Compare 10 Best-Rated Cheap Car Insurance Companies UK (March 2024)

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  • Admiral car insurance logo
  • Aviva car insurance logo
  • AXA car insurance logo
  • Hastings car insurance logo
  • LV car insurance logo
  • Admiral car insurance logo
  • Aviva car insurance logo
  • AXA car insurance logo
  • Hastings car insurance logo
  • LV car insurance logo
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Admiral car insurance logo
Aviva car insurance logo
AXA car insurance logo
Hastings car insurance logo
Direct Line car insurance logo
LV car insurance logo

Table of Contents

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Cheapest Car Insurance UK

NimbleFins research found that Direct Line, Allianz and Admiral are the three large, national insurance companies that offer the cheapest car insurance quotes for our 'typical' driver, through their "cheapest" brands like Churchill Essentials (Direct Line), Allianz (usually with their "flow" tier but this week it's 'Allianz' branded...) and Admiral (their new "Essential" tier). Admiral is the most popular brand amongst our customers.

The cheapest deal for you will vary, depending on where you live, the car you drive, your driving history and other factors. Prices can even change from week to week. Here were the cheapest quotes we found for our sample driver this week for comprehensive insurance from the big providers we tested. But in truth, there may be even lower deals available and the easiest way to find them is to compare quotes just for you. We'll do out best to help you with that—get started here!

Cheapest car insurance companies in the UKAs of 18 March 2024
Allianz£351
Direct Line Group (Churchill Essentials)£382
AXA (Swiftcover)£481
Admiral (Essential)£500
Aviva (QuoteMeHappy)£605
UK average£627

Compared to one week ago, the average price in our study has remained essentially flat, after prices had dropped in January but then rose in early-mid February. In the past week, AXA Swiftcover's price has changed the most, dropping £26 in just one week; Churchill also dropped a bit, down £7 for our sample driver. Brands like GoSkippy and Hastings also prove popular for certain niche driver profiles.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies

Bar graph comparing the cheapest car insurance companies UK

You may have noticed that car insurance prices are rising. In fact, the ABI has been tracking average prices paid since 2012 and from October to December 2023 motorists paid the highest rates since tracking began (an average of £627). You can read more about that in our article all about car insurance costs.

Comparing car insurance companies is the best way to find cheap quotes. Prices can vary from one company to the next, depending on how an insurer views your age, car make and model, driving history, post code, and other factors. This means a car insurance company that is cheap for your friend or neighbour might not be cheap for you. See our methodology section to learn about the driver and car for our test prices above. Your quotes will certainly vary from the sample quotes listed in this article based on your own details—and they may even vary from one comparison service to another.

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Market update: Good news for those who want cheap car insurance—we've noticed more and more cheap car insurance offerings. Many of these have similar features to more expensive offerings, and many are new "tiers" or brands from top car insurance providers. This means you may not need to compromise on what you want even if you go with a cheap quote.

To find which car insurance companies are best (and worst) for customer service and features, we've dug into policy wordings and customer reviews to show you how some of the cheapest UK car insurance brands like Admiral Essential, Churchill Essentials, Flow and QuoteMeHappy compare. We'll also point out some great ways you can save money on car insurance.

Every year NimbleFins compares dozens of the best, cheap UK car insurance brands for price, ratings and reviews, so you can easily compare the best car insurance companies and get the cheapest price for you. While no single insurance provider is the cheapest or best for everyone, some companies stand out for their combination of good customer reviews, features and cheap quotes.

Compare car insurance quotes by age

Young drivers in particular are affected by difficult pricing and less choice of providers. In our tests, Admiral is the best at catering to drivers of all ages, from 20 to 80, and beyond. Other providers either wouldn't cover very young drivers (e.g. flow by Allianz and Aviva's Swiftcover) or very mature drivers (e.g. Churchill, Swiftcover and Quotemehappy). Rates are much higher for young drivers (e.g. 20 years old), then drop quickly as a driver ages through their 20s, then will rise again from age 70 or 80.

The cheapest car insurance for young drivers in our tests were Hastings youdrive for telematics plans and Admiral Essential for non-telematics (Admiral also offers a telematics policy called LittleBox, which cost our sample driver about the same as the Essential policy). Quotemehappy offered a telematics policy to our 20 year old, but not a regular policy. Interestingly, telematics is not always cheaper).

Bar graph comparing the cheapest car insurance companies UK

Compare car insurance for drivers with a speeding conviction

The big insurers typically raise premiums under 20% for a SP30 speeding conviction. Of the main insurers, we found that LV='s Flow was the cheapest for drivers with a speeding conviction and raised rates 16% for our sample driver. Drivers with speeding convictions are deemed to be more dangerous and a higher insurance risk, so rates typically rise after a conviction. But some insurers raise rates more than others.

Comparison of car insurance rates before and after a speeding conviction UK

Compare car insurance for drivers with a drink and drug driving conviction (DUI)

For those with a drink and drug driving conviction, our research showed that the majority of the big insurers will not even offer cover, even at a high premium. But Hastings offered the most competitive quotes via their youdrive telematics offering. And Admiral was the large insurance company likely to provide the best quotes for non-telematics cover post DUI conviction (the cheapest being Admiral Essentials but higher tiers of cover were also available). Expect rates to go up 50% or more in most cases after DUI.

In general, fewer insurers are willing to insure motorists after these types of under-the-influence convictions. Those with a DUI will have a more limited selection of options and other than Admiral, may need to look at niche providers. For example, our sample driver could not get quotes from flow, Direct Line (including their Churchill and Privilege brands), Aviva (including QuoteMeHappy) or AXA (including Swiftcover). Other large companies may underwrite cover to convicted motorists who use a specialist broker who can work on their behalf.

Comparison of car insurance rates before and after DUI UK

Compare car insurance for drivers after an at-fault accident

At-fault accidents can increase car insurance rates by 20% or more, but our research showed that Admiral tends to raise rates the least after a claim (on a percentage basis), but LV='s flow brand was the cheapest for our sample driver (due to a lower rate pre-accident).

Comparison of car insurance rates before and after accident UK

List of 10 Best-Rated Cheap UK Car Insurance Companies

Price aside, some auto insurance companies stand out for their combination of good customer reviews and features. NimbleFins has compared ratings for dozens of UK car insurance brands (most of which are underwritten by the top 10 largest car insurance companies) and ranked them by a combination of independent professional and customer ratings. (The Fairer Finance customer experience rating is based on polls with real customers to learn about complaint handling, trust in the company, etc.) Here's what we found.

RankBest Cheap Car Insurance ProvidersTrustpilot rating# Trustpilot reviews% bad ratingsFairer Finance scoreBest basic policyBest policy with all add onsBest overall policies
1LV=4.4701744%67%100%100%100%
2Direct Line3.81897121%66%92%100%89%
3Churchill (Direct Line Group)4.21625515%63%84%94%88%
4Aviva43314315%62%80%87%86%
5Admiral4.56413113%64%72%87%79%
61st Central (a broker)4.41070649%60%72%84%79%
7Elephant (Admiral Group)1.981544%60%84%97%89%
8QuoteMeHappy (part of Aviva) 4.1447856%62%56%74%68%
9Diamond (Admiral Group)1.848947%66%68%84%79%
10esure3.43249821%61%68%84%73%
11More Than3.81551017%58%76%87%84%
12AXA4.32164816%61%60%77%68%
13Hastings4.113817812%61%32%65%66%

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  • Reviews of Top 10 Best, Cheap Car Insurance Companies

    When comparing car insurance companies, do you prioritise the cheapest quotes, reliable customer service, or something else? Regardless, it helps to read about the pros and cons, see how prices and features compare, and learn what customers have to say. Our team at NimbleFins has written in-depth car insurance reviews that consolidate independent customer reviews from sites like Trustpilot, an assessment of features and the opinions of our writers. (To read car insurance reviews from dozens of brands, see the comprehensive list of NimbleFins' Car Insurance Reviews.)

    Below we've included recaps of some of these reviews to give you a quick overview to help you decide which is best for you.

    1. LV

    Consider this if you would pay a bit more for a company with great customer reviews and a solid set of features.

    While Liverpool Victoria is not the cheapest car insurance company compared to others on the list, their customer service and ratings are arguably about the best of the group. LV= policies can be purchased direct from the company, through comparison sites or brokers. Existing customers have high renewal rates and LV= states their multi car cover is the cheapest way to get annual cover for all the cars in your household^. Customer satisfaction is a stated priority of the company, which helps explain their high Trustpilot rating by customers. Here are some more benefits of insuring with LV:

    • Which? Recommended Provider for Car Insurance
    • 99.46% of direct motor claims paid Nov '22 - Oct '23
    • 10% of new customers paid £299 or less Jun - Nov '23

    (^Cheapest, like-for-like price quoted when all cars added upfront.)

    Quick Takeaway: LV= is usually moderately priced, so those looking for the cheapest premium are likely to find a more suitable plan elsewhere. But LV is a solid choice for those looking for great customer reviews and good features who don't mind paying a bit more. If you are happy to pay for wider coverage then LV= offers some extras with their comprehensive cover such as personal injury, uninsured driver promise (you won't pay an excess or lose your NCD) and misfuelling cover. Get a quote direct from LV here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 70% (up from 63% in 2021)

    2. Direct Line

    Consider this if you want a brand not on comparison sites and you value good customer experience and features.

    The Direct Line Group sells Direct Line car insurance directly to customers—you won't find the 'Direct Line' brand on comparison sites (but you will find The Direct Line Group's Churchill, Darwin and Privilege motor insurance brands on comparison sites). Around two thirds of the group's sales are through the Direct Line brand, and the other third are via their 'budget' brands in the PCW channel. The main 'Direct Line' brand does offer slightly better features, such as a courtesy car in event of theft or total loss (not just repairs after an accident) as well as cheaper admin and cancellation fees, compared to the PCW brands.

    Direct Line offers a few unique propositions such as protecting your no claim discount on no-fault claims. Get a quote from Direct Line's website here.

    Quick Takeaway: Direct Line has made a name as the insurance company that is not available on comparison sites, but if you're looking to save more money on your premium then their Churchill, Darwin or Privilege brands might offer even lower rates through price comparison websites.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 69%

    3. Churchill

    Consider this if you live in a lower-risk area and want a lower-cost option from the Direct Line Group.

    Churchill is often the cheapest quote on offer at one of the major comparison sites (Moneysupermarket)—so while their customer service and ratings might be slightly lower than the top-ranked brand on our list (LV=), Churchill can be a solid option for those who prioritise price. Churchill policies can be purchased direct from the company or through many comparison sites (but not yet via our partner, QuoteZone). Churchill is one of the "budget" brands of the Direct Line Group (along with Privilege). Direct Line is the third largest car insurance company in the UK, and 28.1% of their premiums are sold under the Churchill and Privilege brands via the price comparison website channel.

    Quick Takeaway: Churchill is usually very competitively priced for the typical driver who doesn't have any significant marks on their record, and customers report pretty good service. However, in our tests Churchill wouldn't quote for around 30% of UK postcodes, so many people across the UK will have to look elsewhere. Get a quote direct from Churchill here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 64%

    4. Aviva

    Consider this if you have a clean driving record and want a streamlined, online-focused company.

    Aviva is a leading UK car insurance company (the 4th largest in the UK), and you may recognise some of their 'budget' brands from the comparison sites. Depending on where you live, you may see their Quotemehappy.com or General Accident brands with some of the cheapest rates on offer on PCWs.

    Aviva was named General Insurer of the Year awards at the 2020 British Insurance Awards. Customer service satisfaction is high, with more than 50% of personal lines direct customers holding more than one general insurance product with Aviva. Aviva has invested heavily in digital and claims management, enabling UK motor customers to start and complete their claims online with no underwriter touch points. Customers seem happy with online claims processing, as 80% now book their car repairs online.

    In the UK, Aviva insured 2.5 million motor customers and settled 99.4% of motor insurance claims in 2019 (we don't think they've issued more recent stats for these data points, unfortunately). Aviva has one of the highest Trustpilot customer ratings out of the companies in the top ten.

    Quick Takeaway: Depending on where you live, Aviva might be quite competitive. However if you’ve had an accident in the past 5 years, you may receive a less favorable price from Aviva than you'd find elsewhere. Get a quote direct from Aviva here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 66%

    5. Admiral

    Consider this if you want car insurance from the UK's largest car insurance company.

    The Admiral Group is the largest auto insurance company in the UK with more than 15% of the car insurance market, underwriting policies through their Admiral, Bell, Diamond, elephant.co.uk and Gladiator brands. Technically speaking, Admiral is the trading name of EUI Limited. We're happy to report that we're now seeing Admiral 'Essential' on comparison engines, providing a lower-cost option for motorists seeking cheap comprehensive car insurance from the UK's largest car insurance company.

    In 2022 they had 4.94 million car and van insurance customers, earning profits of £623 million on motor insurance, making them the most popular car insurance company in the UK. One of Admiral's stated corporate goals is to increase customer retention, which is good to know if your policy is up for renewal. Admiral also writes the car insurance for Ford-branded car insurance.

    Quick Takeaway: While customer ratings aren't the strongest, Admiral car insurance is usually quite quick and easy to arrange online for a good price. Their brands can be found on most price comparison sites, such as our partner QuoteZone and one of their brands may be amongst the cheapest available offers. Or get a quote direct from Admiral here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (up from 3.1 a few years ago)
    • Fairer Finance: 65%

    6. 1st Central

    Consider this if you want a highly-rated smaller company and a choice of coverage options.

    Around since 2008, 1st Central boasts solid customer and product reviews making 1st Central one to consider. They're a broker who works with a number of different underwriters to cater to a range of motorists. However, while last year they had the highest Fairer Finance Customer Experience Rating in the group (66%), this has recently dropped to 60%. They are smaller than other big-name brands listed here, which might contribute to the strong customer ratings history. But with over 750,000 customers they're big enough to be a serious player.

    They include a lot of features as standard, such as a free courtesy car when using their approved network for insured repairs and offer higher limits for lost keys and in-car entertainment than you might find elsewhere. They also include some hard-to-value features like not losing your No Claims Discount if you're hit by an uninsured driver and it's not your fault.

    Quick Takeaway: Given the strong product and customer experience ratings, it's worth checking prices with 1st Central, which you can do with a comparison site like our partner QuoteZone to be sure (1st Central is in their panel). Or get a quote direct from 1st Central here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 57% (down from 66%)

    7. Elephant

    Consider this if you want a budget option from the UK's largest car insurer.

    Elephant is an Admiral Group brand (like Diamond) that is marketed as a budget option, with some features like personal belonging or key cover available as extra add ons. Premiums may be a touch lower but there's no onward travel or accommodation after an accident and cancellation fees are on the high side.

    Quick Takeaway: Elephant may be one of the cheaper quotes you'll find. However, we've noticed lately that prices are nearly identical with the "Admiral" brand of car insurance. As always, compare prices to see what premiums are like before you buy, such as via our partner QuoteZone. You can also get a quote direct from Elephant here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 1.9 out of 5 stars (down from 3.5 in 2021)
    • Fairer Finance: 65% (up from 60% a few years ago)

    8. Quotemehappy.com

    Consider this if you want a more affordable Aviva brand, and are willing to give up on customer call centres.

    Quotemehappy is one of Aviva's cheaper car insurance brand. Despite the low price, drivers get a lot of nice features included in their policies, such as legal and windscreen cover. As an added bonus, customer rate their experience quite highly at Trustpilot (although this reflects the sales process more than the claims process), despite the fact that this is an online brand with no call centre.

    Quick Takeaway: Quotemehappy.com frequently returns one of the cheapest quotes for car insurance, but this will vary from person to person. Get a quote direct from Quotemehappy.com here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 63% (up from 57% in 2020)

    9. Diamond

    Consider this if you want to consider another lower-cost Admiral brand.

    Diamond is another of the Admiral Group's brands. It's aimed at women and safe drivers. As with Elephant (another Admiral brand discussed later), there's no provision for accommodation or onward travel after an accident (although they will move your passengers away from the accident site if it’s not safe to the nearest point of local amenity) and cancellation fees are higher.

    Quick Takeaway: Diamond is not just for women, although they do provide up to £300 for handbag cover (if yours is stolen from a locked car)! Diamond gets you a policy underwritten by the largest UK car insurance company and prices are typically competitive if you're a safe driver—usually on par with Admiral quotes, not surprisingly. Compare quotes via our partner QuoteZone or get a quote direct from Diamond here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 1.8 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 68%

    10. esure

    Consider this if you want to know you're getting a highly-rated product and a company with improving customer ratings.

    A relative newcomer, launched in 2000 (and founded by the man who launched Direct Line 15 years before that), esure was a pioneer in developing streamlined car insurance buying on the Internet. You'll also see the esure brand Sheilas' Wheels on comparison sites, with prices usually nearly identical to the esure-branded quotes. To handle claims, esure employs over 700 specialists at its UK-based claims centres; they also manage a network of motor repairers that handles over 90% of accidental damage claims.

    Quick Takeaway: While esure is less competitive on price than some of the true budget options in the market, all of their policies are rated highly for including features such as a courtesy car, windscreen cover and personal injury on their comprehensive policies. And their Trustpilot score has risen noticeably in the past year from 3.7 to 4.2 stars. Get a quote direct from esure here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 3.4 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 64%

    11. More Than

    Consider this if you want car insurance from a large insurance company with a relatively high customer rating at Trustpilot.

    More Than is another well-known UK personal insurance company, and for good reason. Even their cheaper "Essentials" cover includes all of the "must-have" car insurance features. They have solid customer reviews and we like that their customer service open 7 days a week. On the downside, their cancellation fees are on the higher side—they even charge a fee for cancelling during the 14-day cooling off period.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 62%

    12. AXA

    Consider this if you want car insurance from a large insurance company with a relatively high customer rating at Trustpilot.

    AXA is the 2nd largest car insurance company in the UK. They sells policies under their own brand and for brands owned by them, like Swiftcover, and they also underwrite policies for a number of other brands such as mypolicy.co.uk and By Miles (pay-per-mile cover). So if you have bought car insurance from a brand that doesn't underwrite their own policies, the odds are high that your cover ultimately lies with AXA.

    Quick Takeaway: The company offers customers the standard coverage and discounts that you’d expect from a large international insurance company, and their prices can be very competitive for some drivers. They can be found on most price comparison sites, including our partner QuoteZone. Or get a quote direct from AXA here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 63%

    13. Hastings

    Consider this if you want good-quality, straightforward insurance. If price is your main priority then consider their Essential product, otherwise the Direct and Premier policies offer more features.

    Hastings Direct offer three different policy types, so you can choose the car insurance that’s right for you. Their Direct and Premier policies are highly rated for features and include:

    • Courtesy car
    • Windscreen cover
    • 24/7 claims helpline
    • 90 days of EU cover
    • Driving other cars
    • Vandalism promise
    • Uninsured driver promise
    • Personal accident cover
    • Personal belongings cover

    If you’re looking for something more basic (and less expensive), their Essential policy is designed so you pay for exactly what you need—and nothing more. Hastings Essential policies include:

    • Cover for damage to your car
    • Fire & theft cover
    • Courtesy car
    • No claims discount protection option
    • Adjustable excess
    • Uninsured driver promise
    • Three-year guarantee on repairs

    They also offer a range of optional extras, such as enhanced personal accident cover, breakdown, motor legal expenses and key protection (costs for these vary but can be around £20 for legal and £35 for breakdown, for example). And those with more than one vehicle can save with their Multi Car insurance.

    Those looking to save with a telematics plan can consider Hastings Direct YouDrive, which tracks your actual driving style. It's easy to set up (DIY, no technician visits required) and you'll be able to track how you're driving via their easy-to-use app.

    Finally, we like that Hastings Direct pride themselves on simple and straightforward insurance. This shows in their policy documents, which we think are easier to understand than some other providers in the market.

    Quick Takeaway: If you're after good quality, affordable car insurance, then Hastings Direct is definitely a good company to consider. You can compare their prices via a comparison site like our partner QuoteZone or get a quote direct from Hastings here.

    • Trustpilot customer rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
    • Fairer Finance: 63%

    We are not recommending any one brand in particular and these brands are certainly not guaranteed to give you a cheap price and you may find cheaper cover elsewhere. Please just use the information in this study to support you in learning about the market. Remember to shop around for car insurance, since some companies may be much more affordable than others for your profile. Choosing the best car insurance for your needs will depend on factors like price points and car insurance features you desire, such as breakdown, motor legal or courtesy car cover.

    How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes

    For people who are new to buying car insurance or who haven't switched companies in a long time, below we explain how the buying process works. Specifically, what information you'll need to hand to get the best prices (e.g. providing your licence number can result in cheaper prices and/or more companies willing to provide a quote), the decisions you'll need to make when choosing the best car insurance products for your needs, and finally tips on how to go about getting quotes.

    1. Gather your personal information

    Online car insurance comparison tools can provide quotes from a wide range of companies, but the prices are only as good as the information you provide. Correct and true information is critical to get the most accurate quote and ensure that your policy is valid. Make sure you have the following information to hand before getting quotes online.

    To get accurate car insurance quotes have the following information ready:

    About you:

    • full name
    • date of birth
    • years with current licence (e.g. years with a full UK drivers licence)
    • address
    • current licence number, type, years held and place of issue (e.g. UK, EU, Europe)
    • history of accidents and claims (including dates of incidents)
    • history of convictions in last 5 years (including type and date of offence; points, fines and driving bans given)
    • claims history (and years of 'no claims discounts')
    • equivalent information of any other drivers on the policy

    About your car:

    • Model (including make, trim, engine size, year of manufacture)
    • Current value

    2. Decide on the right level of cover (Comprehensive, TPFT or TPO)

    There are three tiers of car insurance in the UK, which differ on whose property is covered (e.g. your vehicle and/or other vehicles) and the types of incidents that are covered (e.g. road traffic accidents, fire, theft):

    The 3 tiers of car insurance in the UK

    • Third Party Only. The lowest tier of car insurance, and the minimum coverage required by law. Third party only (TPO) only covers damage to other people's property or injuries to other people. TPO does not cover damage to your own car.
    • Third Party, Fire and Theft. Third party, fire and theft (TPFT) car insurance provides the mandatory third party coverage required by law and also covers damage to your car resulting from fire, theft or attempted theft.
    • Comprehensive. The best tier of car insurance, comprehensive covers third party damage or injury (TPO); damage or loss of your car due to fire or theft; and damage to your car from an accident where you're at fault (only comprehensive policies cover this last bit).

    3. Choose extra coverages

    One factor that affects car insurance quotes are the extra features included in the price. Some car insurance quotes will include extra features within the price; other times there will be an extra premium added to secure these features, where they are available. When comparing car insurance quotes you should make sure you select the same extra coverages for a fair comparison.

    Also ensure that quotes have comparable excess levels (the excess is the amount you pay towards a claim; all else equal, a plan with a higher excess should be cheaper).

    Types of optional car insurance coverages

    • Courtesy car: The 3 options for courtesy cars are 1) none offered, 2) a courtesy car while yours is being repaired after a covered accident and 3) a courtesy car if yours is written off due to severe damage or stolen. Motorists often have to buy an 'enhanced courtesy car' add on to get cover in the case of theft or a write off.
    • Windscreen cover. Can cover crack repair and replacement.
    • No claims protection. A buffer of protection for your no claims discount if you need to claim. Protection varies.
    • Key cover. Money to pay for a replacement key and/or key fob if yours is lost or stolen, but protection varies.
    • Breakdown. Typically many different levels of protection for roadside assistance in case of a breakdown, from towing to onward travel.
    • Legal cover. Legal assistance if you're sued after an accident.
    • Personal accident. Money to cover medical costs if you're injured in a crash as well as compensation for a temporary or permanent disability.

    4. Collect and compare car insurance quotes

    Once you have your information to hand and you've decided on the coverage tier and extra features, it's time to compare car insurance. If you want to compare cheap car insurance, you can use our comparison tool below or try other comparison sites like confused.com or GoCompare.

    You can also get prices individually from car insurance companies, by visiting their websites and filling in their online quote forms. This takes longer, however, as you need to enter your information on each site. But some people prefer to buy directly from an insurance company rather than go through a third party. You can also do this after using a comparison site and picking the brand you like best (although then the comparison site does lose out on a potential commission for introducing you).

    If you have a specific car insurance company in mind (e.g., one of the top-rated brands in our list above), you can see which car insurance comparison quote systems include them in our article on Best Car Insurance Comparison Sites.

    Those with an unusual situation such as a modified car or a particularly poor driving history might have fewer options available to them. If you’re finding it difficult to get suitable car insurance, try contacting the British Insurance Brokers' Association. Their "Find a Broker" service can be reached at 0370 950 1790 or biba.org.uk.

    Get Car Insurance Quotes Now

    Quickly compare 100+ UK insurance providers.

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    What's the Best Car Insurance Comparison Site?

    According to our analysis of customer review sites Trustpilot and Reviews.co.uk, the best car insurance comparison site is QuoteZone. QuoteZone boasts scores of 4.7 out of 5 stars from Trustpilot and 4.8 out of 5 stars from Reviews.co.uk, which are higher overall than GoCompare, MoneySupermarket, Confused and Compare the Market. This is part of the reason we chose to partner with QuoteZone for car insurance comparison!

    The table below ranks the top car insurance comparison sites according to their customer ratings from Trustpilot and Reviews.co.uk—note that QuoteZone comes out on top. Get quotes via the QuoteZone comparison panel here.

    Best Car Insurance Comparison SitesTrustpilot ScoreReviews.co.uk RatingWeighted Average (based on the number of reviews)

    1
    QuoteZone4.74.84.8

    2
    Compare the Market4.84.34.8

    3
    Go Compare4.84.64.7

    4
    Confused4.44.64.6

    5
    Moneysupermarket3.13.73.1

    To see which car insurance companies are in each of the panels, read more in our article What's the best car insurance comparison site?

    • Admiral car insurance logo
    • Aviva car insurance logo
    • AXA car insurance logo
    • Hastings car insurance logo
    • LV car insurance logo
    • Admiral car insurance logo
    • Aviva car insurance logo
    • AXA car insurance logo
    • Hastings car insurance logo
    • LV car insurance logo
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    Admiral car insurance logo
    Aviva car insurance logo
    AXA car insurance logo
    Hastings car insurance logo
    Direct Line car insurance logo
    LV car insurance logo

    Who Gets the Cheapest Car Insurance?

    Drivers around 55 years old typically get the cheapest car insurance, according to NimbleFins analysis. While the average cost of UK car insurance is around £500 per year, prices vary widely depending on many factors, including the insurance company, type of cover (TPO, TPFT or Comprehensive), details of your car (age, make, model, trim level, value, etc.), driving record—and your age.

    For example, in the table and chart below see how cheap car insurance quotes change according to the age of the driver of a used Ford Fiesta.

    Average Cost of Cheap Comprehensive Car Insurance, by Driver Age
    20 Years£851
    25 Years£719
    35 Years£639
    45 Years£575
    55 Years£468
    65 Years£491
    75 Years£752
    chart showing how car insurance quotes depend on age
    How Car Insurance Prices Change with Driver Age

    New Poll

    When choosing between potentially dozens of car insurance offers, we often wonder what other people are paying for cover. Please take a moment to tell our other readers what you pay for car insurance in the poll below. Thank you!

    How to Save Money on Car Insurance

    As we discuss in more detail in our article, 10 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance, there are loads of ways to bring your rate down. The easiest tip is to get many cheap car insurance quotes before you buy, for instance through a comparison site like our car insurance partner QuoteZone.

    1. Don't get extra cover you don't need: think carefully before you add extra add on features to decide if you really need them
    2. Don't buy last minute: Buying with only a day or two to go until your car insurance needs to start can you you an extra 30%, or even more! For the best rates, it usually helps to buy your policy around 2-3 weeks out.
    3. Compare prices to get multiple quotes every year: head to a comparison site to make this easier
    4. Pay your premium upfront instead of monthly: paying monthly nearly always means you'll pay extra interest charges
    5. Type of Cover: If your car is very old and not worth much you might decide that a lower level of cover is sufficient for your needs, but generally speaking it's best to get comprehensive cover (and it usually doesn't cost that much more money anyway)
    6. Pick a car with a low insurance group rating: some cars cost 2X, 3X or more to insure versus other cars, so check a car's insurance group before buying (insurance groups are administered by Thatcham)
    7. Install a telematics black box tracker: especially for young drivers
    8. Increase the voluntary excess: as long as you're comfortable paying this excess if you claim
    9. Don't automatically renew: generally speaking, insurance companies don't reward loyalty so be sure to check prices for a brand new policy from your current insurer—if it's less, negotiate
    10. Avoid business driving: Business use car insurance nearly always costs more than social, domestic, pleasure, and commuting driving
    11. Multi car insurance: If there's more than one vehicle in your household, you could save 15% or more with a multi-car policy. With some insurance providers you can even put different types of vehicle on one policy (e.g., a family fleet policy can cover cars, motorbikes, vans and more).
    12. Don't get in an accident: building up your no claims bonus can save you 50% or more

    Another way to save is to carefully choose your occupation, because car insurance companies factor in your job when calculating your risk profile and some professions are deemed riskier than others. You must be accurate and honest, but it's worth looking through this list of occupations to see which ones describe your job. Sometimes one job can be described in different ways, falling into more than one occupation category. Just remember to be honest, because if you're not then your insurer could declare your policy void in event of a claim leaving you uninsured—and driving without insurance is illegal.

    The following list includes the occupations available at our car insurance partner QuoteZone, but other comparison sites or insurance providers might have slightly different lists of occupations to choose from.

    Car insurance occupation list

    • Accountant
    • Accounts Manager
    • Administration Manager
    • Aircraft Engineer
    • Bank Clerk
    • Bricklayer
    • Bus Driver
    • Carpenter
    • Chef
    • Cleaner
    • Clerk
    • Computer Consultant
    • Computer Operator
    • Consultant
    • Delivery Driver
    • Electrical Engineer
    • Electronics Technician
    • Firefighter
    • Furniture Remover
    • HGV Driver
    • IT Consultant
    • Laboratory Technician
    • Local Government Officer
    • Machinist
    • Manager
    • Marketing Manager
    • Nurse
    • Office Manager
    • Personal Assistant
    • Postman
    • Production Hand
    • Receptionist
    • Sales Administrator
    • Sales Manager
    • Secretary
    • Shop Assistant
    • Social Worker
    • Solicitor
    • Supervisor
    • Teacher
    • Van Driver
    • Accounts Assistant
    • Administration Assistant
    • Administration Staff
    • Applications Programmer
    • Bank Manager
    • Builder
    • Buyer
    • Cashier
    • Civil Engineer
    • Clerical Assistant
    • Company Director
    • Computer Engineer
    • Computer Programmer
    • Courier
    • Design Engineer
    • Electrician
    • Engineer
    • Fitter
    • Graphic Designer
    • Hospital Doctor
    • IT Manager
    • Labourer
    • Lorry Driver
    • Maintenance Engineer
    • Managing Director
    • Mechanical Engineer
    • Nursery Nurse
    • Operations Manager
    • Plumber
    • Printer
    • Project Manager
    • Recruitment Consultant
    • Sales Assistant
    • Salesman
    • Security Guard
    • Shop Keeper
    • Software Engineer
    • Staff Nurse
    • Systems Analyst
    • Telecommunications Engineer
    • Warehouseman
    • Accounts Clerk
    • Administration Clerk
    • Administrator
    • Assistant Manager
    • Bank Staff
    • Builders Labourer
    • Care Assistant
    • Chartered Accountant
    • Civil Servant
    • Clerical Officer
    • Computer Analyst
    • Computer Manager
    • Computer Technician
    • Customer Advisor
    • Doctor
    • Electronic Engineer
    • Factory Worker
    • Fork Lift Truck Driver
    • Hairdresser
    • Insurance Consultant
    • Joiner
    • Lecturer
    • Machine Operator
    • Management Consultant
    • Manufacturing Technician
    • Motor Mechanic
    • Office Administrator
    • Painter And Decorator
    • Police Officer
    • Prison Officer
    • Proprietor
    • Research Scientist
    • Sales Executive
    • Secretary And PA
    • Security Officer
    • Shop Manager
    • Soldier
    • Storeman
    • Taxi Driver
    • Telesales Person
    • Welder

    In addition to your occupation, you'll be asked for the industry you work in. Here's the list of car insurance occupations:

    Car insurance industry list

    • Accountancy
    • Airline
    • Banking
    • Business Consultancy
    • Carpentry
    • Chemical Industry
    • Civil Engineering
    • Communications
    • Computers
    • Construction Industry
    • Delivery Service
    • Distribution
    • Education - Private
    • Electricity Industry
    • Employment Agency
    • Estate Agency
    • Finance Company
    • Food Production
    • Gardening
    • Graphic Design
    • Haulage Contractors
    • Health Care - Private
    • Hotel - Licensed
    • Insurance
    • Investment
    • Lawyers
    • Local Government Authority
    • Manufacturing
    • Motor Manufacture
    • Nursing Home
    • Pharmaceutical Supplier
    • Post Office
    • Prison Service
    • Publishing
    • Residential Home
    • Roofing Services
    • Security Services
    • Steel Industry
    • Technical College
    • Transport - Road
    • Water Industry
    • Advertising
    • Architecture
    • Builder
    • Business Training
    • Catering - Unlicensed
    • Chemical Manufacturer
    • Civil Service
    • Computer Sales
    • Computers - Hardware
    • Consulting Engineering
    • Dentistry
    • Double Glazing
    • Education - State
    • Electronics
    • Engineering
    • Farming
    • Financial Services
    • Furniture Remover
    • Gas Industry
    • Hairdressing
    • Health Authority
    • HM Forces
    • Housing Association
    • Insurance Broker
    • Joinery
    • Leisure Centre
    • Maintenance Services
    • Marketing
    • Motor Trade
    • Oil Company
    • Plastics Manufacture
    • Printer
    • Public House
    • Railway
    • Retailing
    • School
    • Social Services
    • Supermarket
    • Telecommunications
    • Travel And Tourism
    • Welding
    • Aerospace Industry
    • Bakery
    • Building Trade
    • Car Sales
    • Charity
    • Child Minding
    • Cleaning Services
    • Computer Services
    • Computers - Software
    • Courier Services
    • Design Consultancy
    • Education
    • Electrical Contractors
    • Emergency Services
    • Engineering Consultants
    • Fast Food
    • Food Manufacturer
    • Garage
    • Government - UK
    • Hardware Retailer
    • Health Care - NHS
    • Hospital
    • Information Technology
    • Insurance Company
    • Law and Order
    • Local Government
    • Management Consultancy
    • Motor Factor/Parts
    • Nursery
    • Painter And Decorator
    • Plumbing
    • Printing
    • Public Transport
    • Recruitment Agency
    • Road Haulage
    • Scientific Research
    • Solicitors
    • Taxi Service
    • Textile Manufacturer
    • University
    • Wholesaler

    Windscreen Insurance

    Many of our readers wonder if they should get a policy that includes (or pay extra for) windscreen cover. To help them make this decision, we've looked into the cost of windscreen repair and replacement. Because once you have those costs to hand, it can help you decide if you should get insurance for it—and how much it might be worth to you.

    We contacted 4 major windscreen repair companies to ask about the cost to repair or replace a windscreen on the very popular Nissan Qashqai (which looks to be the most popular car for 2022). Here are the prices we found:

    Windscreen repair/replacement costs for Nissan QashqaiLow endHigh end
    Repair£40£215
    Replacement£919£2,369

    As you can see, the cost to repair or replace a windscreen is not cheap. In fact, a replacement is likely to set you back £1,000 or so, even if you shop around for a low price. Keep that in mind when deciding on car insurance options.

    FAQs

    While there is no cheapest car insurance company for everyone, these companies tend to offer lower prices than their competitors: AXA, Admiral (including Diamond and Elephant), Aviva (Quotemehappy), the Direct Line Group (Privilege and Churchill). To see how these companies compare in terms of customer service, customer ratings and features, see our comparison here.

    Among the more affordable car insurance brands in the market, LV= ranked as the best rated in our study of the best cheap car insurance brands, due to strong customer reviews (TrustPilot score of 4.7), a strong set of features and a solid Fairer Finance score of 63% (although this has dropped from 65% in 2020).

    There is no one cheapest car insurance comparison site for all people, so compare prices at a few sites before you buy. Get started with quotes from our car insurance comparison site partner QuoteZone to see if they have the cheapest deal for you.

    Your insurance provider or broker should deliver the certificate of motor insurance to you within 4 days. They will either email it to you or make it available via a customer portal on their website. (They won't post it to you unless you ask, and there might be a charge for receiving it this way.)

    Car insurance companies earn an average profit margin of 16%, which means 84% of the money they earn from revenue sources like premiums, add ons and premium finance is used in running the business and paying out on insurance claims. The other 16% is profit.

    It depends on the number of points and seriousness of the offences. Comparison sites and popular car insurance companies can be a good place to start if you have a minor offence and just a handful of points. However, if you have more points or a more serious offence (e.g. drink driving) then you might need to engage the services of a specialist broker.

    How Much Do Car Insurance Companies Earn?

    In the UK, car insurance companies earn an average profit margin of 16% a year. This means that for every £100 of revenues, the company makes £16 of profit and has costs of £84. These figures reflect an average across all policies—money-making policies (e.g., with no claims or small claims) and money-losing policies (e.g., policies with large claims). Interestingly, the core underwriting businesses tend to be money losers. Insurers turn a profit thanks to selling add-ons like breakdown cover, charging fees and selling premium finance (lending policyholders money to enable monthly payments).

    Methodology

    In order to come up with a list of top picks for best and cheap UK car insurance, we first scoured rates from a number of comparison sites to find car insurance providers that were consistently among the cheapest for our sample profiles. Then we ranked companies on a combination of their TrustPilot or Reviews.io customer ratings, the features available (both on their most basic plan as well as their most premium offering, with all options included), and Fairer Finance scores to find which ones are best in terms of features and customer service. In each column (best basic policy, best all-in premium policy and best policy overall), we gave the best policy a score of 100%.

    To come up with the data for our comparison charts, we gathered hundreds of quotes. We started with a 45-year-old driver of a 2017 Ford Fiesta Zetec 999cc worth £7,000. The car is driven 6,800 miles each year and is parked on a private driveway. The driver has 10 years of no claims. Then we varied the quotes by age and driving history. We received quotes if the driver had had at fault accident one year ago, if they were caught speeding and got 3 points and a £100 fine one year ago, and for a drink driving 36 mg conviction, with no fine and 3 points.

    We took prices from two major comparison sites for plans with comprehensive car insurance, including windscreen and courtesy car cover where possible. Note that Admiral and Hastings both have an 'Essential' policy that is typically cheaper but doesn't include windscreen cover as standard or an add-on feature. Also, please note that to glean more information about the market in the specific sections on speeding, DUI, accident and by age, where an underwriter had a lot of policies in the marketplace, we reflected their cheapest offering only. For example, there were tests where U K Insurance Limited (aka Direct Line) offered policies by Churchill Essentials, Churchill, Churchill Plus, DriveSure, DriveXpert from Privilege, Privilege and Privilege Plus. In that case, we only reflected one policy from that underwriter.

    Please remember that any prices shown in this article are for educational use only are you are likely to receive different quotes. Car insurance rates are highly variable between one person and the next; and even one person might get different quotes from a company from one day to the next. Always compare prices before buying to see how the market is rating your risks at the time of purchase.

    Note regarding savings figures: *For information on the latest saving figures, pay-less-than figures, and pay-from figures used for promotional purposes, please click here.

    Erin Yurday

    Erin Yurday is the Founder and Editor of NimbleFins. Prior to NimbleFins, she worked as an investment professional and as the finance expert in Stanford University's Graduate School of Business case writing team. Read more on LinkedIn.

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    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.

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