Age Co (Age UK) Car Insurance Review: Best Over 50s Cover?
Age Co (Age UK) Car Insurance Review: Best Over 50s Cover?
Good for
- No admin/cancellation fee
- Profits go to charity
- Courtesy car with Comprehensive cover
- Message Relay will pass messages to friends or family
- High upper age limit (110 years)
Bad for
- Need to pay extra for Legal Protection and Breakdown
- Customer service lines closed on Sundays
The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.
Age Co car insurance is targeted at over 50s and offers some interesting features sought after by this age group such as notifying friends and family if you have an accident and not charging for admin changes to your policy. Customer service satisfaction is well above average for a car insurance company. In this review we assess Age Co on its affordability, customer experiences, coverage and features to see how it compares to others.
In This Review
- Age Co (Age UK) Car Insurance: Overall Review
- Age Co Car Insurance Customer Reviews and Ratings
- Cost Comparison and Discounts
- Policy and Coverage Options
Age Co (Age UK) Car Insurance Overall Review
Age Co car insurance can be an interesting option to consider for car insurance if you're over the age of 50—if the price point is right for you. While they probably won't be the cheapest quote you find, they are unique: besides being aimed at the over 50s, profits go to charity (Age UK). Ago Co products were previously sold under the name Age UK—a name you might be more familiar with.
Reasons to choose Age Co for your car cover include no hidden administrative fees (e.g., to cancel or add a driver), longer European cover for extended trips, a Message Relay system to notify friends or family if you have an accident, allowing someone else to drive your car in an emergency (e.g., to A&E), a courtesy car if you have Comprehensive cover. As always, we recommend comparing quotes with other insurance brands before you sign up. And you may want to read our related article, Should I buy specialist over 50s car insurance?
Targeted at 'mature' people, Age Co will insure those up to 110 years of age!
Age Co Car Insurance Customer Service Reviews and Ratings
Age Co has some of the better customer service ratings we've seen for a car insurance company. Over 5,000 existing customers have previously rated Age Co on feefo, awarding them with a service rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, but only 8 people have left a review in the past year. Around 400 have left reviews at Trustpilot, for a score of 4.0 out of 5.
The relatively few one-star reviews were mostly from people who have had an accident in the past and were asked for an extra premium post sale because of this accident. If you've had an accident in the past 5 years this could affect you.
Age Co is underwritten by LV= (a change from Ageas as of 28 February 2023), which is one of the biggest motor insurance companies in the UK. As a result, your cover ultimately lies with LV= when you take out an Age Co policy. In 2021 LV= received 456 general insurance complaints, putting its Insurance Complaints per 1,000 Policies in Force ratio at 1.74, the second best amongst its peers.
Finally, Age Co customers shouldn't have to worry about their insurer's ability to pay out in the event of a claim; S&P stated "capital is currently a key strength". LV= received a B rating from AKG and BBB+ from S&P (albeit with a negative outlook), which is the fourth highest rating available and places LV= as an "investment grade" credit risk.
| Ratings (LV=) | |
|---|---|
| AKG | B |
| S&P | BBB+ |
| FOS Complaint Ratio | 1.74 |
Age Co Car Insurance Quote Comparison
Age Co is not going to be the cheapest plan you can find. They don't aim to be the cheapest; they aim to offer good value. As always, we always recommend checking prices with more than one insurance company before you sign up. To get an idea of how car insurance prices change depending on your age, see the chart below.
Age Co Car Insurance Discounts
The ways you can save on your Age Co auto cover are similar to car insurance discounts typically offered by other insurers. These include discounts for driving safely, not claiming and paying in full at the beginning of your policy.
| Discount | Who qualifies? |
|---|---|
| No Claims Discount (NCD) | Each year you don't make a claim should increase the discount you receive, up to a point (typically 5 - 7 years) |
| Pay in full | Paying your full premium at the start of the policy to avoid paying monthly (e.g. representative 17.7% APR) |
| Buy your policy early | If possible, arrange your policy up to 3 weeks ahead of the start date to save up to 50% |
Age Co Auto Insurance Policies
Age Co offers the three types of car insurance to its customers: Third Party Only (TPO), Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) and Comprehensive. All levels include required-by-law third party cover for damage to other people and/or their property. TPO policies don't cover anything else. One level up, TPFT policies will cover theft or damage to your car due to fire or attempted theft.
Drivers looking for the broadest cover (e.g., cover for collision damage to their own car or person) should consider Age Co's Comprehensive plan. In addition to covering damage to your car, Age Co's Comprehensive plan includes coverage such as windscreen cover, personal belongings, personal injury/accident cover and a courtesy car as standard.
Comprehensive cover is the "best" type of car insurance because it also provides protection for damage to you or your car in a collision. Comprehensive plans, whilst offering more cover, are not necessarily much more expensive than TPFT or TPO plans. Besides, if your car is damaged in a collision the cost of insurance will have been well worth it.
Here's what's covered by their comprehensive policies:
| Cover | Comprehensive | Significant limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Liabilities to third parties | Yes | £20,000,000 limit for third party property damage. |
| Courtesy car | Yes | Guaranteed when your car is with their recommended repairer service until it’s fixed or, if your car is a total loss, up to 21 days or until 4 days after payment has been given to you, whichever is soonest |
| Use of your car in the European Union | No | It seems this was removed from cover as it's no longer mentioned in the policy wording. |
| Driving a car that does not belong to you | Yes. In some circumstances. | Cover only applies for the policyholder and if shown on the certificate of motor insurance. Cover is Third Party only. |
| Damage to own car by accident, fire or theft | Yes | Market value. Subject to excesses. |
| In car equipment (e.g. stereo, nav, etc.) | Yes | £1000 or Unlimited if it was part of the standard specification when first registered. |
| Personal belongings | Yes | Up to £300. |
| Damaged windows or windscreen | Yes | Cover is limited after the deduction of the excess if the approved glassline is not used. |
| Personal accident | Yes | £10,000 or £100,000 |
| Medical expenses | Yes | Up to £250 each person. |
Optional Extras
- Motor legal protection
- Excess protection
Important Age Co Car Insurance Phone Numbers
Age Co customer service is open 6 days a week: Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm and Saturdays 9am to 1pm. They're not open on Sundays to discuss quotes, admin changes or other customer service enquiries. Of course, you can call the claims lines 24 hours a day. There is no live chat feature available online.
| Bell Insurance Contact Numbers | |
|---|---|
| General Enquiries | 0800 085 3741 |
| Customer Services | 0800 323 4437 |
| Policy administration helpline | 0345 128 7915 |
| 24 Hour Helplines | |
| Claims | 0345 6016687 |
| Claims, calling from abroad | +44 2380 621980 |
| Windscreen claims | 0800 804 4030 |