The UK’s best car insurance companies in 2021

Top pick for

Best overall

Aviva Comprehensive

Top pick for

Cheaper rates

LV= Comprehensive

Top pick for

New-drivers

Hastings Direct Standard

Top pick for

Multi-car

Admiral MultiCar

Best car insurance for cheaper rates

The cheapest insurance for you depends on what you’re looking for in a policy, plus other factors such as your driving record, location, demographics and car. The cheapest car insurance company for one driver might not be the same one for another.

That said, some providers are known to have lower premiums. However, remember that cheapest doesn’t mean best, so make sure the cover you take out is sufficient to your needs.

How to get the cheapest car insurance

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Finder's pick: LV car insurance

Discounts for new customers

24/7 claims helpline

Multi-car discount

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

We analysed the average quotes offered to a range of different age groups and concluded that LV= tends to offer competitive insurance quotes across the board. This insurer offers multi-car discounts (up to 20% on an additional vehicle), plus you can often lower your premium by adding a voluntary excess. LV= also covers European use, damage by uninsured drivers, vandalism and accidental damage as standard with its over-50s policies.

• Insurance provider offering a range of car insurance policies for standard, classic and electric cars.
• Multi-vehicle insurance available.
• A range of optional extras to enhance car cover.
• Claims line is open 24/7.

• A change in vehicle or named drivers may result in an administration fee.
• Terminating a policy within or after the 14-day cooling-off period will result in a £40 cancellation fee.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Optional extra
Multi-car-discount	Yes
Courtesy Car	Optional extra
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes

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

Customer satisfaction: 4/5

★★★★★

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Finder's Pick: Admiral's multi-car insurance

Multi-car discount

New car replacement

No-claims protection

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

Admiral offers three levels of car insurance cover and six different types of policy, so you’re likely to find cover to suit your needs. With Admiral MultiCar insurance, you will receive an immediate discount for every car you add to the policy. You will also benefit from having one policy for all vehicles and one renewal date. There’s also an option for combined home and car insurance, labelled Admiral MultiCover. Admiral also offers temporary car insurance with Veygo.

• One policy for all cars with one renewal date.
• MultiCar customers could save £252 (10% of customers who provided a best alternative price saved £252 between October 2019 and March 2020).
• Admiral’s comprehensive policies offer the use of a courtesy car if yours is being repaired at an Admiral approved garage.

• 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.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Optional
Multi-car-discount	No
Courtesy Car	Yes
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes, with comprehensive cover

Best car insurance for over 50s

While all providers will offer insurance to older drivers, the best over-50s car insurance policies may be those designed specifically for that demographic.

Other than Saga, Age Co is also a great option. It has no upper age limit and offers a handy Message Relay service, where a friend or family member to be contacted if you have an accident.

That said, the specialists may not necessarily offer you the best deal. For example, LV= is known for its competitive deals for older drivers, particularly those aged over 80. Like Age Co, More Than also has no age limit, where many other providers cap their cover at between age 75 and 85.

Compare the best over 50s car insurance companies

Customer satisfaction: 3.5/5

★★★★★

Get a quote Read review

Finder's Pick: Saga comprehensive car insurance

Unlimited EU cover

No-claims protection

Uninsured driver cover

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

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. Lastly, all Saga policies come with cover for unlimited European use and protection against uninsured drivers.

• Unlimited European use cover.
• Protection against uninsured drivers.
• Discounts for insuring additional cars registered to the same address for drivers over 50.
• Highly commended in our 2020 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards with a score of 5 out of 5 stars.

• Changing your details mid-term may result in a £25 administration fee.
• Cancelling a policy may result in an administration fee of up to £50.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Yes
Multi-car-discount
Courtesy Car	Yes
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes, with comprehensive cover

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.

The best thing about temporary car insurance is that, if you have to make a claim, the no claims discount of the car’s named driver will not be affected. That’s no excuse to be reckless, of course, but is definitely a relief!

Compare the best temporary car insurance companies

Customer satisfaction: 4/5

★★★★★

Read review

Finder's Pick: Veygo (by Admiral) temporary car insurance

Immediate cover

Pay-as-you-go car insurance

Flexible duration cover

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

Veygo is a UK-based insurance company that was founded in 2017, and is part of the Admiral Group. Veygo specialises in learner-driver insurance and temporary car insurance. The company aims to help young drivers and drivers who need to borrow someone else’s car by providing them with an affordable way to get them on the road.

• Flexible temporary insurance for whatever time frame you need.
• The cover begins as soon as you purchase it.
• The policy won’t affect the car owner’s no claims bonus.

• Veygo short-term car insurance gets expensive if you’re looking for cover that’s approaching 30 days.
• You’re not covered abroad with this insurance.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	No
No claims protection	Yes
Multi-car-discount
Courtesy Car	Yes
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes

Best car insurance for new 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.

Customer satisfaction: 4/5

★★★★★

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Finder's pick: Hastings Direct car insurance

Optional breakdown cover

Multi-car discount

24/7 claims helpline

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

This insurer offers a range of affordable policies especially for 17- to 25-year-olds. On top of that, it offers black box insurance discounts for multi-car policies. There’s a range of add-ons including breakdown cover and car key insurance, making it easy to tailor your policy to suit your needs.

• Windscreen and windows glass cover included as standard in the Direct and Premier comprehensive policies.
• Hastings Direct has Multi-car and Telematix cover options and cover is available to new and young drivers.
• The claims team is available 24/7.

• There isn’t a lot of information about the third party, third party, fire and theft or the Essential comprehensive policies available prior to quote stage.
• The Hastings Direct website is not easy to navigate.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Optional
Multi-car-discount	Yes
Courtesy Car	Yes
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Up to £1000

Best car insurance company for convicted drivers

If you have a driving conviction, such as speeding, drink driving or driving without insurance, getting car insurance can be a struggle. Even just having points on your licence can lead to a hike in your premium.

If you’re unsure how your conviction might affect your cover, you can use this handy disclosure calculator, run by Unlock and Home Protect.

Customer satisfaction: 3/5

★★★★★

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Finder's Pick: Swinton Classic car insurance

Uninsured driver cover

Driving abroad cover

24/7 claims helpline

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

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. Out of our top 10, it's also the only company that has a special page on its site dedicated to insurance for convicted drivers is Swinton. It’s not a specialist policy, just their regular offering, but the fact they took the time to create a special section of the site for this means they might be more sympathetic towards drivers with these circumstances.

• Comprehensive cover for a variety of circumstances
• Windscreen cover included in all comprehensive policies
• Dedicated section on the website for convicted drivers

• No third party only cover available

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Optional
Multi-car-discount
Courtesy Car	Yes
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes

Finder's Pick: Swinton Classic car insurance

• Car insurance from £168 a year
• Choose from Essential, Classic or Premier cover
• Add optional extras such as breakdown cover

Compare with similar providers

Best car insurance for customer service

An insurer can have the best car insurance product on the market, but if its customer service is not up to par, especially at the point of claim, then all the included-as-standard features in the world can’t make up for that.

Customer service varies widely between insurers, including communication methods available, operating hours and level of care. Not all companies have a 24/7 claims line, which can be a barrier, especially when it comes to car insurance.

Customer satisfaction: 3.5/5

★★★★★

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Finder's Pick: Aviva comprehensive car insurance

Optional breakdown cover

Multi-car discount

24/7 claims helpline

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

In our latest survey, Aviva came top for customer satisfaction, with 5 out of 5 stars and 91% of its customers saying they would recommend the service to friends and family. The largest general insurer in the UK, Aviva has three levels of comprehensive cover to choose from, as well as third party and third party, fire and theft cover. You can also manage your account with ease using the online MyAviva portal. When insuring multiple policies, you'll still only have to deal with one insurance document and one renewal date.

• Came top in our customer satisfaction survey, with 91% of existing customers saying they would recommend.
• Access to a 24/7 claims line.
• Named driver discount.
• Uninsured driver protection included.
• Cover to drive someone else’s car available.

• EU cover is an optional extra.
• No courtesy car as standard.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Yes
Multi-car-discount	Yes
Courtesy Car	Optional extra
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes, with comprehensive cover

Best black box insurance

As mentioned above, 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 policy fines.

Compare the best black box insurance companies

Customer satisfaction: 4/5

★★★★★

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Finder's pick: Churchill car insurance

Discounts for good driving

24/7 emergency helpline

Courtesy car as standard

• Why it's best
• Pros and cons
• Details

Churchill's "DriveSure" telematics policy is available for 17- to 25-year-olds. You'll be guaranteed a discount on your premium with your first year of using this technology. It's one of the most affordable, intelligent and fair black box car insurance policies on the market. You'll be able to see your driving score on the DriveSure app – and will be able to claim another discount in the next year if your score is high.

• Uninsured driver promise.
• If your car is vandalised and you have a crime reference number, you won’t lose your no claims discount.
• Access to a 24/7 legal advice helpline.
• Telematics cover, called DriveSure, available.

• No 24/7 claim line (emergency line available).
• No third party only cover available.

Roadside assistance	Optional extra
EU Coverage	Yes
No claims protection	Minimum 4 Years of NCD for it be protected
Multi-car-discount	Yes
Courtesy Car	Yes
Claims Methods	Online or phone
Personal Accident Protection	Yes

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.

Who are the best car insurance companies in the UK? A summary

Our list below of the top 10 car insurance companies reflects the overall strength of their comprehensive car insurance policy, the cover limits included as standard and aspects related to customer service and policy management. The full league table can be found beneath the top 10.

1. NFU Mutual – 83.2%
2. Aviva – 82.51%
3. Saga – 82.3%
4. M&S – 81.47%
5. Direct Line – 80.84%
6. Sheila’s Wheels – 79.9%
7. Age Co – 79.57%
8. RIAS – 79.24%
9. AXA – 77.97%
10. Hastings Direct – 77.02%

The best car insurance company for you will look very different depending on your own circumstances – inexperienced young drivers are unlikely to need policies designed for the over-50s. With this in mind, we’ve highlighted our top picks for different categories.

Best car insurance in the UK by customer satisfaction (2021 updated)

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 1,513 insurance customers was carried out in December 2020.

Overall satisfaction	Customers who’d recommend	Issuer	Review
★★★★★	82%		Direct Line climbed up two places from last year to claim the top spot in 2021. The company received high praise from customers, with many of them calling Direct Line’s service excellent and praising the good value for money and helpful staff.	View deals
★★★★★	78%		As well as standard car insurance, LV= recently launched LV= Flow – its short term cover service. The company’s comprehensive cover includes windshield damage and replacement locks and was praised by customers as excellent value.	View deals
★★★★★	81%		Age Co, formerly known as Age UK, is an over-50s specialist. While it does offer cover to younger drivers as well, its policies are tailored to those with more experience – in life and on the road. The company’s customers say it’s helpful and friendly with competitive prices.	View deals
★★★★★	79%		As 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. Customers praised the competitive prices and good value service.	View deals
★★★★★	79%		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. Customers in our survey love the helpful staff.	View deals
★★★★★	78%		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 said the service is helpful and efficient. The AA got the top spot in our new	View deals
★★★★★	76%		Hastings Direct’s two main cover options are Direct and Premier. The company also offers a ‘no-frills’ policy called Essential cover, as well as third party only cover, and third party, fire and theft. Customers like the low prices and good service on offer.	View deals
★★★★★	75%		NFU Mutual started life as provider for farmers and those living in rural areas, but has since expanded to offer three levels of cover to all kinds of customer. All policies include breakdown cover from RAC, and customers love that they can talk to the company’s helpful staff in their local branch.	View deals
★★★★★	82%		Known mostly as a posh department store, John Lewis also provides a range of financial products. Its comprehensive policy comes with a lot of benefits, including misfuelling and vehicle ID theft cover as standard.	View deals
★★★★★	74%		Axa’s comprehensive cover comes with a lifetime guarantee on repairs, a courtesy car and protection from uninsured drivers. Customers in our survey called the company’s service good, but opinions were split on its prices.	View deals
★★★★★	74%		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
★★★★★	73%		Most people would be aware of Churchill, largely due 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 competitive prices.	View deals
★★★★★	72%		Last year’s winner, Aviva is the largest general insurer in the UK. It has three levels of comprehensive cover to choose from, as well as third party only, and third party, fire and theft cover. Customers still praise the good service and call the company reliable and trustworthy.	View deals
★★★★★	71%		Another over-50s insurer, Saga offers cover tailored to older drivers, 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
★★★★★	64%		Ageas only offers comorehensive cover, but it’s pretty decent, with personal accident, windscreen cover and replacement keys all included as standard. Opinions on the quality of service and claim handling are split, but many customers report good experiences.	View deals
★★★★★	70%		More Than’s comprehensive policy 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
★★★★★	68%		The largest supermarket chain in the 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 as being good value.	View deals
★★★★★	67%		Endsleigh was founded in 1965 by the NUS to provide affordable insurance designed for students. It now offers cover for everyone, but still specialises in policies for students. As well as a decent comprehensive policy, the company offers customers 20% off MOT costs and 10% off servicing.	View deals
★★★★★	62%		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

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.

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.