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Debenhams car insurance review
You'll probably know Debenhams as a department store but it can also insure your car. Customers get a £50 gift card with every car policy - but what's the cover like? Here's what you need to know.
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Debenhams sources only the two higher levels of car insurance for its customers while its comprehensive policies are offered with a courtesy car and 90 days of foreign travel as standard. Here’s what else is worth knowing about this 5-star Defaqto-rated broker.
Who is Debenhams?
Debenhams can trace its company roots back to 1778 London, when a drapers store was set up selling expensive fabrics and accessories. Since then, it’s branched out to offer personal finance services. And as a broker, Debenhams provides life, home, travel, wedding, gadget, pet and car insurance.
Debenhams Retail Plc represents Eldon Insurance Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
What are Debenhams’ levels of cover?
Debenhams only offers two levels of cover; it doesn’t offer third party cover.
If you are responsible for causing an accident, you’ll be covered for damage to third party vehicles or property. It will provide protection against any fire damage to your car or theft of your car but it won’t however, cover any accidental damage.
This gives the same protection as TPFT as well as insuring your vehicle against accidental damage and vandalism. It can be cheaper than TPFT, so it’s always worth checking.
What is covered under my policy?
| Cover benefits | Third party | Third party, fire and theft | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liability to other people | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fire and theft | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Accidental damage | ✓ | ||
| Courtesy car | ✓ | ||
| Foreign travel up to 90 days | ✓ |
Beyond the standard cover benefits above, any other benefits to your insurance policy will vary depending on the insurer that is able to provide the cover through Debenhams.
Check your policy details carefully to ensure you have the right cover for your needs.
Optional extras
In addition to the standard two levels of cover, Debenhams can also provide a range of additional protection to add to your policy, including:
- Legal expenses
- Key care
- Mis-fuel cover
- RAC Roadside & Recovery
- RAC full UK breakdown cover
- RAC full UK & EU breakdown cover
- Replacement vehicle hire
- No-claims discount protection
General exclusions
There are a few exclusions that Debenhams has for its policies. Your cover is likely to become invalid if any of the following arises:
- Your car is being driven by an unnamed driver on your policy or by a person that does not have a valid driving licence.
- Your car is used for rallies, races or competitions.
- You fail to pay for your premium.
- You change your car during the policy term to a car that the insurer cannot cover.
- You do not provide the correct documents to support your application.
Check your policy for further details to confirm your cover is valid.
How to save on your car insurance policy through Debenhams
- Check comprehensive. Contrary to what you might expect, comprehensive cover can be cheaper than third party (TP) or third party, fire and theft so it’s always worth checking. This is because of the risk profile of many people who get TP.
- Park securely. 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 insurance.
- Increase the 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.
- Pick a smaller car. Choosing to drive a small and safe car is likely to lower your premium.
What is my excess?
Your insurance excess is the amount of money you have agreed to pay towards a claim.
Your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than your excess. A compulsory excess amount might vary depending on the age of your car and your driving experience.
A voluntary excess is normally an amount set by you when taking out a policy. You’ll have the option of adding or increasing a voluntary excess, which could in turn reduce your premium.
You’ll be able to find details about any applied excess in your policy document.
What is the claims process for Debenhams?
Call the Debenhams 24-hour claims line on 0344 840 9506 to make a claim.
You’ll need to provide your policy details and information about the incident.
It’s vital that you let your insurer know about an incident within 48 hours, even if it’s not your fault. Failure to do this could result in a rejected claim.
Frequently asked questions
Please take reasonable care to answer all the questions honestly and to the best of your knowledge. If you don't answer the questions correctly, your policy may be cancelled, or your claim rejected or not fully paid. 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.
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