Struggling to find cheap car insurance? This award-winning insurance broker says it has negotiated discounts with its partners so it can offer you cheaper deals, including for multi-car cover. We’ve analysed the options available through Autonet Insurance to help you decide whether any of them is right for you.
Who is Autonet Insurance?
Autonet Insurance Group is an independent, award-winning insurance broker that was established in 1998. It offers separate car, van and HGV insurance as well as a range of other products, including travel, landlord and shop insurance.
What are Autonet Insurance’s levels of cover?
Autonet Insurance Third party cover
Third party cover is the minimum level of cover that Autonet offers. All drivers in the UK are legally obliged to have at least this level of insurance. If you are responsible for causing an accident, you’ll be covered for damage to third party vehicles or property. It won’t however, cover any damage to your own car.
Autonet Insurance Third Party Fire and Theft cover
This will give the same level of cover as third party but will also provide protection against any fire damage to your car or theft of it.
Autonet Insurance comprehensive cover
This is highest level of cover available and gives the same protection as the other levels as well as insuring your vehicle against accidental damage and vandalism.
What types of car insurance are available?
- Learner driver car insurance. If you’re learning to drive in someone else’s car, this cover is designed to be taken out alongside the car owner’s own car insurance policy. It is available for one day, one week or one, two or three months. If you have an accident on this policy, it won’t affect the no-claims bonus of the car owner’s own policy.
- Single driver car insurance. Autonet provides insurance for all ages and driving experiences, and claims to be able to provide you as the sole driver of your car with a discounted quote.
- Telematics (“black box”) car insurance. If you’re a safe driver, you could choose to have a black box fitted to your car that monitors your driving and braking habits. You’ll then be able to build up your no-claims bonus as well as a safe driver discount as long as you don’t make a claim.
- Multiple driver car insurance. If your car is regularly driven by you and others in your house, consider car insurance that will name multiple drivers on one policy.
- Short-term car insurance. If you need someone else to drive your car while you rest or you want to protect your no-claims bonus when a friend wants to borrow your car, you can take out a short-term insurance policy. It’ll mean claims can be made without affecting your no-claims bonus.
- Autonet Plus. This is an upgrade to standard cover that includes motor legal and windscreen cover.
- Autonet Protect. This is an enhanced policy to standard cover that includes motor legal and guaranteed hire vehicle cover.
- Autonet Protect Plus. This is another upgrade to standard cover that includes motor legal, windscreen, guaranteed hire vehicle and breakdown cover.
What’s covered under my policy?
Cover benefits | Third party | Third party, fire and theft | Comprehensive |
---|---|---|---|
Liability to other people and property | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Liability to other people and property | ✓ | ✓ | |
Liability to other people and property | ✓ |
Beyond the standard cover benefits above, any other benefits to your insurance policy will vary depending on the insurer that is able to provide the cover through Autonet Insurance Group.
Check your policy details carefully to ensure you have the right cover for your needs.
Optional extras
In addition to the standard levels of cover, Autonet Insurance can also provide a range of additional protection to add to your policy, including:
- Breakdown cover
- Windscreen cover
- Excess protection
- Motor legal expenses
- Guaranteed hire car cover
What policy exclusions are there?
Your cover is likely to become invalid if any of the following arises:
- If you make a claim, knowing that it is false or fraudulent.
- Your car is being driven by an unnamed driver on your policy or by a person that does not have a valid driving licence.
- Your car is used for rallies, races or competitions.
- You are paid to carry passengers.
- You fail to pay for your premium.
- You change your car during the policy term to a car that the insurer cannot cover.
- You do not provide the correct documents to support your application such as proof of your entitled no-claims bonus.
Check your policy for further details to confirm your cover is valid.
How do I make a claim?
You should call the Autonet Claims helpline on 0800 9 537 537. This is a 24-hour claim line open seven days a week. If you’ve been involved in an accident, Autonet will require the following information for all parties involved:
- Names and addresses
- Contact details
- Vehicle registration numbers, as well as makes and models
- Insurance details and policy numbers
It’s vital that you let your insurer know about an incident as soon as possible, even if it’s not your fault. Failure to do this could result in a rejected claim.
What is my excess?
Your insurance excess is the initial amount of money that you have to pay towards a claim. Your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than this amount. And you will be expected to pay this for each and every claim made.
A compulsory excess amount might vary depending on the age of your car and your driving experience.
A voluntary excess is normally an amount set by you when taking out a policy. You’ll have the option of adding or increasing a voluntary excess, which could in turn reduce your premium.
You’ll find details about any compulsory or voluntary excesses in your policy document.
Autonet Insurance customer reviews
On the reviews platorm Trustpilot, Autonet has well over 11,000 reviews and scores 4.4 out of 5. It gets the top rating of “Excellent” in nearly three-quarters of reviews. Comments include that it’s good value – though “probably not the cheapest” – and easy to use. (Last updated: July 2021).
Autonet pros and cons
Pros
- Works with well-known insurance brands
- Immediate car cover
- A range of optional extras to enhance cover
- Cover for a range of budgets
Cons
- Your no-claims bonus may still be affected even if you are not at fault
Our verdict
As a broker that works with dozens of insurers, Autonet is able to offer an array of options, and add-ons, ranging from short-term cover up to enhanced comprehensive policies. Customer comments are mostly positive, with a few citing a negative experience of prices rising after an initial quote. The company says its agents are “experienced” and this seems to be reflected in the customer feedback.
If you have read this review and decided that Autonet car insurance is not for you, you can also compare other car insurance policies on the market.
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