If a choice of cover options is what you're after, Hastings Direct is well worth a look. It offers 3 levels of comprehensive cover (Essential, Direct and Premier), third party, fire and theft cover, a telematics or "black box" policy and multi-car cover.
However, its website could be more user-friendly to make it easier for customers to understand what is and isn’t included in their policy, and it doesn't make it obvious at first glance that third party, fire and theft is an option. It only offers third party insurance to existing customers, not new ones.
Get started by visiting Hastings Direct’s website and sign up for a policy. If you have read this review and decided that Hastings Direct car insurance is not for you, you can also compare other car insurance policies on the market.
Best for: A wide choice of cover options
Pros
Windscreen and personal belongings cover included as standard in the Direct and Premier comprehensive policies
Hastings Direct has multi-car and "black box" cover options and cover is available to new and young drivers
Online claims process
Cons
It doesn't offer third party only cover to new customers
There isn’t a lot of information about its third party, fire and theft policy available prior to quote stage
The Hastings Direct website could be easier to navigate
Hastings Direct has 3 comprehensive car insurance policies on offer: Essential, Direct and Premier. We looked at what each policy includes, the pros and cons of cover and how to make a claim with Hastings Direct. It also offers third party, fire and theft and third party only policies.
Hastings Direct was founded back in 1997 and has since grown to offer the UK everything from bike and van insurance to home insurance.
Who underwrites Hastings Direct car insurance?
Hastings Direct’s car insurance policies are underwritten by Advantage Insurance Company Limited, which is an associated company of Hastings.
What’s covered under my policy?
Hastings Direct offers 3 comprehensive car insurance policies which differ in price, benefits and the cover they provide.
There is not much information about the Essential policy on the Hastings Direct website, though the company describes this policy as a “no-frills policy with basic and affordable coverage”.
Here is what the other 2 comprehensive options cover:
Product Name
Hastings Direct Standard
Hastings Premier
Damage to your car
✓
✓
Damaged windscreen and window glass
✓
✓
Fire and theft
✓
✓
Personal accident cover
✓
✓
Liabilities to third parties
✓
✓
No-claims discount
✓
✓
No-claims discount protection
Optional
Optional
Permanently fitted audio equipment
✓
✓
Optional extras
Hastings Direct offers a range of optional extras you can add to your policy to give you even more peace of mind.
This policy offers you more than a third party, fire and theft policy but not as much as the Direct or Premier comprehensive policy. It includes a courtesy car and cover in the EU.
The mid-range comprehensive policy insures you to drive other cars, includes windscreen and personal belongings cover and comes with vandalism and uninsured driver promises.
Premier gives you everything Direct does but also includes motor legal expenses and breakdown cover.
Third party cover is the legal minimum. It’s avaialable for existing customers only.
A level up from third party only, it gives you cover in case of a fire or if your car is stolen. New and existing customers can buy this policy.
With a Hastings Direct Multi Car policy you can have a single policy for all the cars registered at your home address and you’ll get a discount for every car you add.
YouDrive is the Hastings Direct telematics car insurance policy. Once it’s set up, you’ll be able to track how you’re driving via the app. YouDrive looks at your actual driving style and gives you a price depending on how well you drive.
How do I make a claim?
You can start a claim online or through the Hastings Direct app.
What is my excess?
An excess is the amount of money you contribute to the cost of your claim. The amount of your excess will depend on the level of cover you have and the nature of your claim. Details of your excess amounts will be displayed in your policy schedule.
In some instances, more than one excess will apply, in which case Hastings Direct will add them together.
There are 2 types of excess and these are:
Compulsory excess which is set by the insurer underwriting your policy.
Voluntary excess which is in addition to any compulsory excess. You can set this as low as you want to reduce the amount you have to pay if you make a claim. Or you can increase it, which is likely to reduce your premium.
Hastings Direct car insurance customer reviews
Customers who took part in Finder’s 2024 customer satisfaction survey were positive about Hastings Direct, with many highlighting good service and quick responses.
One commented: “Sorted out my claim with a minimum of fuss,” which is what anyone would want from their insurer.
Among Hastings Direct customers in the survey, 78% said they would recommend the brand to a friend, and it came eighth out of 11 brands.
How to cancel Hastings Direct car insurance
You need to call 0333 321 9801 to cancel your policy.
You are able to cancel your car insurance with Hastings Direct up to 14 days after your start date with no cancellation fee. After this time period, a £45 cancellation fee will be charged.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you are insured to drive other cars with your policy, but cover will be third party only (even of you have comprehensive cover for your own car).
Yes, you have the choice of paying for your Hastings Direct policy in full or by monthly direct debit payments. Note that interest applies to monthly payments.
You can check your expiry date and other policy details online or through the Hastings Direct app.
Car insurance scores
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (July ’24). 51% of car insurance customers could save £523.17
Esther Wolffowitz was a publisher at finder.com specialising in insurance. Esther holds an MSc in Media and Communication Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). See full bio
Jason is a writer and editor. He worked as a senior subeditor for Finder for 5 years and in that time became familiar with a wide range of financial products and services. Before that, he worked for Australian Associated Press. He has a BA from Macquarie University in Australia. Jason loves to help other people find new ways to save money. See full bio
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