CoverMapHow much is van insurance for young drivers?
Age has a big effect on van premiums, and in the figures below the gap is widest in your late teens. Confused.com publishes figures for its young van customers, based on its own data for April–June 2026.
| Driver age | Average comprehensive premium |
|---|---|
| 17–20 | £4,942 |
| 21–25 | £1,762 (55% less) |
Source: Confused.com young driver van insurance page, Confused.com data April–June 2026. Checked October 2026.
Other publishers measure different things. Consumer Intelligence found the average quote for under-25s was £3,529 in May 2026, and Compare the Market puts the average for young drivers at £1,595 a year. Defaqto’s index shows prices for under-26s fell 13% in the year to August 2026, the biggest fall of any age group. For how these measures differ and what drivers of all ages pay, see our main van insurance guide.
Third party vs comprehensive for young van drivers
Third party cover can look like the cheaper option. In Confused.com’s data for drivers aged 16–25, it worked the other way round.
| Cover level | Average for young drivers (Apr–Jun 2026) |
|---|---|
| Third party only | £3,032 |
| Third party, fire & theft | £2,724 |
| Comprehensive | £2,218 |
Source: Confused.com, data April–June 2026.
So it is worth getting a comprehensive quote as well, even if you only want the legal minimum.
What you use the van for changes the price
In Confused.com’s data, personal use, commuting and carrying your own goods averaged about the same for young drivers. Haulage was the exception.
| Class of use | Average for young drivers (Apr–Jun 2026) |
|---|---|
| Social | £2,202 |
| Social and commuting | £2,124 |
| Business (carrying your own goods) | £2,199 |
| Haulage | £4,089 |
Source: Confused.com, data April–June 2026.
If you are an apprentice carrying your own tools, the business class is where you are likely to sit. If you plan to do parcel or food delivery you will need hire and reward cover; in this data the haulage class averaged almost double the others. Our business van insurance guide explains each class in detail, and our courier van insurance guide covers delivery work.
Why young van drivers pay more
Insurers price on risk, and inexperience is the biggest risk factor. Howden cites research from the road safety charity Brake that 1 in 5 drivers crash within a year of passing their test. Howden also lists the van’s insurance group and value, your mileage, job and where the van is parked as price factors. Young drivers usually have no no-claims bonus yet, which adds to the cost.
Can you get van insurance at 17?
Yes. Howden says you can get van insurance from 17 as long as you hold a full UK driving licence, and Compare the Market says the same for vans up to 3,500kg. But the choice of insurer is smaller. Howden notes that some van insurers only cover drivers aged 21 and over, some only 25 and over, and some may decline young drivers altogether. Confused.com says under-21s face limited options. This is one reason comparing a wide panel of insurers, or using a broker, matters more at this age.
What your licence lets you drive
GOV.UK says a category B (car) licence lets you drive vehicles with up to 8 passenger seats and a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of:
- 3,500kg for petrol and diesel vehicles
- 4,250kg for electric or hydrogen vehicles (zero emission vehicles only)
You can tow a trailer of up to 3,500kg as long as the van and trailer together don’t exceed 7,000kg MAM. Vehicles from 3,500kg up to 7,500kg MAM fall into category C1, which is a separate licence category. Check the MAM on the van’s plate before you buy or hire one. If you are looking at an electric van, our electric van insurance guide explains the 4,250kg rule.
How young drivers can cut the cost of van insurance
Add an experienced named driver, honestly
Confused.com, Compare the Market and Howden all list adding an older, experienced driver as a way to lower the premium. The catch is that they must genuinely drive the van. Compare the Market warns that adding a named driver who doesn’t may count as “fronting”, which is illegal, and Howden gives the same warning. Be accurate about who the main driver is.
Consider a black box policy
Confused.com, Compare the Market and Howden all list telematics, or black box, cover as an option for young van drivers. Quotezone (November 2025) says a black box van policy uses GPS and motion sensors to record things like hard braking, rapid acceleration, speed, mileage and the time of day you drive. It says young van drivers benefit most, because they can show safe habits rather than waiting years to build a no-claims discount. Compare the Market (reviewed September 2025) says the device can be a fitted box, a smartphone app, a plug-in device or a recorder built in by the manufacturer, and your data is turned into a driving score.
Check the downsides before you buy. Both list possible mileage caps and late-night curfews, and Quotezone says fitting the box can cost money. Compare the Market warns that poor driving can push the premium up, and that if your policy is cancelled for bad driving you have to declare it to future insurers.
Choose a van in a lower insurance group
Howden says vans sit in insurance groups 21 to 50, and suggests young drivers pick a van in a lower group. Its analysis of its own 2025 van quotes (models with more than 100 quotes, all ages) found these were the cheapest to insure on average:
| Van | Average quote (Howden, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall Astravan | £379 |
| Nissan Primastar | £475 |
| Renault Kangoo | £484 |
Source: Howden, van insurance for young drivers (January 2026). Figures are for all ages, not young drivers only.
Your own quote is likely to be higher at 17–20; the ranking only shows which models were cheapest in Howden’s quotes.
Other ways to bring the price down
- Raise your voluntary excess, but only to a level you could pay if you claimed.
- Improve security. Howden mentions Thatcham-approved devices, and recommends parking off-road overnight where you can.
- Keep your mileage estimate realistic. Lower mileage can mean a lower premium, but it must be honest.
- Pay upfront rather than monthly if you can afford to.
- Shop around about three weeks before renewal, as Confused.com suggests.
- Look at temporary cover if you only need a van now and then. Confused.com lists short-term policies as an option.
- Build your no-claims bonus. Confused.com and Howden both list it; the discount can grow with each claim-free year on your own policy.
Borrowing or hiring a van
Many young drivers first drive a van for a house move or a few days’ work rather than owning one. MoneySuperMarket says you are unlikely to be covered to drive a van on your car insurance, and car policies typically don’t cover hired vans. Short-term van insurance lasting from 1 to 31 days is available instead. If you work for an employer who supplies the van, ask whether you are covered on their policy, as some fleet policies set a minimum driver age; our fleet van insurance guide explains how those age limits work.
Get the details right
A lower premium is worthless if the policy won’t pay out. Using the van for a purpose your class of use doesn’t cover can lead to a refused claim or a cancelled policy, and Compare the Market warns that fronting is illegal. If you start delivery work, or take on an apprenticeship that means carrying tools between sites, tell your insurer before you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is van insurance for a 17-year-old?
Confused.com's April–June 2026 data shows drivers aged 17–20 paid an average of £4,942 for comprehensive van insurance. Your price will depend on the van, your postcode and how you use it.
Can I get van insurance at 17?
Yes, if you hold a full UK driving licence. Howden says some insurers only cover drivers aged 21 or 25 and over, so you may have fewer insurers to choose from.
Is third party van insurance cheaper for young drivers?
Not in Confused.com's April–June 2026 data. Drivers aged 16–25 paid an average of £3,032 for third party only, against £2,218 for comprehensive.
Can I add a parent as a named driver to cut the cost?
Yes, and Confused.com, Compare the Market and Howden all list it as a way to lower the price. But the named driver must genuinely drive the van; otherwise it may be fronting, which Compare the Market warns is illegal.
What size van can I drive on a car licence?
GOV.UK says a category B licence covers vehicles up to 3,500kg MAM, or up to 4,250kg for zero emission electric or hydrogen vehicles.
Is black box van insurance available for young drivers?
Yes. Confused.com, Compare the Market, Howden and Quotezone all list telematics policies for young van drivers. Watch for mileage caps, late-night curfews and possible fitting costs, and note that a policy cancelled for bad driving has to be declared to future insurers.
Sources
- Confused.com – Young driver van insurance (data Apr–Jun 2026)
- Compare the Market – Young driver van insurance (Jan 2025)
- Howden – Van insurance for young drivers (8 Jan 2026)
- Quotezone – Black box van insurance (17 Nov 2025)
- Compare the Market – Black box van insurance (reviewed 29 Sep 2025)
- Howden – How to get cheap van insurance (Nov 2025)
- Consumer Intelligence – Van insurance premiums rise 2.4% (30 Jun 2026)
- Insurance Business – Van premiums fall 4.5% (Defaqto, 10 Sep 2026)
- MoneySuperMarket – Driving a van on car insurance (Sep 2025)
- Confused.com – Van insurance classes of use (Jan 2025)
- GOV.UK – Driving licence categories
- GOV.UK – Driving an electric or hydrogen-powered vehicle (Jun 2025)