Admiral vs Aviva: Compare Car Insurance
Is Admiral or Aviva the better solution for you? This in-depth, feature-by-feature breakdown will help you select the best car insurance for you and your wallet.
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.
Admiral and Aviva are two of the largest car insurance companies in the UK. Both come with many 'must-have' features, but they do not offer equal products. The team at NimbleFins has compared each company's car insurance offering to help readers trying to decide which might be the superior product for their needs.
Quick Overview: Admiral vs. Aviva Car insurance
Each company offers a different set of features, which can make it difficult to decide which is best for you. Below we recap some of the best features of each, as well as what's missing. From our comparison, the two policies are set apart primarily by their courtesy car and EU coverage. But there are other differences to keep in mind as well. Find out more below, where we've compared Aviva's comprehensive cover to Admiral's base level of comprehensive cover (they also sell Gold and Platinum plans, which offer more features/some higher limits)...
What we like about Admiral
Admiral comprehensive car insurance, rated 4 out of 5 stars by our editors, is superior to Aviva for the following notable reasons:
- EU cover (up to 90 days included as standard)
- Stereo and satellite nav (better cover for aftermarket additions)
- Courtesy car for repairs if use approved repairer
- You can upgrade to Gold or Platinum for more features/higher limits
What we like about Aviva
Aviva, rated 3.5 out of 5 stars by our editors, is superior to Admiral for the following notable reasons:
- Slightly lower cancellation/mid-term changes (online)
- Some overnight accommodation or public transport cover after accident (£150)
- Higher cover for lost or stolen keys
Here's a quick, high level comparison of how Admiral and Aviva compare on cost, features, customer service access and customer ratings.
| Car Insurance Comparison | Admiral | Aviva |
|---|---|---|
Cost | Cheaper for our sample driver | More expensive for our sample driver |
Superior Features |
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Customer Service Access | Webchat and phones lines open 7 days a week, including bank holidays | Webchat and phones lines open 7 days a week, including bank holidays |
Customer Ratings |
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| Read NimbleFins' Admiral Review | Read NimbleFins' Aviva Review | |
| Get Admiral Quotes | Get Aviva Quotes |
Admiral vs Aviva Overall Review
We compared the policy features of the basic Admiral and Aviva comprehensive car insurance policies. There are four main differences between them: courtesy car, EU cover, transport/hotel after accident and key cover limits.
Admiral offers the same cover in the EU for up to 90 days as standard and includes a courtesy car if your car is in the repair shop after an accident (so long as you use an approved repairer). With Aviva, you need to pay extra for these perks.
However, Aviva does offer a courtesy car some cover for transport/hotel if your car can't be driven safely after an accident. And they have higher cover if your keys are lost or stolen. If these features are important to you, be sure to take note of this.
Note, for the purposes of this article, we are comparing Aviva comprehensive cover to Admiral comprehensive cover (Admiral also sells higher tier Gold and Platinum policies that include more features/higher limits).
Find full details and more in the table below:
| How Do They Compare? | Admiral Comprehensive Coverage | Aviva Comprehensive Coverage |
|---|---|---|
|
"Must Have" Features | ||
|
Windscreen | Included | Included |
| Belongings | Up to £150 | Up to £150 |
|
Keys | Up to £300, as long as not lost/stolen from your vehicle | Cover for replacement locks if keys stolen or lost |
|
Protected NCD | If you buy the add on | If you buy the add on |
|
Car recovery after accident | Included | Included |
| Courtesy car (repairs) | Included, if you use an approved repairer | If you buy the add on |
|
Repairs guaranteed (if use approved repairer) | Repairs guaranteed for as long as you own the vehicle (parts guaranteed under manufacturer's warranty) | At least 3 years |
|
"Should Have" Features | ||
|
New car replacement | Theft or if cost to repair more than 59% of list price; cars up to 12 months old | If the cost of repairing will be more than 60% of UK list price (inc. taxes); vehicle must be less than 1 year old; you must be the first and only registered keeper and legal owner |
| Stereo and satellite nav | Equipment fitted by the manufacturer is covered in full. For 'aftermarket' equipment up to £1,250 or market value of your car, whichever is the lower | If permanently fitted to your vehicle |
| Alternative transport & Hotel after accident | Not included | Up to £150 total |
| 24-hour emergency helpline | Included | Included |
| Courtesy car (total loss or theft) | If you buy the add on | If you buy the add on |
| Motor legal expenses | If you buy the add on | If you buy the add on |
| Breakdown cover | If you buy the add on | If you buy the add on |
|
"Could Have" Features | ||
|
Same cover in EU | Up to 90 days | Add on available if you call at least two weeks prior |
| Child car seat replacement after accident, theft, fire | Included | Included |
| Larger/premium courtesy car | If you buy the add on (theft/write off only) | If you buy the add on |
| Uninsured driver NCD protection | Included | Included |
|
Cancellation fee | No cancellation fee during 14 days if cover hasn't started. Otherwise, £38 + IPT | *£0 cancellation fee during cooling off period if cover has not started; otherwise £38 + IPT |
What we don't like about Admiral
Admiral lacks coverage for the following features:
- No alternative transport/hotel after accident
- Lower key cover
What we don't like about Aviva
Aviva provides worse coverage for the following features:
- No same EU cover as standard
- No courtesy car as standard
Admiral vs Aviva Cost Comparison
The table below compares what many see as a deal breaker … the cost.
For our sample driver, it appears that Admiral's comprehensive policy is cheaper when paying one annual payment.
The monthly payment is also lower and it is important to acknowledge they require 11 monthly payments rather than 10. This allows for the deposit to be over £50 cheaper than Aviva.
However, as we always say, quotes are very case sensitive and you must get your own quotes before making any decisions.
| What Policy? | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Admiral Comprehensive | £543.20 | £48.60 (11 payments, £48.73 deposit) |
| Admiral Third Party, Fire and Theft | £424.48 | £37.98 (11 payments, £38.05 deposit) |
| Aviva Comprehensive | £655.00 | £57.68 (10 payments, £109.17 deposit) |
| Aviva Protected NCD | £79.00 | £6.58 |
| Aviva Motor Legal | £29.00 | £2.42 |
| Aviva Courtesy Car (total loss, theft or repairs) | £27.00 | £2.25 |
| Aviva Breakdown Cover | £45.62 | £3.80 |
| Aviva Foreign Use | £28.00 | £2.33 |
These quotes are based on 22-year-old Essex-based male driving a 2008 Ford Fiesta, 8,000 miles a year. He parks at home. They have been driving for 4 years and has 3 years no claims.
This quote is for a young driver, hence why they are so high. Drivers with more experience can pay up to 45-50% less than the premiums listed here.
Admiral vs Aviva Reviews and Ratings Compared
It is always good to observe customer reviews as it shows how their clients are enjoying (or not enjoying) their service.
Below, you'll see that Aviva has a higher Trustpilot rating but a lower reviews.co.uk rating than Admiral. The Trustpilot rating better than nearly 1 and a half stars, with 76% of reviews being a full five stars. Only 55% of people gave Admiral five stars.
However, Aviva's FOS complaint ratio is significantly higher than Admiral. This suggests that maybe customer service is a weak spot for them.
| Review Site | Admiral Ratings | Aviva Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 3.6 out of 5 | 4.5 out of 5 |
| reviews.co.uk customer service rating | 2.8 out of 5 | 2.2 out of 5 |
| FOS Complaint Ratio | 2.34 | 6.03 |
Aviva vs Aviva Cancellation Fees Compared
Unfortunately, sometimes we need to cancel our car insurance. In which case, it is important to know what it will cost you.
The table below shows that Admiral will either refund fully or in proportion to how many days you've been covered (plus an admin fee). Whereas, Aviva will charge £38 (plus IPT) once cover has started.
Where the biggest difference lies is with mid-term admin changes. Aviva allow free changes if made online or charge £18 (plus IPT) if you have to do it over the phone. Admiral, on the other hand, will charge anywhere between £9.50 to £65. If you think there's a chance of needing a mid-term change, bare this in mind.
| When Are You Cancelling | Admiral | Aviva |
|---|---|---|
| During cooling off | £0 or (if cover has started) £38 + IPT | £0 or (if cover has started) £38 + IPT |
| After cooling off period | £38 + IPT | £38 + IPT |
| Mid-term admin changes | £9.50 to £65 | £0 (online), £18 + IPT (over Phone) |
Important Phone Numbers
In the unfortunate event you need to contact customer service, both Admiral and Aviva have similar opening times. When it comes to their webchat services, Admiral have significantly better opening times — especially on Sundays.
See full details below:
| Opening Hours | Admiral | Aviva |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service (Mon-Fri) | 8am-7pm | 8am-8pm |
| Customer Service (Sat) | 9am-5pm | 8:30am-5pm |
| Customer Service (Sun) | 9:30am-4pm | 10am-4pm |
| Customer Service (Bank Holiday) | 9:30am-4pm | 10am-4pm |
| Webchat (Mon-Fri) | 7am-10:45pm | 8am-8pm |
| Webchat (Sat) | 8am-7:45pm | 8:30am-5pm |
| Webchat (Sun) | 8am-7:45pm | 10am-4pm |
| Emergency Hotline | 24-hour | 24-hour |
Admiral Contact Numbers
| Admiral Contact Numbers | |
|---|---|
| Customer Service (UK) | 0333 220 2000 |
| Renewals | 0333 222 6715 |
| Claims (in UK) | 0333 220 2033 |
| 24 Hour Helplines | |
| Windscreen Claims | 0333 220 2025 |
| Accident recovery | 0800 600 840 |
Policy Documents
More information about Admiral car insurance policies can be found by reading their policy documents.
To read about the full details of an Aviva policy, including what's covered and exclusions, read through the Aviva car insurance policy documents here.