By Miles car insurance review

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Our verdict

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.

Best for: Low mileage

Pros

• 24-hour claims helpline
• Free no-claims discount protection
• Voluntary excess option
• App (and online dashboard) shows you the cost of each journey

Cons

• No basic cover options
• Only offers pay-per-mile insurance

Get a quote

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.

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. It was founded in 2016 and acquired by Direct Line in 2023.

Who underwrites By Miles car insurance?

By Miles pay-as-you-go insurance policies are underwritten by a panel of experienced insurers, including UK Insurance Ltd and Covea.

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

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.

What are By Miles’ different policies?

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.

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.

What is my excess?

When you make a claim, you have to pay an amount of money towards it – that is called an excess.

The exact amount varies according to a few personal factors, like the type of car that’s covered and the age of both the car and the driver.

Taking out protected or guaranteed no-claims bonus protection will also affect your excess.

All the details about your excess terms can be found in your policy schedule.

By Miles customer reviews

As of May 2024, reviews of By Miles on the platform Trustpilot – totalling almost 10,000 – are overwhelmingly positive, saying it’s “smooth”, “simple” and “excellent value for money”. The overall score is an “Excellent” 4.3 out of 5.

How to cancel By Miles car insurance

You can cancel using the live chat feature in the app or on the website. There’s a £50 cancellation fee.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I get insurance that starts immediately?

  Yes. When you get a quote online, you can choose for your cover to start the same day.

• Can I pay for my car insurance in monthly instalments?

  Yes, you pay your premiums on a monthly basic. There is also an annual fee that you’ll need to pay upfront.

• How do I check my By Miles car insurance expiry date?

  You can check your expiry date online or in the app.

Written by

Tom Stelzer

Writer

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Tom Stelzer is a writer for Finder specialising in personal finance, including loans and credit, as well as small business and business loans. He has previously worked as a freelance writer covering entertainment, culture and football for publications like FourFourTwo and Man of Many. He has a Master of Media Arts and Production and Bachelor of Communications in Journalism from the University of Technology Sydney. See full bio

Co-written by

Jason Loewenthal

Senior writer

Jason is a writer and editor. He worked as a senior subeditor for Finder for 5 years and in that time became familiar with a wide range of financial products and services. Before that, he worked for Australian Associated Press. He has a BA from Macquarie University in Australia. Jason loves to help other people find new ways to save money. See full bio