Car insurance is a legal requirement in the UK for road-worthy vehicles and so you should ensure that you are getting the best policy at the lowest possible cost. In this article, we compare some of the best car insurance providers in the UK. We also explain how to save time and money when buying your car insurance and tell you how you could save up to £523** with Quotezone*.
We recommend reading the article in full, but if you prefer, you can jump to specific sections of the article using the links below.
- What is car insurance?
- Do I need car insurance?
- Best car insurance providers
- How much does car insurance cost?
- How to buy car insurance
- How to get cheap car insurance
1 minute summary
- Depending on the type of policy, car insurance can cover the financial loss if your vehicle or another vehicle is damaged or written off. Additionally, it can provide cover for theft of the vehicle as well as damage or theft to property inside the vehicle.
- Third party car insurance is a minimum legal requirement in the UK for vehicles driven on UK roads.
- There are three main types of car insurance; fully comprehensive, third party, fire and theft & third party.
- How much you pay for your car insurance will vary depending on a number of factors including where you live, your policy type and the vehicle you drive.
- A quick and easy way to find the best car insurance policy is via a comparison site as you can compare multiple insurers at once.
- We have partnered with Quotezone* so that you can search and compare quotes from over 120 UK car insurance providers.
- Ensure to check and compare the policy extras so that you don't pay for any cover you do not need.
What is car insurance?
Car insurance covers financial loss in the event of an accident where a vehicle or property is damaged. It also covers theft of the vehicle and most policies will cover personal possessions within the vehicle. Additionally, if a person suffers an injury, car insurance can help cover personal injury costs.
There are three main types of car insurance; fully comprehensive, third party, fire & theft and third party. The amount of cover you need for your car varies on the type of car insurance policy you choose although fully comprehensive car insurance offers the most extensive cover. We explain the differences between the car insurance types in our article, ‘What are the different types of car insurance?‘
When taking out a car insurance policy you can tailor the policy to fit your individual requirements with additional add-ons such as car key cover and legal cover but it is worth ensuring that you compare the cost of these additional extras and ensure you don't already have the cover elsewhere.
Car insurance typically covers your vehicle for a period of 12 months but it is possible to get cover for shorter time periods. If you are unsure if your car is insured or who your car insurance is with, read our article ‘When does my car insurance run out?‘.
It is worth noting that most car insurance policies are set to auto-renew, which may not be the best deal at the time. Make a note to compare policies before your car insurance renews and swap to a better deal to save money.
Do I need car insurance?
Car insurance is a legal requirement in the UK for vehicles that are roadworthy and third party car insurance is the legal minimum required for driving on UK roads. This means you need to ensure that you and your vehicle are suitably insured when driving in the UK. If your vehicle is registered with a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) your vehicle does not have to be insured but it needs to be off the road. It is worth considering, however, that if the SORN vehicle is damaged or stolen it would not be insured and you would not be able to make a claim. Find out what type of car insurance you need in our article, ‘What car insurance do I need?‘
Best car insurance companies
It can be difficult to know which car insurance is best and there are a number of things you should check before taking out a car insurance policy. An easy way to find the best and cheapest car insurance policy is via a comparison site. Comparison sites allow you to compare multiple providers at once to find the best deal for your circumstances. We have partnered with Quotezone* so that you can search and compare quotes from over 120 UK car insurance providers.
Below we share some of the best car insurance providers in the market along with their key features. The list is not extensive, however, so it is important to conduct your own research as each provider offers a different level of cover that may be more suitable to you. If you are a new driver and looking for car insurance for the first time, read our article, ‘Cheapest car insurance for young drivers'.
AA – good for breakdown cover
- Car insurance cover levels: Fully comprehensive & third party, fire and theft
- Policy types: Car insurance, Electric car insurance, Short-term car insurance, Motorbike insurance
- Optional add-ons: Motor legal assistance, Car hire, Excess protection, Motor accident plan and Breakdown cover
- Uninsured driver protection: Yes
- Multi-car insurance: No
- Temporary car insurance: Yes
- Online discount: AA members may qualify for an online discount
- Extras: Optional Breakdown cover from £10, Uninsured drivers promise if hit by someone uninsured and it's not your fault, New for old cover if your car is written off or stolen (terms apply)
- Defaqto rating: 5 stars for Gold and Platinum levels and 4 stars for Silver (3 stars for third party, fire and theft)
- Review: AA car insurance review
Admiral – good for electric vehicle insurance
- Car insurance cover levels: Fully comprehensive, third party, fire and theft & third party
- Policy types: Car insurance, Young driver insurance, New driver insurance, Learner driver insurance, Temporary driver insurance, Delivery insurance for car drivers, Multi-car insurance, Black box insurance, Electric and Hybrid vehicle insurance, Van insurance
- Optional add-ons: Breakdown cover, Personal Injury cover, Hire Vehicle cover, Motor Legal Protection
- Uninsured driver protection: Yes
- Multi-car insurance: Yes
- Temporary car insurance: Yes
- Online discount: No
- Extras: Uninsured Driver Promise, 24-hour Emergency Helpline, child seat cover (fully comprehensive policies only) and courtesy car while yours is repaired at an Admiral approved garage included as standard. 90-day cover in Europe, windscreen cover and new car replacement for cars under 12 months (excluding “Essential” comprehensive policies)
- Defaqto rating: 5 stars (3 star rating for Essential policy)
- Review: Admiral car insurance review
Aviva – good for classic car insurance
- Car insurance cover levels: Fully comprehensive & third party, fire and theft
- Policy types: Car insurance, Multi-car insurance, Electric car insurance, Telematics car insurance, Van insurance, Temporary car insurance, Learner driver insurance, Classic car insurance, Motorhome and Campervan insurance, Business Vehicle and Van insurance
- Optional add-ons: No Claims Discount (NCD) protection, Motor Legal services, Courtesy car (comprehensive policies only), Extra motor injury protection (comprehensive policies only), UK breakdown cover, European use
- Uninsured driver protection: Yes
- Multi-car insurance: Yes
- Temporary car insurance: Yes
- Online discount: No
- Extras: Over 25s with a comprehensive policy have third party cover when driving other vehicles, Onward travel is arranged with comprehensive cover, repairs are guaranteed by Aviva even if you change insurers (terms apply)
- Defaqto rating: 5 stars (3 stars for third party, fire and theft)
- Review: Aviva car insurance review
Direct Line – good for fully comprehensive insurance
- Car insurance cover levels: Fully comprehensive & third party, fire and theft
- Policy types: Car insurance, Electric car insurance, Young driver insurance (telematics), Van insurance, Multi-car insurance
- Optional add-ons: No Claims Discount (NCD) protection, Breakdown cover, Motor Legal Protection, Guaranteed Hire Car Plus (for comprehensive policies only)
- Uninsured driver protection: Yes
- Multi-car insurance: Yes
- Temporary car insurance: Existing customers can add a driver to their insurance temporarily
- Online discount: No
- Extras: Guaranteed hire car with “Comprehensive” and “Comprehensive Plus” policies, Onward travel with “Comprehensive” and “Comprehensive Plus” policies, Online claims process
- Defaqto rating: 5 stars (3 stars for “Essentials” and third party, fire and theft)
- Review: Direct Line car insurance review
LV= – good for accidental damage
- Car insurance cover levels: Fully comprehensive, third party, fire and theft & third party
- Policy types: Car insurance, Electric car insurance, Over 50's car insurance, Multi-car insurance, Van insurance, Pickup insurance
- Optional add-ons: Motor Legal expenses, Guaranteed hire car, Extended personal accident cover, Breakdown cover, Protected NCD
- Uninsured driver protection: Yes
- Multi-car insurance: Yes
- Temporary car insurance: existing customers may be able to add a driver to their insurance temporarily
- Online discount: 5% (excludes add-ons)
- Extras: Lifetime guarantee on repairs (terms apply), Windscreen repair and replacement, NCD protection, accidental damage cover and new locks and keys as standard with comprehensive policies, Cover if you put the wrong fuel in the vehicle (comprehensive policy only)
- Defaqto rating: 5 stars (3 stars for third party, fire and theft)
- Review: LV= car insurance review
Saga – good for the over 50s
- Car insurance cover levels: Fully comprehensive
- Policy types: Car insurance, Electric car insurance, Multi car insurance
- Optional add-ons: Breakdown assistance, Legal protection (included as standard with Saga Plus), Replacement car extension, Increased personal accident, Protected NCD (included as standard with Saga Select and Saga Plus), Key Protection (included as standard with Saga Plus)
- Uninsured driver protection: Yes
- Multi-car insurance: Yes
- Temporary car insurance: existing customers can add a driver or vehicle to their existing insurance temporarily
- Online discount: No
- Extras: 3-year fixed price for Saga Plus customers (terms apply), Cover in the EU for up to 90 days, Misfuelling cover (excludes Saga Standard), No admin fees for changes to your policy mid-term, New for old child car seat cover
- Defaqto rating: 5 stars (4 stars for third party fire, and theft)
- Review: Saga car insurance review
Partner SpotlightFind the right Car Insurance for you
Our partner Quotezone will compare quotes from over 120 UK insurance providers
- You could save up to £523**
How much does car insurance cost?
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) found that the average annual premium paid by motorists in the third quarter of 2024 was £612. How much you pay for your car insurance premium will vary depending on a number of factors including the car you drive, your driving experience, where you live and the type of car insurance policy you choose. Your occupation can also affect how much you pay for your car insurance premium.
For more information on how much you can expect to pay on your car insurance policy, plus the cheapest cars to insure, read our articles:
How to buy car insurance
Before buying a car insurance policy there are a number of things that you should consider to ensure you are getting the best deal, including which type of car insurance policy is best for you.
Once you have decided on the type of car insurance you wish to buy, one of the best ways to save money on your car insurance is by shopping around and comparing deals between a number of providers. An easy way to do this is via a comparison site. Comparison sites allow you to easily compare multiple car insurance providers and policies at once to find the deal best suited to your personal circumstances. We have partnered with Quotezone* so that you can search and compare quotes from over 120 UK car insurance providers.
It is worth considering however, that not all comparison sites are whole of market which means you could be missing out on a deal with another insurer or an insurer – such as Direct Line – that is not listed on a comparison site. In this instance, you may be able to get a better deal by comparing quotes with the provider directly.
For more information, read our article, ‘How to buy car insurance – a complete guide‘.
How to get cheap car insurance
As car insurance is compulsory if you wish to drive on UK roads, you will want to ensure you are paying as little as you can for the best car insurance policy. A simple way to do this is by ensuring your existing policy does not auto-renew and instead, compare providers using a comparison site such as Quotezone*. This means you can compare the cost and cover levels of a number of policies to find the best for your circumstances.
Additional ways to save money on your car insurance include increasing your policy excess, paying your policy annually and purchasing a telematics policy. You may also be able to benefit from cashback when you purchase a car insurance policy via sites such as TopCashback. However do ensure you check that the policy you purchase is right for you and try not to be swayed by the amount of cashback on offer.
For more information and additional money-saving tips, read our article ‘How to save money on your car insurance‘.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link, Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses or take advantage of any exclusive offers – Quotezone,
