Car Insurance for First-time drivers (any age)

Numbers refreshed November 4, 2026

Official and insurer sources explain the rules, the discounts and the programs for first-time drivers (any age).

What first-time drivers (any age) should know about car insurance

Roughly a third of people in the U.S. who hold a license for the first time have reached 18. (NHTSA: Countermeasures That Work: Graduated Driver Licensing)
GDL applies only to drivers under 18 in most states. (NHTSA: Countermeasures That Work: Graduated Driver Licensing)
Novice drivers between 18 and 20 have higher crash rates right after licensure, just as 17-year-old novices do. (NHTSA: Countermeasures That Work: Graduated Driver Licensing)
To get a license in California, you have to pass knowledge and behind-the-wheel tests. (California DMV: Driver Handbook, Section 1: The California Driver License)

The cost calculator gives you a price for your age, record and car, in the state where you live. It asks for no name or phone.

First written November 4, 2026