Top 10 best car insurance companies in 2020

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Name	Product	Available Cover	Details	Link
Aviva car insurance		Third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Cover for legal costs if you're involved in an accident. Uninsured driver promise, transport home or to your destination. Pay monthly, interest free. Named driver and multi-car discount.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
AA Car Insurance		Third Party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	10% of new AA customers paid just £165 or less for comprehensive cover purchased online.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Saga Comprehensive		Third party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Unlimited European use cover and uninsured driver protection. Discounts for over-50s.	Compare quotes	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Churchill Comprehensive		Third party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Replacement, upgrade or the money in case of write-off. Vandalism and uninsured driver promise. Multi-car options and discounts available.	Compare providers	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
LV= Comprehensive		Third party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Replacement lock cover, misfuelling and accident cover and lifetime guarantee on eligible repairs* Multi-car discount available	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Hastings Direct		Third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Windscreen and windows glass cover included as standard in Direct and Premier cover. Cover for new and young drivers available.	Compare now	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Admiral Comprehensive		Third party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Courtesy car and windscreen repair included. Unlimited cover for standard audiovisual equipment.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Endsleigh Car Insurance		Third Party only, Third Party Fire & Theft and Comprehensive, Student, Young Driver, Blackbox	24-hour windscreen and glass cover, personal accident cover up to £2,000, replacement car and theft cover on selected policies. Tailored policies for younger drivers.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
AXA Car Insurance		Third party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Courtesy car and wrong fuel cover included as standard. You can get up to 15% multi-car discount for additional cars registered at your address.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
More Than car insurance		Third party only, third party fire and theft and comprehensive	Uninsured driver promise. Breakdown cover included as standard.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Post Office Money		Comprehensive, Third Party Fire and Theft & Third Party only	Post Office car insurance is arranged and administered by BISL Limited and insured by a panel of insurers	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
M&S Bank		Third Party, Third Party Fire & Theft, Comprehensive	M&S Car Insurance is arranged and administered by BISL Limited using a panel of insurers. Terms and conditions apply.	Get a quote	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How to find the best car insurance company

Firstly, ensure you’re getting the cover you need. When shopping for car insurance, one of the first factors you’re likely to consider is how much it costs. But remember that choosing the cheapest policy won’t necessarily give you the cover benefits you need – it’s important to compare what you get with the policy.

Secondly, the real test of car insurance is what happens when you need to make a claim. That’s why it’s important to consider both the level of cover and the level of service. It’s no good having a courtesy car included in your cover if, in your hour of need, it’s not available or turns out to be a poor substitute for your own car. The information in this guide about our top insurers is a good starting point.

Lastly, of course no one wants to pay over the odds for their cover, so it’s always important to review your premium each year and compare car insurance from different providers. Consider switching as you’re likely to save – some people save hundreds of pounds. If you do want to stick with your insurer, you can try haggling, as that’s common and usually effective.

Our 2020 customer satisfaction league table

We asked policyholders to rate their satisfaction with their insurance company, and whether they’d recommend it to a friend. We’ve shown both for each brand in the table below. Our independent survey of 750 insurance customers was carried out in December 2019.

Overall satisfaction	Customers who’d recommend	Issuer	Review
★★★★★	91%		The largest general insurer in the UK and our top prize winner, Aviva has three levels of comprehensive cover to choose from, as well as third party and third party fire and theft cover. This might sound confusing, but customers in our survey praised the easy application process and good service.	View deals
★★★★★	81%		Saga offers specialist tailored cover for drivers over the age of 50, with a minimum age of 45 (you must have at least one named driver over the age of 50 on the policy to qualify). Customers reported friendly service and a good level of cover.	View deals
★★★★★	75%		While less of Direct Line’s customers said they would recommend the service, the strength of its policies pushed its overall score up. Customers surveyed called the products on offer competitive and the service helpful.	View deals
★★★★★	87%		As Marmalade only offers cover to drivers up to the age of 30, it didn’t quite make our top 10. However, the service did very well in our survey, with customers calling it easy to use and praising the competitive prices.	View deals
★★★★★	84%		Sheilas’ Wheels started life as a female-only car insurance provider, but now offers cover to both men and women, with a focus on benefits to appeal to women and parents The service was said to be helpful and efficient by customers.	View deals
★★★★★	83%		Most people would be aware of Churchill, largely to its nodding dog. Love or hate those ads, customers called the service provided by Churchill reliable and helpful, and some were impressed by the claim handling process.	View deals
★★★★★	82%		As well as standard car insurance, LV= also offers cover for electric and classic cars. Its comprehensive cover includes windshield damage and replacement locks and was considered good value by customers in our survey.	View deals
★★★★★	77%		Hastings Direct’s two main cover options are Direct and Premier. The company also offers Essential comprehensive cover, as well as third party and third party fire and theft, but there’s not a lot of information available on those.	View deals
★★★★★	76%		As one of the most well-known insurers in the UK, Admiral offers a range of cover options, including combined a home and car policy, multi-car cover and temporary car insurance. Customers praised the good value cover and helpful staff.	View deals
★★★★★	76%		The company formerly known as Age UK, Age Co is another over-50s specialist. Like Saga, it also offers cover to younger drivers, but its policies are tailored to those with more experience – in life and on the road.	View deals
★★★★★	77%		Swinton offers three levels of comprehensive cover, as well as third party fire and theft. All comprehensive options offer decent benefits and the company also caters for young drivers, convicted drivers and those looking for short term cover.	View deals
★★★★★	73%		The largest supermarket chain in UK, Tesco also provides solid car insurance policies. You can choose the Black Box policy for young drivers (17-35), or the standard cover for drivers over 21, which customers reported to be good value.	View deals
★★★★★	72%		Axa’s comprehensive cover comes with a lifetime guarantee on repairs, a courtesy car and protection from uninsured drivers. The company’s claim handling service was said to be quick and efficient by customers in our survey.	View deals
★★★★★	71%		Known mostly as a posh department store, John Lewis also provides a range of financial products. Its comprehensive policy comes with a load of benefits, including misfuelling and vehicle ID theft cover as standard.	View deals
★★★★★	69%		A staple of the British roads, The AA offers third party fire and theft cover and a benefit-laden comprehensive cover. AA members get extra perks and customers called the company’s car insurance cover reasonably priced with good service.	View deals
★★★★★	65%		Diamond is another insurer targeting women drivers. Like Sheilas’ Wheels, it covers men as well, but has benefits such as handbag and child seat cover, which it believes will appeal to women (who are considered lower risk drivers).	View deals
★★★★★	64%		More Than’s comprehensive cover includes windscreen cover and replacement locks. The company also offers a third party, fire and theft policy, as well as cover for young drivers and a decent multi-car discount.	View deals

Car insurance ratings

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

• Which are the best and worst cars to insure?

  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, do your research before making the purchase to assess whether you can afford the insurance premiums that will follow.

• Can I get a cheaper quote if I have several cars to insure?

  Multi-car policies are a great way to save money on your car insurance costs if you have more than one car you need to insure. Insurance companies offer discounts if you’re looking to insure multiple vehicles. You can usually insure up to five cars with this type of policy.

• Is comprehensive cover always more expensive?

  No. Because of the risk profile of many people who take out a lower level of cover – such as third party or third party, fire and theft – getting comprehensive cover can work out cheaper. So it’s always worth checking.

• How much should I be paying for my car insurance?

  When your car insurance comes up for renewal, it’s always worth shopping around. Even if you want to stick with the same insurer, it pays to get some other quotes and haggle. It’s also worth considering switching as you could well find better cover for the same price, or better service, or both.

• How do I get the best car insurance rates?

  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.

  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.

• How are car insurers regulated?

  Car insurance companies are authorised and regulated by the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The way an insurance company conducts its business and how it treats its customers is regulated.

  An insurer cannot be authorised to operate without the approval of the FCA, which is then shared with the PRA.

• How can I cut costs without compromising on cover?

  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 premiums reduce but you may even become a safer driver.
  • If you can, select a safe and small car to driver rather than a sporty high-performance model.
  • Finally, always shop around and compare your options.

• How much cover do I need?

  How much cover you require will very much depend on your own circumstances. If you drive an old banger that has seen better days and you drive it infrequently, it might not make sense to choose a comprehensive policy. Alternatively, if you’re the proud owner of a brand new sports car that you commute to work in, you may want to opt for a comprehensive policy to ensure you’re not left out of pocket should anything go wrong with your car. Consider answering these questions about you and your car to help you decide what level of cover is appropriate for you:

  • How much is my car worth?
  • How old is my car?
  • What do I use my car for – business or pleasure?
  • How often do I drive my car?
  • Where is my car parked at night?
  • Am I a high-risk driver because of my age or driving experience?

• What features should I look for in a policy?

  What you need out of a car insurance policy may be very different to what someone else needs. With this in mind, do you 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 that are 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.