Darwin car insurance review

Who is Darwin?

Darwin insurance is an innovative UK-based insurance company that forms part of the Direct Line Group. The company is fully regulated by the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Who underwrites Darwin’s car insurance?

Darwin’s car insurance policy is underwritten by UK Insurance Limited, which owns several well known brands, including Direct Line, Churchill, Privilege and Green Flag.

What is covered under my policy?

Darwin only offers a comprehensive car insurance policy, which includes the following benefits:

• Uninsured driver promise
• Courtesy car up to 21 days (or £50 per day up to a maximum of £500 for 21 days for travel costs)
• New car replacement benefit (conditions apply)
• Repairs guaranteed for five years (if done by approved repairers)
• Personal accident
• Windscreen cover
• No claims discount bonus (if applicable)
• Personal belongings
• Audio equipment and satellite navigation
• Liability cover up to £20 million
• Coverage abroad up to 90 days

Optional extras

For an extra premium, you can add the following benefits to your policy:

• Motor legal protection
• Protected no claim discount
• Guaranteed hire car plus
• Breakdown cover

How do I contact Darwin?

If you need to manage your policy, the best way to do this is through your online account. Changing your details this way is free, but you will be charged £25 to make changes over the phone.

You can also email Darwin insurance on contact@darwin-insurance.com.

If you do wish to contact customer service over the phone, you can call 0345 246 2083. Lines open Monday to Friday 8am-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-5pm and Bank Holidays 9am-5pm.

For breakdown assistance, call Green Flag on 0800400600.

To discuss your monthly instalments, call Close Brothers Premium Finance on 0333 321 8566.

What is the claims process for Darwin?

To make a claim on your Darwin car insurance, call 0345 246 2089. Lines are open 24/7.

In case of an emergency, you can call the 24-hour emergency helpline on 0800 051 9958.

For windscreen claims, call Darwin’s windscreen partner Autoglass on 0800 328 9150.

When you call to make a claim, you will need the following information to hand:

• Your details
• What happened and what the damage is to your car
• Whether your car is driveable
• Where you are
• Details of any witnesses or third parties who were involved in the incident
• Details of any passengers in your or the third party’s car
• Whether the police were involved and any crime reference number

Darwin car insurance customer reviews

On customer reviews platform Trustpilot, Darwin insurance has 4.6 out of 5 stars, giving it a rating of “Excellent”. This is based on more than 9,000 reviews.

Customers praise the ease of use, good value cover and helpful staff, but a few report a less than satisfactory customer service experience.

Darwin car insurance pros and cons

Verdict

If you’re looking for a comprehensive policy, Darwin’s offer is a good option. It includes a courtesy car and uninsured driver promise as standard, and has some useful optional extras available.

Darwin is best suited to people who are comfortable managing their policy entirely online, as there is a high administration charge for making changes over the phone. That said, the customer service phone line operates seven days a week with generous opening hours, and it’s even open on bank holidays.

Get started by visiting Darwin’s website and sign up for a policy. If you have read this review and decided that Darwin car insurance is not for you, you can also compare other car insurance policies on the market.

Frequently asked questions

• Is Darwin insurance legit?

  Yes. Darwin is a part of the Direct Line Group, a well-known company that owns respected brands such as Direct Line, Churchill and Green Flag.

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

  Yes. You can either pay for your Darwin car insurance in one lump sum by credit or debit card or pay by instalments via direct debit.

  Paying in instalments will be under a credit agreement with Darwin’s partner Close Brothers Premium Finance. To manage your payments, you can contact Close Brothers Premium Finance on 0333 321 8566.

• How do I make a complaint?

  To make a complaint, call 0345 246 2083.

  You can also email complaints@darwin-insurance.com

  Or write to:
  Complaints Manager
  Darwin Insurance
  C/O iGO4 Limited
  iGO4 House
  Staniland Way
  Peterborough
  PE4 6JT

• How does my Darwin car insurance policy renew?

  Darwin will send you an email some time before your policy ends, confirming whether it will renew automatically.

  If you have automatic renewal and all your details are correct, you can just let the policy renew on the date stated. Some policies will not be eligible for automatic renewal, in which case you can renew it through the “My Policy” portal or by calling Darwin customer service.

  Note that, even if you have automatic renewal, you don’t have to renew your policy. This is a good time to shop around and see whether you can get a better deal elsewhere. Even if you want to stay with Darwin, you can use the information you find to negotiate a better price. You can find out more in our guide to renewing car insurance.

• Can I add an additional car temporarily to my policy?

  No. Darwin is not able to offer temporary cover on policies for additional cars at this stage.

• Can I cancel my Darwin insurance policy?

  Yes, but only over the phone by calling 0345 2462083.

  An administration fee of £25 will apply if you cancel within 14 days from the policy start date, and £50 if you cancel more than 14 days from your policy start date.

• Will I be able to use my car abroad?

  Yes. Your Darwin car insurance policy includes comprehensive cover of up to 90 days in every 12 months in Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, any country which is a member of the European Union and those approved by the Commission of the European Community.

• Can I manage my Darwin car insurance policy online?

  Yes. When you take out a policy with Darwin, you get login details to an online portal.

  This is the best place to make changes to your policy, as it’s free. Making changes over the phone will incur a fee of £25.