Sterling insurance Car Insurance Review
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Our articles are written by experts in their fields (finance, trading, insurance etc.) whose signatures you will see at the beginning and at the end of each article. They are also systematically reviewed and corrected before each publication, and updated regularly.
Discover the methodologyThis is the ultimate review to guide you through Sterling insurance car insurance.
You might already know that Sterling insurance offers several car insurance policy options.
Some are great, others not so much.
So if you want to get:
- Better value for money for your car insurance
- Indicative quotes
- Tips to lower your insurance premium, then you might love the following article.
Let’s dive right in.
Is Sterling insurance the best car insurance provider?
Getting the best car insurance deal is not all about the price. Indeed, focusing on just getting the cheapest deal might be a bad calculation when it comes to getting a good payout if you ever have an accident.
We’ve studied in detail Sterling insurance car policy terms and conditions and given our own ratings based on different criteria.
4 Safe overall rating for Sterling insurance
| Our rating | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service & satisfaction |
High customer satisfaction rate on Trust Pilot | |
| Cover provided |
Sterling is an insurance broker that is underwritten by a panel of leading insurance companies in the UK such as Ageas, Allianz, Sabre, Trinity Lane, MarkerStudy, Zurich, LV, Midas, KGM, etc | |
| Value for money |
Reasonably priced premiums | |
| Financial strength for pay out | Sterling is an insurance broker who works with several leading UK insurers to offer a wide range of covers to their customers. This proves that the company has the ability to pay out claims. | |
| Technology |
User friendly and well organized website |
Expert and customer reviews on Sterling insurance
We compiled expert and customer reviews from independent institutions, to give you an overall idea of Sterling insurance's reputation.
| Review organisation | Consumer satisfaction rates for Sterling insurance |
|---|---|
| TrustPilot | 4,1/5 based on more than 600 opinions |
To check if Sterling insurance is the right car insurance for you, you can use our free comparison tool and finally compare coverage features, optional extras, excess, admin fees and customer rating without having to give any personal information.
Our review on Sterling insurance car insurance policy
Sterling is an insurance broker that is underwritten by a panel of leading insurance companies in the UK such as Ageas, Allianz, Sabre, Trinity Lane, MarkerStudy, Zurich, LV, Midas, KGM, etc.
The company offers a wide range of covers such as Young Drivers Insurance (Includes Black Box Insurance), Learner Driver Insurance, Van Insurance, Classic Car Insurance, Modified Car Insurance, Temporary Car Insurance across all 3 main levels of coverL Comprehensive, FT&TP and Third Party Only.
Motor Legal Protection and Abroad Coverage are included as standard across all policies. In addition to this, there are several optional covers to choose from such as Breakdown Cover, Keycare Cover, Windscreen Cover, Spare Parts Cover, Gadget Cover, Excess Protection, etc.
Due to the high customer satisfaction rate and the wide range of covers available, this insurance company would be suitable for anyone looking for a suitable car insurance cover.
What does Sterling insurance car insurance policy cover?
Are TPO, TPFT and Comprehensive covers available at Sterling insurance?
| Car insurance policy | Available at Sterling insurance | Coverage in a nutshell |
|---|---|---|
| Third-Party Only |
| |
| Third-Party Fire and Theft |
| |
| Comprehensive |
|
Keep in mind that you can always add optional extras to your policy.
Main guarantees at Sterling insurance explained in details
Let's find out what does Sterling insurance covers in its car insurance policy.
Breakdown cover at Sterling insurance
Sterling Insurance offers 3 types of Breakdown Cover:
Instant Breakdown Cover: this breakdown cover becomes available as soon as the policy is issued. You can register for this breakdown cover after an unexpected breakdown and receive assistance as soon as possible.
Annual Breakdown Cover (UK): this cover includes breakdown assistance on the roadside, at your home address or anywhere within the UK as well as transport of the vehicle, driver and up to 5 passengers to any destination of your choice if the vehicle cannot be fixed on the same day.
European Breakdown Cover: in addition to the benefits that come with Annual UK Breakdown Cover, this cover is available if you breakdown while traveling in countries within the EEA as well as parts of Africa, Russia and former Soviet states.
Keycare cover at Sterling insurance
- Sterling Insurance’s Keycare Cover is underwritten by Ageas and Trinity Lane. The total limit of the cover is not stated in the policy documents but we would advise you to contact Sterling directly and enquire about this if you’re interested in getting a Key Cover.
- The Key Covers covers repair and replacement of keys if damaged, lost or stolen.
Windscreen cover at Sterling insurance
- Windscreen Cover of up to £300 to £500 (depending on the underwriter) is available and it covers windscreen, windows subject to an excess of about £75 if it is replaced.
- No excess is charged if it’s just repaired.
- Claims on Windscreen will not affect your No Claims Bonus.
Motor legal protection at Sterling insurance
Up to £25,000 to £100,000 (depending on the underwriter) of legal costs in case you are involved in an accident that is not your fault.
Personal policy injury available at Sterling insurance
Up to £20,000 in the event of a road accident that leaves you injured, disabled or dead.
Coverage abroad at Sterling insurance
The coverage for abroad insurance may vary from one underwriter to the other.
The covers will vary between 30 to 90 days with some covering the same level of cover you have in the UK while others providing only the minimum (Third Party Only) Cover while traveling abroad.
Most of the insurers will cover for EU and any country that meets the EC Directive 2009/103/EC requirements.
Courtesy car at Sterling insurance
- Sterling Insurance offers a Replacement Vehicle for 3 days if your car or van is stolen, damaged by attempted theft or an accident with another vehicle or if it is deemed a total loss.
- If you cannot drive due to an accident, you’ll be compensated with £150.
- If your vehicle is modified to transport someone with disabilties and you cannot drive it, then you’ll be compensated with £1000.
No-Claim Bonus (NCB) at Sterling insurance
Your NCB will keep increasing every year provided you don’t get yourself involved in any incident that may require you to file for a claim or have a claim filed against you. NCD protection is available at an extra fee.
If the incident caused was not your fault and Sterling Insurance was able to recover all costs from the responsible party, your NCB will not be affected. However, if they’re not able to recover the costs of the incident, your NCB will be affected.
Claims on the following will not affect your NCB:
- Windscreen cover
- Medical emergency cover
- Incidents caused by an uninsured driver.
At Sterling insurance, you can apply for the NCB protection. The NCB protection allows you to make a certain number of claims within a period without losing your No-Claim bonus.
NCB protection claims (number per year): 2 claim in 5 years.
NCB protection claims (number per year): 2 claim in 3 years.
Good to know
A No-Claim bonus is a reward that you get from driving during a long time (at least one year) without making any claim. The more years you drive without claims, the higher your NCB rate gets hence the higher the discount on your insurance premium.
Sterling insurance car insurance terms and conditions
How much does Sterling insurance car insurance cost?
You'll find below indicative car insurance quotes at Sterling insurance:
| Drivers'age | Monthly premium |
|---|---|
| 18 years old | £105,85 |
| 40 years old | £43,65 |
| 60 years old | £32,19 |
Costs of Sterling insurance insurance car policies vary widely based on different factors such as:
- The driver’s age
- The date on which they received their driving licence
- The type of car
- Expected repair costs if the car is damaged
- The performance, safety and security of the car
- The driver’s address and how busy the streets in the neighbourhood are
- Who drives the car (any additional driver on the policy)
- The driver's record of accidents and claims (number of injuries, No Claim Bonus etc.)
- Insurance taxes.
Good to know
The higher risk you represent, the more expensive your policy will be.
Is there any promo codes or discounts available at Sterling insurance?
Apart from No Claims Discount, Sterling Insurance also offers up to 20% discounts if you join or a member of Owner's Club and Multi Car Discounts.
| Discount types | Comment |
|---|---|
| Discounts | Discounts are available such as 20% discount for Owner's Club Membership and Multi Car Policy although the amount of percentage has not been disclosed on the website. |
If you want to get a cheaper car insurance policy, another good way to do so is to never auto renew and always compare car insurance quotes.
Save more on your car insurance checking out our 13 tops tips to cut your insurance premiums!
Sterling insurance car insurance policy summarized
Guarantees
| At Sterling insurance | |
|---|---|
| NCB benefit | Yes |
| Uninsured driver NCB benefit | Yes |
| Loss or theft of keys | Excess- Not stated Limit- £400 - £1000 |
| Personal belongings | Excess- Not stated Limit- £100 - £300 |
| Audio equipment | Excess- Not stated |
| Medical expenses | Excess- Not stated |
| Liability limit for property damage | £20,000,000 |
| Legal expense | £100,000 |
| Courtesy car benefit | As standard |
| Courtesy car cover | Duration of repair of your car. |
| Coverage abroad | 30 days to 90 days |
Excess
| At Sterling insurance | |
|---|---|
| Fire excess | Excess- Not stated Limit- £200 - £1000 |
| Theft excess | Excess- Not stated Limit- £200 - £1000 |
| Accidental damage excess | Not Stated |
| Windscreen replacement excess | Excess- Not stated Limit- Unlimited or £150 to £500 limit |
| Young driver excess | £250 - £1000 |
Admin fees
| At Sterling insurance | |
|---|---|
| Interest charged by payment installments | Not Stated |
| Renewal fees | £100 |
| Cancellation fees | Cancellation fees outside cooling off period: £30 plus percentage of premium for the days you were covered. |
| Modification fees | Mid-Term Adjustment: £30 |
Other car insurance policies available at Sterling insurance
Sterling insurance multi-car insurance
Sterling Insurance offers Multi Car Policy but the information on the website is limited. We would advise you to contact them directly to learn more about what their policy entails if you’re interested.
Sterling insurance black-box insurance
Black Box Insurance is available for young drivers. Sterling Insurance’s black box is called a SmartBox that can easily be connected to your car and does not need to be wired by an engineer. You can easily attach the SmartBox to your windscreen using the detailed instructions provided and connect it to a USB cable to charge it.
Once the SmartBox has been installed, you’re expected to download the FluxScore App which will be connected to your SmartBox. The app will calculate your driving skills by analysing your cornering, acceleration, braking and speed and provide you with a Flux Score which will be used to determine your next insurance premium. The better you drive, the less premium you’ll pay.
Sterling insurance classic car insurance
Classic Car Insurance is available at Sterling Insurance. However, there are no details about their policy on their website therefore, we would advise you to contact them directly to find out more.
Sterling insurance short term cover
Temporary Car Insurance is available for 7 days up to several months. You can expect the following benefits when you take out a temporary car insurance cover:
- You will continue to build your NCB while on the temporary car insurance
- The cover comes with a Legal Expense Cover of up to £100,000 as standard
- You will have access to a 24/7 claims helpline
- The cover is available for a wide range of vehicles including classic cars.
Sterling insurance learner driver car insurance
Sterling Insurance offers Learner Driver Insurance that can be used for 1 month or up to 12 months depending on how long you’ll need the cover for. It comes with the following features:
- Claims will not affect the car owner’s No Claims Bonus
- The cover is available across all 3 levels of cover: Comprehensive, FT&TP and Third Party Only
- The value of the car must be below £20,000
- Flexible payment options available
Sterling insurance business car insurance
Sterling Insurance does not mention anything regarding Business Use anywhere in their website but we would advise you to contact them and enquire about this before you sign up for an insurance policy.
Sterling insurance van insurance
Sterling offers Van Insurance across all 3 main levels of cover: Comprehensive, FT&TP and Third Pary Only. You can expect the following benefits when taking out a Van Insurance Policy with Sterling:
- Up to £100,000 Legal Cover included as standard
- Up to 90 days European travel included as standard
- Option to add protection for the tools you use for your trade that are usually left in the van every day and night
- Quotes for convicted drivers are available.
You can also opt for extra protection by choosing any or all of the following:
- Breakdown Cover
- Windscreen Cover
- Keycare Cover
- Misfuelling Cover
- Protected No Claims Discount Cover.
How to contact Sterling insurance auto insurance?
Sterling insurance phone numbers
You will find all important phone numbers to contact Sterling insurance car insurance:
| Contact number | Opening hours | |
|---|---|---|
Customer Service (New Customers) | 0344 381 9990 | Monday to Friday: 9am to 7pm |
Customer Service (Existing Customers) | 0344 381 9990 | Monday to Friday: 9am to 5:30pm |
Claims | 0344 381 9350 | Available 24/7 |
Breakdown | 0330 123 1146 | Available 24/7 |
Sterling insurance other contact details
You'll find below Sterling insurance main contact details:
| Contact details of Sterling insurance | |
|---|---|
| Email address | |
| Customer account with Sterling insurance login | |
| Social media | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram |
| Chatbot | No |
You can also contact them by mail by writing to Sterling insurance car insurance:
Sterling Insurance
2 The Causeway
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2ZD
How to cancel your car insurance at Sterling insurance?
You can always cancel your car insurance policy at any time. However, some fees may apply especially if you cancel it after the 14 cooling-off period after your contract's anniversary date.
Since car insurance is a legal requirement, Sterling insurance as well as other insurers will renew your policy automatically at the end of the policy period without any notification from your side. However, Sterling insurance has the obligation to send you a renewal notice within 7 to 21 days before your contract comes to an end. You will therefore have 14 days - the cooling off period - to cancel your policy at reduced cancellation fees.
For the same reason, if you cancel your car insurance policy, you must sign up to a new one immediately. Find out more on car insurance legal requirement.
You would need to have various documents ready such as:
- your policy number (right hand corner of your documents);
- your bank details; and
- your payment method in case there are cancellation fees.
Watch out!
Sterling insurance could also refuse to cover your car any longer if you don't pay for your premiums within the time allocated, or if they find out that you omitted important information that was required by the company such as your driving experience or you if have committed a fraud of any kind. This act is known as ‘fronting’.
