Young drivers hit hardest by rising car insurance premiums
Average car insurance premiums have risen 9.7% in the last 12 months, according to the latest Consumer Intelligence Car Insurance Price Index.
The increase has been driven by sharp rises during 2026, with premiums rising 10.3% in the last six months alone.
Young drivers have been hit hardest, with those under 25 seeing premiums climb 18.7% in a year compared to rises of 10.2% and 4.9% for those aged 25 to 49 and those over 50 respectively.
The average quote for drivers under 25 is now £2,583, with those over 50 paying £754.
Laura Vas, senior insight analyst at Consumer Intelligence, said: “The market has turned decisively, and it has turned fast. Twelve months ago we were reporting falling prices. Drivers renewing today are walking into a market that has moved almost 10% against them in half a year, and for young drivers it is considerably worse than that.
“There is a real risk of young drivers being priced out of the market at exactly the point they need cover to work, study or care for family. The headline figure of 9.7% describes an average driver who does not really exist. What a 20-year-old is experiencing and what a 60 year-old is experiencing are two different markets.”
