The UK’s best car insurance companies in 2021

The best car insurance gives you the right cover at the right price and is there in your hour of need. We’ve given comprehensive policies a policy score for the level of cover they provide, and surveyed customers to give a customer satisfaction rating. We’ve also picked out policies that excel in specific categories like multi-car or for young drivers.

Summary: Best car insurance companies in the UK 2021, by category

• LV=: Best for cheaper rates
• Direct Line: Best for customer service
• Admiral: Best for multi-car
• Saga: Best for over-50s
• Veygo: Best for temporary insurance
• Hastings Direct: Best for young drivers
• Swinton: Best for convicted drivers
• Churchill: Best for black box cover

Best car insurance for cheaper rates

The cheapest car insurance company for one driver might not be cheapest for another, because insurers price risk in different ways (risk is calculated using your driving history and personal details). That said, some providers tend to offer good rates. Insurance prices have generally fallen during the pandemic as people have driven less, and it’s always worth shopping around.

Finder’s pick: LV= comprehensive

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

Get a quote

We chose LV= car insurance as our top pick because:

• We ran quotes for a range of different age groups and found that LV= tended to offer competitive insurance quotes across the board.
• LV= offers a range of car insurance policies for standard, classic and electric cars.
• LV= offers discounts for multiple vehicles (up to 20% per extra vehicle).

Need to know: There’s an admin fee for changing the vehicle or a named driver on your policy.

Read our review of LV= car insurance.

Best multi-car insurance

Many households in the UK own more than one car. The good news is that there are also many insurance companies who offer a discount for insuring multiple cars with them. Some will even let you throw a motorcycle or van into the mix.

Understand and compare the best multi-car insurance companies

Finder’s pick: Admiral comprehensive

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

Get a quote

We chose Admiral car insurance as our top pick because:

• MultiCar customers could save £240 (10% of customers who provided a best alternative price saved £240, according to Admiral).
• Admiral has one policy for all cars, with one renewal date.
• Each car has its own no-claims bonus, and you can have different levels of cover for different cars on the same policy.

Need to know: Claims helplines aren’t open 24/7.

Read our review of Admiral car insurance.

Best car insurance for over-50s

All providers offer insurance to older drivers – and non-specialists can offer great rates – but over-50s car insurance policies offer tailored extras, and age limits tend to be more flexible. Age Co has no upper age limit and offers a Message Relay service, where a friend or family member to be contacted if you have an accident.

Compare the best over 50s car insurance companies

Finder’s pick: Saga comprehensive

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

We chose Saga car insurance as our top pick because:

• Saga offers specialist cover for over-50s and customers get unlimited European cover.
• Drivers over 50 get discounts for insuring additional cars registered to the same address.
• Saga car insurance has no upper age limit.

Need to know: Cancelling a policy can incur an admin fee of up to £50.

Read our review of Saga car insurance.

Best temporary car insurance

If you’re travelling a short distance or only plan on using a car for a short period of time, it doesn’t make sense to get long-term cover.

With temporary car insurance, if you have to make a claim, the no claims discount of the car’s named driver won’t be affected.

Compare the best temporary car insurance companies

Finder’s pick: Tempcover car insurance

Finder rating

★★★★★

Get a quote

We chose Tempcover car insurance as our top pick because:

• Tempcover offers great flexibility in the policy duration (1 hour – 28 days).
• Making a claim won’t affect a no-claims discount built up on an annual policy.
• Cover can be enhanced with extra protection.

Need to know: You have to pay upfront for your policy.

Read our review of Tempcover car insurance.

Best car insurance for young drivers

It can be tough being a new driver, especially when you see how much you may have to pay for insurance. Drivers under the age of 25 typically need to pay more than £1,300 a year for car insurance.

While most providers will cover a young or inexperienced driver, there are a few who offer deals that won’t break the bank, and some may even offer discounted premiums.

Marmalade insurance deserves a mention here. The company scored 4 stars in our customer satisfaction survey, with 87% of customers saying they would recommend it. Marmalade’s black box policy is not the most comprehensive, but it is a strong option, especially if you value good customer service.

Finder’s pick: Hastings Direct car insurance

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

Get a quote

We chose Hastings Direct car insurance as our top pick because:

• Hastings Direct has multi-car and telematics (black box) cover options, and cover’s available to new and young drivers.
• This insurer offers a range of affordable policies for drivers aged 17-25.
• The claims team is available 24/7.

Need to know: The Hastings Direct website isn’t easy to navigate.

Read our review of Hastings Direct car insurance.

Best car insurance company for convicted drivers

If you have a driving conviction, such as speeding or drink driving, getting car insurance can be a struggle. This disclosure calculator, run by Unlock and Home Protect can help you gauge whether a past conviction is now “spent”.

Finder’s pick: Swinton car insurance

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

Get a quote

We chose Swinton car insurance as our top pick because:

• Swinton has a dedicated section on the website for convicted drivers.
• It offers 3 levels of comprehensive cover.
• The claims helpline is open 24/7.

Need to know: There’s no option to have just third-party only.

Read our review of Swinton car insurance.

Best car insurance for customer service

Finder’s pick: Direct Line car insurance

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

We chose Direct line car insurance as our top pick because:

• Direct Line won Finder’s 2021 Car Insurance Customer Satisfaction Awards, scoring 4.5 stars out of 5 for overall satisfaction.
• There’s no charge for mid-term amendments.
• Direct Line offers exclusive deals for existing customers.

Need to know: The claims line isn’t 24/7, but there is an out-of-hours emergency helpline.

Read our review of Direct Line car insurance.

Best black box insurance

Black box cover is when a telematics device is installed in your car to track your driving. If you drive well, your premiums reduce. Consistently breaking the rules and restrictions of the policy will end up costing you in higher premiums.

Compare the best black box insurance companies

Finder’s pick: Churchill car insurance

Finder rating

★★★★★

Customer satisfaction

★★★★★

Get a quote

We chose Churchill car insurance as our top pick because:

• Telematics cover, called DriveSure, is available for drivers aged 17-25.
• You’re guaranteed a discount on your first year for using the black box technology.
• You can view your driving score on the DriveSure app.

Need to know: No 24/7 claims line (but an emergency helpline is available).

Read our review of Churchill car insurance.

Top 10 car insurance companies in 2021, by policy score

For all results, including customer satisfaction ratings, skip to our full table.

How did we rate car insurance companies?

Finder insurance expert Danny Butler shares our research

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, two 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 1,513 customers, so you can hear what companies are like from the people who matter most.

Below, 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 in the next section. Insurance is highly personal and rates change often, so these picks are just a steer.

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 how premiums are calculated. The key is the 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.

1. 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.
2. 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 see 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).
3. 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.
4. 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 do want to stick with your insurer, you can try haggling, as that’s common and usually effective.

Full table: Car insurance customer satisfaction and policy scores

Ranking	Logo	Provider	Overall satisfaction	Customers who’d recommend	Comprehensive policy score
1		NFU Mutual	★★★★★	75%	83.2%
2		Aviva	★★★★★	72%	82.51%
3		Saga	★★★★★	71%	82.3%
4		M&S	Not yet rated	N/A	81.47%
5		Direct line	★★★★★	82%	80.84%
6		Sheilas’ Wheels	★★★★★	79%	79.9%
7		Age Co	★★★★★	81%	79.57%
8		RIAS	Not yet rated	N/A	79.24%
9		AXA	★★★★★	74%	77.97%
10		Hastings Direct	★★★★★	76%	77.02%
11=		Co op	Not yet rated	N/A	76.89%
11=		Post Office	Not yet rated	N/A	76.89%
12=		Tesco	★★★★★	68%	76.4%
12=		More Than	★★★★★	70%	76.4%
13		RAC	Not yet rated	N/A	76.27%
14		Diamond	★★★★★	74%	76.17%
15		Swinton	★★★★★	62%	75.94%
16		Ageas	★★★★★	64%	75.91%
17		Quotemehappy	Not yet rated	N/A	75.32%
18		LV=	★★★★★	78%	75.13%
19=		Elephant	Not yet rated	N/A	75%
19=		Budget Insurance	Not yet rated	N/A	75%
20		Churchill	★★★★★	73%	74.73%
21		Policy Expert	Not yet rated	N/A	74.21%
22		Marshmallow	Not yet rated	N/A	73.52%
23		Admiral	★★★★★	79%	73.46%
24		1st Central	Not yet rated	N/A	73.33%
25=		Endsleigh	★★★★★	67%	72.94%
25=		Sainsbury	Not yet rated	N/A	71.96%
27		eSure	Not yet rated	N/A	70.62%
28		Bell	Not yet rated	N/A	70.09%
29		Debenhams	Not yet rated	N/A	69.93%
30		GoSkippy	Not yet rated	N/A	67.84%
31		Policy wise	Not yet rated	N/A	66.6%

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.

• What is the best way to save on my car insurance?

  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 that 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.

• 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 can I cut costs and still get the best level of 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.

• What features should I look for to get the best car insurance 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.

Customer satisfaction ratings methodology

In December 2020, we ran a customer satisfaction survey on insurance providers. We had 1,513 responses about car insurance providers.

The survey asked respondents how satisfied they were with their current insurance company (on a scale from one to five, 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. When 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.

Full details of our star ratings for this sector are on the insurance ratings methodology page.