Customer rating
★★★★★
Satisfaction survey
Reliable and helpful service reported by customers.
Mixed reviews for claim handling.
Churchill car insurance review
Get the lowdown on car insurance from Churchill, including what's covered and the pros and cons of the policy. See if the dog delivers reliable cover for the right price.
Are you chasing your tail searching for dependable car insurance? Churchill offers the usual types of cover, but this top rated insurer also claims to review its rates continually. Find out what’s on offer and what Churchill’s customers think.
Who is Churchill?
Churchill – whose nodding bulldog has graced many an advert – offers a wide range of insurance including car, travel, pet and home.
Established in 1989, Churchill was one of the first direct car insurers in the UK.
Churchill became part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group after being acquired in 2003, but since 2012 it has been part of the Direct Line Group.
Who underwrites the car insurance from Churchill?
Churchill policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited.
U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential regulation Authority.
Compare Churchill car insurance policies
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What’s covered under my policy?
| Product Name | Churchill Third Party Fire and Theft | Churchill Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Damage to your car | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fire and theft | ✓ | ✓ |
| Personal accident cover | ✓ | ✓ |
| Personal belongings | ✓ | |
| Liabilities to third parties | ✓ | ✓ |
| No claims discount | ✓ | ✓ |
| No claims discount protection | Minimum 4 Years of NCD for it be protected |
Optional extras
Churchill offers a range of additional protection to bolt onto your policy, including:
- Breakdown cover. Churchill offers four different levels: Breakdown Service, Homecall Service, Homecall and Rescue Service and Advanced Rescue Service.
- Guaranteed hire car plus. Churchill will provide you with a hire car if your car is damaged due to an accident or fire, or if your car has not been recovered after being stolen.
- Legal assistance. Churchill will provide up to £100,000 of legal costs in the event of a legal dispute after an accident as long as there is a better than 50% chance that your claim will succeed.
- No-claims discount protection. You’ll need a minimum of four years’ no-claim discount and no more than one fault claim within the past three years for all drivers combined to be eligible for this cover.
What is my excess?
Your car insurance excess is the chunk of money you will need to pay towards a claim. The compulsory excess amount might vary depending on the age of your car and your driving experience and your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than this amount.
A voluntary excess sits on top of this and is usually set by you when you take out the policy. A higher voluntary excess can reduce your premiums, but make sure you can actually afford to pay it should the need arise.
You’ll find details about any compulsory or voluntary excesses in your policy document.
What is the claims process for Churchill?
Call the Churchill claims line on 0345 603 3599 to register a claim.
This claims line is open 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm Saturdays/bank holidays and 10am – 5pm Sundays.
If you need to report an incident outside of these hours, you can call the Churchill 24-hour accident recovery helpline on 0800 269 015.
You will need to provide the following information in order to make a claim:
- You details and personal contact details
- Details about the incident
- Details about the damage to your car and whether it is driveable
- Details of all third parties and their passengers involved in the incident
- Details of all passengers in your car and any witnesses of the incident
- Crime reference number, if relevant
It’s vital that you let your insurer know about an incident as soon as possible, even if it’s not your fault. Failure to do this could result in a rejected claim later on.
Churchill car insurance customer reviews
Customers who took part in Finder’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey were fairly positive about Churchill, with many highlighting its “great” customer service and affordable rates.
One customer said, “Churchill’s car insurance was easy to sign up to, and it gave me a great saving on my car insurance.”
Churchill received an overall customer satisfaction score of 4 out of 5, and 82% of customers would recommend the brand to a friend.
Pros and cons for Churchill car insurance
Pros
- 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
Cons
- No 24/7 claim line (emergency line available)
- No third party only cover available
Verdict
As one of the first direct car insurers in the UK, Churchill is a top dog in the market (sorry, we couldn’t help it…).
The company’s comprehensive cover is a good option if you’re looking for full protection for your car. Even if you don’t need that level of cover, it’s worth getting a quote for both cover options, as comprehensive can sometimes work out cheaper than just third party, fire and theft.
Churchill’s policies are not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for so always consider your needs above the price tag.
Get started by visiting Churchill’s website and sign up for a policy. If you have read this review and decided that Churchill car insurance is not for you, you can also compare other car insurance policies on the market.
Frequently asked questions
Car insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our customer satisfaction scores ("Customers say") are based on a survey of 1,654 customers carried out in December 2022.
Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.
The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you.
*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (June ’23). 51% of car insurance customers could save £488.46
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