The best car insurance gives you the right cover at the right price and is there in your hour of need. As well as surveying hundreds of customers, we’ve given comprehensive policies a policy score for the level of cover they provide. And we’ve picked out policies that excel in specific categories like multi-car or for young drivers. Once you have your shortlist, you can save hundreds if you compare quotes to make sure you’re getting the best value.
We’ve picked the best car insurance policies for popular categories (such as new drivers and multi-car) by rating 29 different policy elements, including features and cover levels, and factoring in what customers say about the brand, too.
Here’s how we chose which ones to feature:
Top-scorers for that category. Our scoring of different aspects of a policy highlights those with particular stand-out features. And our top pick for service was informed by our customer satisfaction survey.
Partner brands. Top picks are chosen from among insurers we have partnerships with. This typically allows us to offer you great deals.
Great customer service. We surveyed 750 insurance customers in December 2023 to find out what they think of their insurer.
It’s sensible always to get a range of quotes – these picks are just a steer. You can see how we score providers in our full ratings methodology guide.
We chose LV= car insurance as our top pick because, after running quotes for a range of different age groups, we found that LV= tended to offer competitive insurance quotes across the board. Other features that could make LV= a good option if you're looking for cheaper-rate car insurance include discounts for insuring multiple vehicles (up to 20% off per extra vehicle), an uninsured driver promise so you won't lose your valuable no-claims discount or have to pay an excess, and a good choice of cover levels to suit different needs and budgets. LV= offers a range of car insurance policies for standard, classic and electric cars. Need to know: There's an admin fee for changing the vehicle or a named driver on your policy.
Personal possessions cover
£300
Accident cover
Up to £10,000.
Driving in Europe
EU Cover at same level as in UK (180 days)
We chose LV= car insurance as our top pick because, after running quotes for a range of different age groups, we found that LV= tended to offer competitive insurance quotes across the board. Other features that could make LV= a good option if you're looking for cheaper-rate car insurance include discounts for insuring multiple vehicles (up to 20% off per extra vehicle), an uninsured driver promise so you won't lose your valuable no-claims discount or have to pay an excess, and a good choice of cover levels to suit different needs and budgets. LV= offers a range of car insurance policies for standard, classic and electric cars. Need to know: There's an admin fee for changing the vehicle or a named driver on your policy.
Pros
99% of claims paid*
Multi-vehicle insurance
Claims line is open 24/7
Cons
A change in vehicle or named drivers may result in an administration fee
Admiral was a winner in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024. We chose Admiral car insurance as our top pick for multi-car because you can make substantial savings by insuring more than one car with Admiral rather than buying its insurance for each car separately. Admiral's multi-car policy allows you to have just one renewal date, aligning each time a new car is brought onto the policy. Each car has its own no-claims bonus, and you can have different levels of cover for different cars on the same policy. If a claim is made on one car, the no-claims bonuses of other cars won't be affected. Every car gets a full year of no-claims bonus added, provided it's been on the policy for at least 3 months. Cars don't need to be registered to the same address, provided they belong to immediate family members. Need to know: Claims helplines aren't open 24/7.
Accident cover
Up to £5000.
Driving in Europe
Third party only, up to 90 days.
Admiral was a winner in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024. We chose Admiral car insurance as our top pick for multi-car because you can make substantial savings by insuring more than one car with Admiral rather than buying its insurance for each car separately. Admiral's multi-car policy allows you to have just one renewal date, aligning each time a new car is brought onto the policy. Each car has its own no-claims bonus, and you can have different levels of cover for different cars on the same policy. If a claim is made on one car, the no-claims bonuses of other cars won't be affected. Every car gets a full year of no-claims bonus added, provided it's been on the policy for at least 3 months. Cars don't need to be registered to the same address, provided they belong to immediate family members. Need to know: Claims helplines aren't open 24/7.
Pros
Discount for additional cars
European cover as standard
Customer satisfaction award winner
Cons
There isn’t that much information about Admiral’s third party only or third party, fire and theft policies on its website.
Claims helplines are not open 24/7. Calling outside of the opening hours will mean you’ll be redirected to a contracted third-party recovery service.
We chose Saga car insurance as our top pick because of its specialist cover, which is tailored to over-50s with no upper age limit. Features that older drivers might appreciate include discounts for insuring additional cars registered to the same address, an uninsured driver promise (so your no-claims discount won't be affected if you're hit by an uninsured driver) and unlimited cover for driving in Europe with Saga Select and Saga Plus policies (Saga Standard policies include up to 90 days of cover). If you opt for a Saga Plus policy, you can choose to fix your premium for 3 years (assuming nothing about your policy changes, and subject to T&Cs). Need to know: Cancelling a policy can incur an admin fee of up to £50.
Personal possessions cover
£1,000
Accident cover
Up to £5000.
Driving in Europe
Unlimited worldwide cover.
We chose Saga car insurance as our top pick because of its specialist cover, which is tailored to over-50s with no upper age limit. Features that older drivers might appreciate include discounts for insuring additional cars registered to the same address, an uninsured driver promise (so your no-claims discount won't be affected if you're hit by an uninsured driver) and unlimited cover for driving in Europe with Saga Select and Saga Plus policies (Saga Standard policies include up to 90 days of cover). If you opt for a Saga Plus policy, you can choose to fix your premium for 3 years (assuming nothing about your policy changes, and subject to T&Cs). Need to know: Cancelling a policy can incur an admin fee of up to £50.
We chose Tempcover car insurance as our top pick because of its very flexible insurance, which offers instant cover for anything from 1 hour to 28 days. Any annual no-claims discount you've built up on an annual policy is protected, so making a claim on a temporary Tempcover policy won't affect it. You can also customise the policy to meet your precise needs by adding features such as temporary breakdown cover, gadget cover and excess reimbursement cover. Tempcover offers temporary car insurance for learner drivers, students and others with a full UK driver's licence (up to age 78) and has a super-quick quotation process, taking just 90 seconds according to Tempcover. Need to know: You have to pay up front for your policy.
Cover length
1 hour - 28 days
Min age
18
EU Cover
We chose Tempcover car insurance as our top pick because of its very flexible insurance, which offers instant cover for anything from 1 hour to 28 days. Any annual no-claims discount you've built up on an annual policy is protected, so making a claim on a temporary Tempcover policy won't affect it. You can also customise the policy to meet your precise needs by adding features such as temporary breakdown cover, gadget cover and excess reimbursement cover. Tempcover offers temporary car insurance for learner drivers, students and others with a full UK driver's licence (up to age 78) and has a super-quick quotation process, taking just 90 seconds according to Tempcover. Need to know: You have to pay up front for your policy.
Pros
Comprehensive cover as standard.
The cover can begin instantly.
Making a claim won’t affect a no-claims discount built up on an annual policy.
Cover can be enhanced with extra protection.
Cons
No discount available for buying temporary cover online.
We chose Hastings Direct car insurance as our top pick because it offers a range of reasonably priced policies for drivers aged 17-25, incorporating telematics (black box) and multi-car options. Its 5-star Defaqto-rated black box telematics policy, YouDrive, includes a courtesy car, an uninsured driver promise and personal belongings cover as standard. There's a 24/7 claims line if you're involved in an accident or another type of incident. Need to know: The Hastings Direct website isn't easy to navigate.
Personal possessions cover
£300
Accident cover
Up to £5000.
Driving in Europe
EU Cover third party only (90 days)
We chose Hastings Direct car insurance as our top pick because it offers a range of reasonably priced policies for drivers aged 17-25, incorporating telematics (black box) and multi-car options. Its 5-star Defaqto-rated black box telematics policy, YouDrive, includes a courtesy car, an uninsured driver promise and personal belongings cover as standard. There's a 24/7 claims line if you're involved in an accident or another type of incident. Need to know: The Hastings Direct website isn't easy to navigate.
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
We chose Swinton car insurance as our top pick for convicted drivers in part because it has a dedicated section on its website for convicted drivers, which indicates that it is willing and able to cater to those with speeding or other motoring offences. As a broker whose policies are underwritten by several insurers, there's a good chance Swinton can offer cover for you, whatever your circumstances. Choose from 3 levels of comprehensive cover, all of which include a courtesy car and personal belongings cover (up to £200). Swinton's claims helpline is open 24/7, which could come in handy if you have a prang outside of normal working hours. Need to know: There's no option to have third-party cover only.
Personal possessions cover
£200
Accident cover
Up to market value
Driving in Europe
EU Cover third party only (90 days)
We chose Swinton car insurance as our top pick for convicted drivers in part because it has a dedicated section on its website for convicted drivers, which indicates that it is willing and able to cater to those with speeding or other motoring offences. As a broker whose policies are underwritten by several insurers, there's a good chance Swinton can offer cover for you, whatever your circumstances. Choose from 3 levels of comprehensive cover, all of which include a courtesy car and personal belongings cover (up to £200). Swinton's claims helpline is open 24/7, which could come in handy if you have a prang outside of normal working hours. Need to know: There's no option to have third-party cover only.
Pros
Excess refund available
24/7 claims helpline
Extra car hire offered
Cons
Protected no-claims and breakdown cover are optional extras
We chose Churchill car insurance as our top pick because its black box policy includes a range of features that may appeal to those looking to manage the cost of car insurance through careful driving. Churchill's telematics cover, called DriveSure, is available for younger drivers (aged 17-25) who may not have had a chance to build up a no-claims bonus and prove their driving credentials. You're guaranteed a discount on your first year for using the black box technology, provided you've passed your test. Premiums won't go up mid-term during your first year. Your driving is monitored using the DriveSure smartphone app, and you can view your driving score on the app at any time. Your score is determined by factors such as your speed, how smoothly you drive, when and where you drive and any use of your mobile phone while driving. Need to know: No 24/7 claims line (but an emergency helpline is available).
Personal possessions cover
£250
Accident cover
Up to £5000.
Driving in Europe
EU Cover third party only (90 days)
We chose Churchill car insurance as our top pick because its black box policy includes a range of features that may appeal to those looking to manage the cost of car insurance through careful driving. Churchill's telematics cover, called DriveSure, is available for younger drivers (aged 17-25) who may not have had a chance to build up a no-claims bonus and prove their driving credentials. You're guaranteed a discount on your first year for using the black box technology, provided you've passed your test. Premiums won't go up mid-term during your first year. Your driving is monitored using the DriveSure smartphone app, and you can view your driving score on the app at any time. Your score is determined by factors such as your speed, how smoothly you drive, when and where you drive and any use of your mobile phone while driving. Need to know: No 24/7 claims line (but an emergency helpline is available).
Top 10 largest car insurance companies in 2024, by market share
We collected this data from various sources, including financial reports, regulatory filings, and market analysis from industry experts. Last updated: July 2024.
To come up with the league table, our team looked at 29 different elements of a car insurance policy from 35 providers across the industry. Those at the top have the most comprehensive cover, in our view.
We looked at the range of ages they cover, cover limits, whether essential benefits are included as standard, the payment options, the ease of claim and whether you can manage your policy online. For essential benefits, such as courtesy car, old-for-new car replacement and key cover, if they weren't included as standard, we judged them on how much extra you had to pay to add these benefits to your policy.
With other benefits, such as driving in the EU and continuing your journey if your car's out of action, insurers lost points if they impose restrictions on cover, like the number of days and distance from home.
Some elements got extra weighting based on how important they are to drivers. In a couple of cases, 2 insurers received the exact same score, and so they share the same spot on our list. We also feature the results of our satisfaction survey of 1,654 customers so you can hear what companies are like from the people who matter most.
We picked out policies we think are outstanding in certain categories, such as great rates or multi-car. Choose which benefits are important to you. Insurance is highly personal and rates change often, so these picks are just a steer.
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to car insurance. Your priority might be finding a multi-car policy if you have more than one car to insure. If you’re a young driver, a telematics policy – which could cut your costs – could be your goal or if you’re on a tight budget, the cost will be crucial. Whatever your policy needs are, always take the time to read the small print and check you fully understand what is (and isn’t) included with car insurance before you buy.”
How to find the best car insurance company for you
Car insurance premiums are highly personalised – a tweak to your job role or the amount of excess you’re happy to pay can make a big difference to your premiums. We explain more in our guide on how premiums are calculated. The key is to get the right cover level, plus good service at the cheapest price. This is why we survey customers. All our best picks are at least 3-star rated for service.
Compare policies. Different insurers can offer the same level of cover for very different prices. Shop around and compare car insurance quotes with as many providers as you can to make sure you’re getting the best deal for you. Comprehensive cover can sometimes work out cheaper than third-party, so compare all options.
If your quotes are too high, consider a higher excess. An excess is the amount you would contribute to any claim before your insurer will pay out. If you voluntarily increase your excess, your insurance company sees you as less likely to make a claim, which will help to bring down the cost of your premium (but always make sure you can actually afford to pay it should you have an accident).
Consider different options, such as pay-as-you-go cover. Some providers, like By Miles, offer pay-as-you-go cover. This is good for people who don’t drive very often and don’t want to pay for annual cover.
Review your provider’s quote every year. When renewal time rolls around, it’s crucial to shop around a few weeks before your policy starts. Consider switching as you’re likely to save – some people save hundreds of pounds. If you want to stick with your insurer, try haggling, as that’s common and usually effective.
Top 10 car insurance companies in the UK by customer satisfaction
One of the most well known insurers in the UK, Admiral offers a range of cover options, including a combined home and car policy, multi-car cover and temporary car insurance. Its overall satisfaction score was 4.5 out of 5.
NFU Mutual has long provided cover for farmers and those living in rural areas, but it’s worth noting that it. may not offer you cover if you live in certain city areas. It got an overall satisfaction score of 4.5 out of 5.
Aviva is the largest general insurer in the UK. Many customers praised the service, but a few said they felt their loyalty hadn’t been rewarded. Aviva scored 4.3 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.
A staple of the British roads, The AA offers 2 types of car insurance: third party, fire and theft and a benefit-laden comprehensive policy. AA members can get a discount if they insure online. Customers praised “friendly” service and the brand scored 4.1 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.
Known for its good value car cover, LV= offers comprehensive cover which includes windscreen repair or replacement and new locks and keys if yours are lost or stolen. The brand got 4 out of 5 stars from its customers in our survey.
Saga offers cover tailored to older drivers – you have to be over 50 to qualify, but there’s no upper age limit. The brand scored 3.9 out of 5 for overall satisfaction from its customers in our survey. Several praised “excellent” service though a few felt prices were high.
Hastings Direct has 2 main cover options: Direct and Premier. The company also offers a “no-frills” policy called Essential, as well as third party, fire and theft cover. It scored 3.6 out of 5 for overall satisfaction.
Diamond targets women drivers, in a similar way to Sheilas’ Wheels. Benefits include handbag cover up to £300, and child seat cover, which it believes will appeal to women (considered lower-risk drivers). It scored 3.4 out of 5 from customers in our survey.
Most people would be aware of Churchill, largely due to its nodding dog. The brand is part of Direct Line Group. Churchill got 3.3 out of 5 for overall satisfaction in our survey.
Bottom line
The algorithms that insurers use to calculate their premiums are a dark art and are all different, so it will always pay to get a range of quotes from different providers each year. Then consider the extra benefits a policy might offer you, and check our ratings to see what customers think of any brand you haven’t tried but are considering.
Frequently asked questions
Generally, the more expensive a car is, the more it’s likely to cost to insure it. If you’re thinking high performance and sports cars will be expensive to insure, then you’d be right as they tend to cost more to buy and are unfortunately more appealing to thieves.
Every new car in the UK is given a car insurance group rating, which helps insurers understand which cars will cost more to insure and which cars will cost less. Sports cars and high-performance models have some of the highest group ratings out there. On the other end of the rating scale are the smaller and safer cars – these usually cost less to buy and repair, which is likely to result in lower premiums.
If you have your heart set on a particular car, research before making the purchase to assess whether you can afford the insurance premiums that will follow.
Tips for saving on your car insurance
Increasing security. If your car is not currently fitted with an alarm, think about adding one to reduce your premium.
Having a secure location to park your car. Cars kept in a garage or on a secure driveway are usually cheaper to insure.
Reduce mileage. If you start working part-time or your long commute becomes much shorter, letting your insurer know about a reduction in your mileage could result in cheaper car insurance.
Limit optional extras if you don’t need them. Think carefully about which optional extras you really want as adding extra protection to your policy will generally push the price up too.
Advanced driving skills. You could be in line for a discount with certain providers by taking an advanced driving course, such as those offered by the Pass Plus scheme.
Fewer drivers. Only add drivers to your policy who regularly drive your car.
Consider telematics insurance. Having a “black box” fitted to your car to monitor your driving could result in discounts if you drive safely.
Larger excess. Agreeing to pay a bigger voluntary excess could make your overall premium cheaper. But remember that your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than your excess. So, be careful about making it too high, as it could leave you out of pocket if damage occurs.
Firstly, it’s important to work out exactly what you want from your car insurance by deciding on the level of cover. Shop around and compare your options from the insurers willing to cover you and your car. Price will likely be a big factor for you, but it shouldn’t be the only detail you look at. Check out the policy benefits as well as the price. Keep in mind that the cheapest policies don’t always work out to be best when something goes wrong. Continue to build your no-claims bonus to keep your premium low. You may also want to consider multi-car insurance if you own more than one car, which could see a discount added to your premium.
There are several ways in which you can cut the cost of your premium without limiting your cover. Consider some of the following:
Enhance your car’s security with an alarm and think about where you park your car at night. Keeping your car on your driveway or locked up in your garage should mean lower premiums.
Reducing your mileage could lower your costs as you’ll physically be on the roads less.
Increasing your excess should reduce your premium, but be sure you can cover the costs if you make your excess very high, as an insurer won’t cover any claims that cost less than this amount.
If you can, try to pay for your insurance upfront for the year, as paying monthly could see interest being added to your premium.
If you’re a safe and careful driver, telematics insurance, which records your driving and braking habits, could lower your premium.
If you know you’re classed as a high-risk driver because of your age or driving history, adding an older and experienced driver onto your cover could bring the premium down.
Insurers may offer you a discount for participating in advanced driving skills courses. Not only should your premiums reduce, but you may even become a safer driver.
Finally, always shop around and compare your options.
There is no definitive answer to this. However, most agree that renewing before the last minute can save you a lot of money.
Savings estimates vary, but recent studies have found that renewing your car insurance at least a couple of weeks before your existing policy expires could save you anywhere between 17% and 42%, compared with leaving it until the day it expires.
What you need out of a car insurance policy may be very different to what someone else needs. With this in mind, do your research to look at what a policy actually offers compared to other similar policies out there on the market. While comprehensive policies may share several cover features, such as accidental damage and a courtesy car, there will be other features that differ and may actually cost you more if a particular insurer classes the protection as an optional extra.
Think about the optional extras on offer to enhance your cover and check to see if there are other insurers that include what you need as part of their standard policies. If you think you do need one or more of the optional extras, weigh up the extra cost with the peace of mind it might give you. Do you really need breakdown cover, European cover or enhanced legal protection? Extra protection will come at an extra cost, so only add cover that you really want.
Customer satisfaction scores
In December 2023, we ran a customer satisfaction survey on insurance providers. We had 750 responses about car insurance providers.
The survey asked respondents how satisfied they were with their current insurance company (on a scale from 1 to 5 and also whether they would recommend the brand to a friend or not). We turned the results into star ratings and shortlisted the top-performing brands for our awards. If there was a draw, we used the recommendation score (that is, the percentage of customers who said they would recommend the brand to a friend) as a tie-breaker.
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.
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been reviewed by Rebecca Goodman, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.
Danny is a publisher at Finder specialising in insurance and investing. He previously worked at the global insurer Aon and has appeared in national media giving advice on insurance. Danny holds a BA in International Business from the University of Plymouth and has undying loyalty to his average-poor football team, Portsmouth FC. See full bio
Danny's expertise
Danny has written 347 Finder guides across topics including:
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Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
