If you’ve been driving safely for years, it’s worth considering Geoffrey Insurance, as it claims to reward careful drivers who renew each year. We’ve reviewed the details of car cover from Geoffrey Insurance to look at the different policies it offers, as well as the added benefits for those careful customers who renew. Here’s what you should know.
Who is Geoffrey Insurance?
In addition to specialising in cheap car insurance for careful drivers, Geoffrey also promises to look after customers that renew their policies. The insurer promises to reward returning customers with lower prices than new customers and will also provide free EU annual cover 90 days per year upon renewal.
Formerly Chaucer Direct, Geoffrey Insurance is the sister company of Zenith Marque, which has provided car insurance since 1965. Geoffrey Insurance joined the Markerstudy Group of Companies in 2015 – more widely known for its insurance companies Markerstudy Insurance Company Ltd and Zenith Insurance.
Who underwrites Geoffrey Insurance’s car insurance?
Geoffrey Insurance Services sells insurance on behalf of Zenith Insurance. Geoffrey Insurance is a trading name of Markerstudy Direct, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Zenith Insurance is regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and, to a limited extent, by the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority for UK underwriting.
What are Geoffrey Insurance’s cover options?
Geoffrey Insurance offers three levels of cover in the UK. These are:
Third party
All drivers are legally required to have at least third party insurance in the UK. It covers damage to someone else’s car or injury to someone else in an accident. It won’t cover damage to your own car.
Third party, fire and theft
This covers you in the same way that third party car insurance does but it also includes cover for fire damage and theft of your car.
Comprehensive
This is the most complete form of car insurance you can get. Comprehensive car insurance covers you for third party, fire and theft, as well as paying out for your car if it’s damaged, plus it includes protection for any personal injuries.
Optional extras
If you’re after a little more peace of mind in certain areas, Geoffrey Insurance has some optional extras that might suit your needs:
- Breakdown cover. Roadside recovery to get you back on the road.
- Guaranteed car hire or car hire plus cover. If your car has been damaged, stolen or written off, Geoffrey Insurance will provide you with a hire car for 14 days. For hire car plus cover, you’ll get a 4-door family saloon for 14 days.
- Keycare cover. Protection for replacement keys or locks, call out fees and up to three-day car hire.
- Extended EU insurance cover. If you know you’ll be in the EU for more than three days, you can make sure you’re protected by choosing extended cover for a single EU trip or for all your EU trips of up to 90 days over a one year period.
- EU breakdown cover. If your car won’t start anywhere in the EU, Geoffrey Insurance will tow it to a local garage to have it fixed. If it can’t be fixed within 48 hours, Geoffrey will get you, up to six passengers and your car back to your home address in the UK.
- No claims discount protection. You’ll be able to make one or more claims before your number of no claims bonus years is affected.
- Increased personal accident cover. Up to £100,000 paid out in the event of death or serious injury.
Compare Geoffrey’s car insurance policies
What is covered under my policy?
Geoffrey offers two levels of comprehensive car insurance. If you are responsible for causing an accident, you’ll be covered for damage to third party vehicles or property, as well as your own car.
Have a look at the table below to see what the two cover options from Geoffrey offer.
Product Name | Geoffrey Third party, fire and theft | Geoffrey Comprehensive |
---|---|---|
Damage to your car | ✓ | |
Fire and theft | ✓ | ✓ |
Personal accident cover | ✓ | ✓ |
Liabilities to third parties | ✓ | ✓ |
Using the car abroad | ✓ | ✓ |
Permanently fitted audio equipment | ✓ |
What is my excess?
The excess is a contribution you’ll need to pay towards any claim you make.
If you’ve been driving safely for many years, then there is unlikely to be an excess set by Geoffrey Insurance. But if you’re a young or inexperienced driver behind the wheel at the time of an accident, you may need to pay a compulsory excess towards a claim, as set by the insurer.
The table below shows the amount of compulsory excess young or inexperienced drivers may have to pay towards a claim made to Geoffrey Insurance following an accident:
Age of named driver at the wheel during an accident | Excess amounts to be paid towards a claim |
---|---|
Under 21 | £300 |
Aged 21 – 24 | £200 |
Aged 25 or over with a full driver’s licence from another country other than the UK | £149 |
Aged 25 or over with a full UK driver’s licence held for less than one year | £149 |
A voluntary excess is usually set by you. When taking out a policy, you have the option of adding or increasing a voluntary excess, which in turn could reduce your premium.
Check your policy details carefully to see what you may need to pay in the event of making a claim.
What is the claims process for Geoffrey Insurance?
If you find yourself in an accident or your car has been stolen, you’ll need to contact Geoffrey Insurance.
You can do so by either calling or going online:
- Call 01227 284090, the Geoffrey Claims UK-based helpline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Email contact@geoffreyinsurance.com
Please note that if you’re calling from outside of the UK, call 00 44 1252 820161
It’s important to have your insurance policy number to hand in addition to your vehicle registration.
You’ll also need to provide Geoffrey Insurance with as many details about the accident as you can, including the names and contact details of all third parties and/or witnesses and the full details about all other vehicles involved.
Geoffrey Insurance customer reviews
On customer review platform Trustpilot, Geoffrey Insurance has 4.7 out of 5 stars and a rating of “Excellent”, based on more than 7,400 reviews.
On similar platform, Reviews.io, the company has 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on just a handful of reviews. 80% of customers say they would recommend the service.
Customers love the helpful service, but some complain of price hikes and penalty charges (updated December 2020).
Pros and cons for Geoffrey Insurance
Pros
- Legal expenses and personal accident cover included in all levels.
- Same level of EU cover as you have in the UK for trips of up to three days.
- 24/7 claims line.
Cons
- High excess for claims for drivers under the age of 21.
Verdict
Geoffrey Insurance’s comprehensive cover is a good option for older and more experienced drivers, and less so for younger drivers.
The company’s third party only and third party, fire and theft policies come with more benefits as standard than many other insurers, though make sure you get quotes for all levels of cover as comprehensive insurance sometimes works out cheaper.
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