By Miles car insurance review

If you only drive occasionally, standard car insurance may not give you the best value for money. By Miles is a car insurer that’s challenging the traditional model – it offers pay-as-you-go (PAYG) insurance, so instead of a flat rate, you pay based on how much you drive. If you drive less than 6,000 miles a year (around 110 a week), it’s probably worthwhile getting a quote from a PAYG insurer like By Miles.

Quality car insurance, by the mile

• Pay only for what you use without compromising cover
• No claims bonus protection comes as standard
• Instantly see what you will pay through the app

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Who is By Miles?

By Miles is a British insurance company that offers pay-as-you-go car insurance aimed at those who don’t drive regularly.

• Who underwrites By Miles car insurance?

  By Miles pay-as-you-go insurance is underwritten by a panel of insurers that includes AXA Insurance UK plc and Tradewise Insurance Company Limited.

  By Miles is also authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

What are By Miles’ cover options?

Unlike other providers, By Miles only offers comprehensive car insurance and does not offer policies for third party only (TPO) or third party, fire and theft (TPFT). According to By Miles, this is because third party only cover can actually increase the cost of insurance, but it also means drivers may be able to find cheaper basic insurance elsewhere.

How does By Miles pay-as-you-go insurance work?

By Miles car insurance is a comprehensive pay-per-mile policy, which means your insurance premiums are calculated based on the total number of miles you drive during the insurance period. You’ll still need to pay a fixed annual premium, which covers you against any theft or accidental damage, but this will likely be lower than a regular comprehensive insurance premium.

After you’ve bought your policy, By Miles will send you a telematics box, known as a Miles Tracker, which you’ll need to attach to your car. This device measures the number of miles you drive, which can be tracked online or via the By Miles app. You’ll then pay a premium based on how far you drive.

Unlike other types of black box insurance, By Miles does not track your overall driving performance, and your premiums will not be determined by how well you drive.

What’s covered under my policy?

By Miles only offers comprehensive insurance, so there’s no option to get basic third party or third party, fire and theft cover.

Optional extras

You can choose to add legal expenses cover and breakdown cover to your policy, but also get no claims discount protection included.

Exclusions

• You use the vehicle inappropriately.
• The vehicle is driven by an unlicensed or uninsured driver.
• You provided incorrect or misleading information in your application.
• You fail to make your premium payments.
• You tamper with the tracker or use it incorrectly.

If your Miles Tracker is unplugged, you’ll automatically be charged at a rate of 150 miles per day, regardless of how much you actually drive that day. Your policy may also be cancelled if you leave the Miles Tracker unplugged for 14 days.

How do I make a claim?

In order to make a claim, you’ll need to call the By Miles claims line on 0330 088 3838, which is open 24 hours a day, all year round.

You’ll need to provide details of the incident, including registration number and contact details of the other party, any witnesses or injuries, as well as photos of the incident if possible.

By Miles customer reviews

Reviews of By Miles on the platform Trustpilot – totalling well over 4,000 – are overwhelmingly positive, saying it’s “smooth”, “simple” and “excellent value for money”. The overall score is an “Excellent” 4.6 out of 5. One negative review referenced a high quote, and another referred to a claim that seemed to be in limbo.

On the App Store and on Google Play, the By Miles app gets just shy of 4 stars out of 5. (Last updated: July 2021.)

By Miles insurance pros and cons

Our verdict

By Miles customers (or “members” as they are called) seem to rate it highly. The app has some useful features such as showing the cost of each journey, which helps you make decisions about whether taking the car is really worth it. If you drive less than 6,000 miles a year, don’t mind plugging in a tracker and want comprehensive cover, it’s worth getting a quote from By Miles.

If you have read this review and decided that By Miles car insurance is not for you, you can also compare other car insurance policies on the market.