Car insurance: young driver and premium
Verified 11 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You are a young driver or a new driver and you want to insure your car? Your insurer may apply a contribution supplement called overprime. This is also applied to the driver who has had no car insurance for 3 years. The bonus can be combined with the effects of the bonus/malus. We present you the applicable rules.
In car insurance, the term “young driver” does not depend on age. You are considered a young driver (or novice driver) in any of the following cases:
- You have obtained your driving license for less than 3 years
- You have had your license for more than 3 years, but you not insured in the last 3 years
- You have no never been insured as main driver.
The insurer may apply a surcharge when taking out the contract if you are considered a novice driver.
The surcharge is linked to the lack of experience in terms of automobile insurance, not at age.
It shall apply at the time of conclusion the contract, including if you change insurers.
The surcharge is calculated by the application of a percentage the basic contribution of your insurance. This depends in particular on:
- the insured vehicle,
- your driver profile (your age for example),
- and the guarantees chosen.
The percentage of the mark-up varies depending on whether or not you have taken the advanced driving training:
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General case
Period | Premium rate for novice drivers |
|---|---|
1era year | 100 % increase in the initial premium |
2e year (after a year without a claim involving your liability) | 50 % increase in the initial premium |
3e year (after 2 years without loss involving your responsibility) | There is no longer any increase in the initial premium |
Driver who has completed the Driving Accompanied Learning (DAC)
Period | Premium rate for novice drivers |
|---|---|
1era year | 50 % increase in the initial premium |
2e year (after a year without a claim involving your liability) | 25 % increase in the initial premium |
3e year (after 2 years without loss involving your responsibility) | There is no longer any increase in the initial premium |
The premium decreases if you have no responsible accident.
It is reduced by half every year without any loss involving your responsibility.
When the premium surcharge is applied at the maximum rate, it usually disappears after 2 full years of insurance without a responsible accident.
In the event of a responsible accident, the reduction may be delayed.
Yes. If you followed the accompanied driving, the maximum premium is limited to 50% instead of 100%.
It then decreases under the same conditions in the absence of a responsible accident.
The premium increases related to responsible accidents (malus) can be added to the surcharge applied to young drivers.
How these markups apply depends on whether or not you have completed the advance driving training.
Example :
With a reference premium of €500, and for a young person or a novice driver who would have had no accident, the situation would be as follows, whether or not he had taken the advance training:
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General case
Period | Overrated | Bonus coefficient | Premium payable |
|---|---|---|---|
Subscription | 100% | 1 | €500 * 2 = €1,000 |
1er birthday | 50% | 0.95 | (€500 * 1.5) * 0.95 = €712.50 |
2e birthday | None | 0.90 | (€500 * 0.9 = €450 |
Driver who completed the Driving Accompanied Learning (DAL)
Period | Overrated | Bonus coefficient | Premium payable |
|---|---|---|---|
Subscription | 50% | 1 | €500 * 1.5 = €750 |
1er birthday | 25% | 0.95 | (€500 * 1.25) * 0.95 = €593.75 |
2e birthday | None | 0.90 | €500 * 0.9 = €450 |
Not all insurance companies apply the surcharge for novice drivers. This must be checked in the contract proposals before signing.
A young driver may be declared in the insurance contract of his parents, with the agreement of the insurance company. It may apply an increase in the premium on that occasion.
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