Saga car insurance review

With every comprehensive car insurance policy, Saga says it guarantees protection against uninsured drivers, a courtesy car if needed and unlimited cover to drive in the EU. Here’s what else you should know about this specialist insurer for people aged over 50.

Who is Saga?

Saga originally focused on travel for people aged over 50 and then branched out to offer travel, home and motor insurance, and other financial services, for this group in the 1980s.

With 65 years of experience, it has become one of the UK’s leading insurance providers for the over-50s, winning a number of awards for its products and services (it was highly commended in Finder’s Car Insurance Customer Satisfaction Awards in 2020).

Who underwrites Saga’s car insurance?

Although Saga is an insurance provider, Saga car insurance policies are underwritten by a panel of around 7 insurers such as AXA, Covea, ABC and Zenith, as well as its own in-house underwriter AICL.

Saga Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Compare Saga’s car insurance policies

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Name	Product	Courtesy car cover	New car replacement	EU Cover	Personal accident cover	Multi-car discount	Link
Saga Third party, fire and theft					No		Compare quotes	Finder's summary: Highly commended in our 2020 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards with a score of 5 out of 5 stars. Unfortunately, you must be at least 50 years old to be eligible for cover. Who it might be good for: Over 50s looking for the basics to be covered on third party, fire and theft cover.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Saga Select comprehensive					Yes		Compare quotes	Finder's summary: Saga offers two levels of comprehensive cover, with this being the more basic of the two. It's a strong offer for those wishing to travel to Europe with their car several times a year, as cover within Europe is unlimited as well as offering a range of optional extras to strengthen their policy. Who it might be good for: Over 50s looking for a basic comprehensive policy, to cover the essentials.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Saga Plus comprehensive					Yes		Compare quotes	Finder's summary: With a range of optional extras and features tailored to older drivers, Saga’s comprehensive cover is a solid option for customers aged over 50. It’s an especially strong offer for those wishing to travel to Europe with their car several times a year, as cover within Europe is unlimited. Who it might be good for: Someone over 50 who wants an all-round comprehensive policy.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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What is covered under my policy?

Saga offers 2 levels of comprehensive car insurance. If you’re responsible for causing an accident, you’ll be covered for damage to third party vehicles or property, as well as your own car.

The Saga Select comprehensive policy includes uninsured driver cover, all named drivers can use the cover abroad and the majority of claims won’t affect the fixed price or no-claims discount protection. Saga Plus is a step up and comes with a 3-year fixed price (as long as nothing changes about you or your vehicle). You’re not locked in for 3 years – you can still leave at renewal – but the price stays flat for 2 renewals. It also includes legal expenses insurance, among other benefits.

Saga offers third party, and third party, fire and theft cover, but you won’t be able to get a quote for these online.

Have a look at the table below to see what the cover options from Saga offer.

Optional extras

Saga offers a range of additional protection to bolt onto your policy, where it’s not included:

• Breakdown assistance
• Legal protection (included in Plus)
• Replacement car
• Increased personal accident cover
• Key Protection included in Plus policy

What is my excess?

Your insurance excess is the amount of money you will need to pay towards a claim. Your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than this amount. A compulsory excess amount might vary depending on the age of your car and your driving experience.

A voluntary excess is on top and is normally set by you when taking out a policy. You’ll have the option of adding or increasing a voluntary excess – which should lower your premium.

You’ll find details about any compulsory or voluntary excesses in your policy document.

What is the claims process for Saga?

You should call the Saga claims line on 0800 001 5424 to make a claim.
This is a UK-based 24-hour claims line open 7 days a week.

You will need to provide the following information:

• Details about the incident
• Names and contact details of everyone involved in the incident such as third parties, passengers and witnesses
• Details about the damage or injuries sustained
• Photographic evidence, if available

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.

Saga car insurance customer reviews

In Finder’s 2021 car insurance customer satisfaction survey, 71% of Saga customers said they’d recommend the brand, citing friendly service and good levels of cover.

Saga scooped Highly Commended in the car insurance category in Finder’s 2020 customer satisfaction awards.

On customer review platform Trustpilot, Saga as a company has 4.6 out of 5 stars and a rating of “Excellent”, based on more than 22,000 reviews.

Customers praised the simple application process, efficient service and easy renewal, but some reported unexpected price hikes and a few reported communication problems (updated July 2021).

Saga car insurance pros and cons

Our verdict

With a range of optional extras and features tailored to older drivers, Saga’s comprehensive cover is a solid option for customers aged over 50. It’s an especially strong offer for those wishing to travel to Europe with their car several times a year, as cover within Europe is unlimited.

Unfortunately, you must be at least 50 years old to be eligible for cover. The 3-year fixed price option is attractive if you’re looking for extra peace of mind (although it’s based on the assumption that no details about the drivers or the car will change).

As always, it’s crucial to shop around and compare other car insurance policies on offer before you make a decision.

Frequently asked questions

• How long is a quote from Saga valid for?

  A quote from Saga is only guaranteed on the day it is provided.

• Can I get insurance that starts immediately?

  Yes. If you wish, cover can start instantly.

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

  Yes, Saga offers policies that can be paid in full or by monthly direct debit payments.

• Does Saga offer temporary cover?

  Yes but only for existing policyholders for cover on a second car for up to 28 days.

• Who are the underwriters for Saga car insurance?

  AICL are the underwriters for Saga, of which also underwrite for AA insurance.

• When was Saga founded?

  SAGA was founded in 1951 by Sidney de Haan in Kent

• Is there a cost to cancel your car insurance with Saga?

  You will receive a full refund from Saga within the first 14 days of your premium paid in the circumstance that your cover has not yet begun, or the unused part if your cover has already begun.

• Is Saga any good?

  Finder’s insurance experts assessed the cover offered by Saga and gave its standard comprehensive policy 4 stars out of a maximum 5. Our customer satisfaction surveys have also shown the brand is generally popular with those who know best – the customers – although Saga’s 2021 ratings are a little lower than 2020’s result.

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