How Much Is Car Insurance in the UK?
The UK average is £619 a year — about £52 a month — for fully comprehensive cover (Q2 2026, median of 100,000+ policies). But "average" hides a tenfold spread: age, region, the car's insurance group and your record set where you land. Here's the full picture, with real figures for every band.
- 130+ UK insurers compared
- Q2 2026 premium data
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Premium data: Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q2 2026 · updated July 2026 · quotes via Quotezone (FCA FRN 313860)
Average cost by age — per month and per year
Age is the biggest personal factor. These are real market medians, not quotes-page teaser rates.
| Age band | ≈ per month* | Average per year |
|---|---|---|
| 17-24 | £92 | £1,100 |
| 25-34 | £70 | £845 |
| 35-44 | £55 | £656 |
| 45-64 | £40 | £477 |
| 65+ and over | £36 | £431 |
| All ages (UK average) | £52 | £619 |
* Annual premium ÷ 12; paying by monthly instalments typically adds around 18% in interest over the year. Fully comprehensive medians — Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q2 2026.
Average cost by UK region
Same driver, same car — different postcode, different price. London costs 74% more than the South West.
| Region | Average annual premium |
|---|---|
| London | £833 |
| West Midlands | £691 |
| Northern Ireland | £664 |
| Yorkshire | £616 |
| North West England | £610 |
| East Midlands | £578 |
| South East England | £554 |
| East of England | £554 |
| Scotland | £531 |
| North East England | £519 |
| Wales | £501 |
| South West England | £480 |
Source: Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index, Q2 2026 — Median of fully comprehensive quotes across 100,000+ UK car insurance policies, March 2025 – June 2026.
What adds to — or takes off — the average
Rules of thumb from market data and insurer pricing, for the questions people actually ask.
After a fault claim: expect roughly 20–30% more
A single fault claim typically raises the next renewal by a fifth to a third, and the loading fades over 3–5 years as the claim ages. A non-fault claim can still nudge prices up slightly — insurers' data says people who've had one accident are likelier to have another, whoever caused it.
3 points (SP30): usually a small rise
A single speeding fixed penalty typically adds around 5–15%. It must be declared for as long as the insurer asks (usually five years) — not declaring it is the expensive mistake, because it can void the policy entirely.
After a drink-driving ban: several times the average
A DR10 conviction is the heaviest common loading — premiums two to four times the norm for the first years after a ban, through specialist convicted-driver insurers. It declares for five years. See our points and convictions guide for the full picture.
Business use: typically 10–25% more
Adding Class 1 business use to a social-and-commuting policy usually costs a modest percentage, not a fortune — see the business car insurance guide. Driving for work without it, though, means driving uninsured.
A leased or financed car: comprehensive, usually mandatory
Lease and finance agreements almost always require fully comprehensive cover, and the premium prices on the car's full value and group — the same as if you owned it. Some lenders also require GAP-style protection; check the agreement, not the forum thread.
The car itself: groups 1–50
The single factor you control most. Check any car's insurance group free with our insurance group checker before you buy it — two similar-looking cars can sit twenty groups apart.
Compare how much is car insurance in the uk? quotes
One short form, quotes from 130+ UK insurers through our comparison partner Quotezone — and the reg box below starts it with your car's details already filled.
How Much Is Car Insurance in the UK? — frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in the UK per month?
About £52 a month on the Q2 2026 average (£619 a year ÷ 12, fully comprehensive median) — but paying by actual monthly instalments adds interest, typically pushing the effective figure to around £61. Age changes it dramatically: 17–24s average £92+/month while over-65s average £36.
How much is car insurance for a 17-year-old?
Regional averages run from £1,715 (South West England) to £2,929 (London) a year at 17 — the most expensive age there is. Our dedicated 17-year-olds page has every region's figure and the tactics that bring it down.
How much does car insurance go up after a claim?
A fault claim typically raises the next renewal by 20–30%, fading over three to five years. A protected no-claims bonus keeps the discount but not the base premium — so some rise usually shows through anyway. For small own-damage knocks, compare the repair cost against the multi-year premium impact before claiming.
How much is car insurance after a drink-driving ban?
Expect several times the normal premium for the first years after disqualification — a DR10 declares for five years and most mainstream insurers load heavily or decline, leaving the specialist convicted-driver market. It falls each clean year; by year five it approaches normal pricing.
What should car insurance cost me?
Take your age band's figure from the table above, adjust for region, then refine for your car: our free cost estimator does exactly that from your reg, using the same market data plus the car's actual insurance group. If your renewal quote is well above it, that's your signal to compare.
How much is car insurance on average?
£619.01 a year in Q2 2026 — the median fully comprehensive premium across 100,000+ UK policies (Quotezone Car Insurance Price Index). That's up 6.8% on the previous quarter but still ~30% below the Q4 2023 peak of £885.
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