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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 courtesy car included as standard in every policy - but what's the cover like? Here's what you need to know.
What's in this review?
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.
Who underwrites Debenhams?
Debenhams works by searching car insurance policies from its panel of insurance companies including ABC, Ageas, Aviva, AXA, Covea, Highway, Southern Rock, Watford and XS Direct.
Compare Debenhams policies
What is covered under my policy?
| Product Name | Debenhams Third party, fire and theft | Debenhams Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|
| Damage to your car | ✓ | |
| Fire and theft | ✓ | ✓ |
| Liabilities to third parties | ✓ | ✓ |
| Using the car abroad | ✓ |
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
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.
Debenhams car insurance customer reviews
Customer reviews for Debenhams car insurance are largely positive across the board.
On customer review platform Trustpilot, Debenhams car insurance has 4 out of 5 stars and a rating of Great, based on more than 850K reviews.
On Feefo, the service has 3.2 out of 5 stars, based on more than 200 reviews.
Lastly, on Reviews.io, Direct Line car insurance has 3.8 our of 5 stars, based on more than 1,200 reviews. 73% of reviewers recommend the service.
Customers praised the helpful service and easy application process, but many complained about unexpected administration fees and penalties (updated 30 April 2020).
Pros and cons of Debenhams car insurance
Pros
- A range of policies and optional extras to suit your needs.
- Generally positive customer feedback.
- Courtesy car and 90 days of foreign travel as standard.
Cons
- The wide range of underwriters can be confusing.
- Customers report unexpected charges and penalties.
Verdict
Debenhams is a well known and well trusted brand with many branches on the high street. This makes it a reliable and convenient insurance provider.
However, Debenhams does not provide the cover itself – it sources it from its panel partners (such as Ageas and Axa), which can cause confusion.
While policies are largely reasonably priced, according to customers, there can be hidden fees and penalties for making changes to your details or the policy specification.
Frequently asked questions
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 independent online research by Consumer Intelligence (March ’20). 51% of car insurance customers could save £285.88.
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