With Zenith you can get either a third party, fire and theft (TPFT) policy or a comprehensive one.
It throws a whole host of perks in too, such as key cover and protection for personal belongings stolen from your car.
For more, read our review of Zenith’s car insurance policies below. We walk you through what they will and won’t cover, so you can quickly decide if it has a deal for you.
Who is Zenith insurance?
Zenith was founded back in 1937 and is based in Gibraltar. It’s part of the wider Markerstudy Group which providers a range of car insurance policies and other complementary products in the UK.
With a 3-star Defaqto rating for its car insurance policies, Zenith certainly isn’t the highest rated insurer on the market.
However, its comprehensive deal covers a fair amount of bases, offering windscreen cover, a courtesy car and protection for your in-car entertainment.
Zenith car insurance policies are arranged and administered by BISL Limited, although Motor Legal Protection is underwritten by RAC Insurance Ltd.
For full details about who underwrites your agreement, take a look at your policy document. Or see Zenith’s website for a sample one if you aren’t an existing customer.
If your car is a bit of an old banger and not worth a whole lot, then you might opt for third party, fire and theft insurance. Generally this type of policy will work out as being cheaper than comprehensive, as you’re getting less protection.
However, this isn’t always the case. While it might seem a bit bizarre, comprehensive deals sometimes work out as being cheaper. It’s certainly worth getting quotes for both levels of protection.
Zenith doesn’t offer the most basic level of cover, so you’ll have to look elsewhere for third party insurance.
This is the lowest level of cover available from Zenith, covering other people and their property if you collide into them. Plus it will protect your car should it be damaged by fire or theft.
Zenith’s comprehensive
A comprehensive policy offers the same protections as a third party, fire and theft policy. Yet it will also protect your own vehicle if it gets damaged in a collision or vandalised.
With Zenith you also get a few perks included as standard with its comprehensive policy, such as windscreen cover, a free courtesy car and repairs guaranteed for three years.
Optional extras
Zenith also has a few extras you can get in addition to your main policy, for instance:
Five years of guaranteed repair work for fire or theft claims
✓
✓
Accidental damage
–
✓
Courtesy car cover
–
✓
Windscreen cover
–
✓
Medical expenses
–
Up to £200
European car insurance
Up to 60 days
Up to 60 days
In-car entertainment cover you installed
Up to £500
Up to £500
Replacement locks
–
Up to £500
In-car entertainment cover installed by manufacturer
Unlimited
Unlimited
24-hour motor legal advice helpline
✓
✓
Check your policy carefully to ensure it covers everything you need it to cover.
General exclusions
Zenith can offer you a pretty comprehensive policy for your car, yet all insurance providers have a list of reasons why they will refuse to pay out for a claim. You will not be covered if:
You damage the car by using the wrong fuel.
Your car is lost or damaged after you left it unlocked or with the keys on or in it.
Your personal belongings are stolen after you left the car unlocked.
You’re being paid to carry goods or passengers (for example, taxis and delivery drivers).
Your car is being used for rallies, races, trials, competitions or off-road events.
For a full list and explanation of the exclusions, see your insurance policy.
How to save on your Zenith car insurance policy
Drive safely. You’ll spend less on car insurance if you don’t accumulate speeding tickets and you avoid making claims on your insurance.
Lock your car up. Storing your vehicle in a garage or on a secure driveway will generally lower your insurance costs.
Lower mileage. Recently retired? Or moved to a job that’s closer to home? Tell your insurer if you’ll be commuting less in your car from now on to lower premiums.
Up the excess. Voluntarily agreeing to a higher excess can lower your premiums, although if you have to make a claim it might work out as being more expensive overall.
Pick a smaller car. A safe car with a less powerful engine should cost less to insure than an expensive, powerful vehicle.
Check comprehensive. High-risk drivers have historically taken out third party deals, which has led to a bizarre situation where comprehensive is sometimes actually cheaper.
What is my excess?
A policy excess is the amount you have to contribute towards the costs of a claim before the insurer starts paying out and it will usually be up to £350.
One main reason insurers charge this fee is to stop you making lots of claims for small repairs. By volunteering to have a higher excess you can lower your premiums though.
When you sign up with an insurer you will have to agree to the size of your excess, so you’ll know full well how much you will pay if you need to claim.
How do I make a claim?
Zenith’s car insurance claims line is open 24/7. For most claims you can call 0344 326 7574 and you should have your insurance details and information about your claim to hand. For windscreen repairs you need to call 0808 178 8126.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Zenith can look at insurance industry databases to check how many years you’ve gone without making a claim.
Although if it struggles to access your information, you might have to provide either:
A renewal invitation from your previous insurer
A no claims discount letter from your previous insurer
No, the lowest level of cover available from Zenith is third party, fire and theft insurance.
You can have up to three named drivers on your Zenith policy in addition to yourself.
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
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