drivers' ages, and the other two schemes work the same way. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory the charge is set centrally, by vehicle class (and in Victoria by the postcode's risk zone), not by who drives. See how CTP works in every state.
What changes at P plates
The moment the learner passes, they can drive alone, often at night and with friends, and insurers price that differently. If a learner in your household is approaching their test, tell your insurer when they pass and check the excess that will apply to them, rather than assuming the cover carries on unchanged. Our guides to P plater car insurance and young drivers cover the next stage.
What to watch for
- Ask whether your insurer needs learners listed. Some policies do not cover a household member who is not listed.
- Check which excess applies to a learner. It ranges from none (RACQ, if supervised) to an age and inexperienced driver excess (AAMI).
- Make sure every supervisor meets your state's licence and alcohol rules.
- Tell your insurer when the learner gets their Ps. The cover and excess that suited an L-plater will change.
Common questions
Is a learner driver covered on my car insurance?
Usually, under the policy for the car they are learning in, but conditions differ. Some insurers cover anyone driving with your permission, while others, such as Budget Direct, do not cover household members who are not listed. Check your policy and list the learner if it asks you to.
Does adding a learner increase the premium?
It can. Moneysmart says insurers take into account who will be driving the car, so ask for a quote with the learner listed. What changes more predictably is the excess: some insurers charge an age or inexperienced driver excess on a learner's claim, while RACQ does not for a supervised learner.
Does a learner driver change my CTP price?
Only possibly in NSW, where Green Slip insurers ask for the youngest driver's age; Allianz, for example, covers learners automatically and asks you to add a young driver once they get their Ps. In Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, CTP is priced by vehicle class whoever drives, and in the other states the charge is set centrally, not by who drives.
What's the best way to insure a learner driver?
Use the policy on the car they learn in: list them if the insurer asks, find out which excess applies to a learner, make sure every supervisor meets your state's rules, and tell the insurer when they move to P plates.
Do I need separate insurance for a learner?
Generally no. Learners drive under the policy covering the car they are in. A separate policy only becomes relevant once they have their own car.
