What are the Best Car Insurance Companies?

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Nishadh Mohammed updated on February 25, 2021

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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.

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Car insurance is a really complex area, with dozens of companies all giving different kinds of cover. And because of the way quotes are tailor made for individuals, there’s little freely available price information so you have no idea what’s a good quote and when your insurer’s taking advantage of you.

Fed up with not knowing where to look?

In this article, we’re going to try to sum up the market to give you a feel for what you might pay. We’ll look at different types of driver – young, student, women, as well as different types of insurance such as comphrensive, third party only, third party fire and theft. We’ll also consider the best insurers for different types of car, such as classic car insurance. You should get a good idea of where to look for a quote – and how much you might need to pay to get the best car insurance.

What are the best car insurances for women?

There's quite a specialist sector for female car insurance. These insurers offer specially designed insurance for women drivers. We show some of the insurers who offer the best car insurance for women in the table below.

Insurance companyAnnual premium £*Main features
logo sheilas wheels£876
  • Female and family friendly repairers
  • Courtesy car and up to £300 handbag cover as standard
  • 5 star Defaqto rating
  • Special deals for younger drivers- car seat cover, replacement
logo admiral£974
  • One of UK's biggest car insurers (not female car insurance specialist)
  • Often good value for money
  • Includes courtesy car as standard
logo diamond£978
  • Courtesy car provided as standard
  • Low excess for most policies
  • Car seat cover up to £300
logo insure pink£1,460
  • £10 donation to Pink Ribbon cancer charity for every policy
  • DeFaqto 5 star rated
  • Includes courtesy car, Drive Other Car cover and windscreen cover
logo go girl£3,232
  • Offers insurance for young, learner and student drivers
  • Includes child car seat cover
  • Courtesy car standard
logo drive like a girlAsk for quote
  • Black box insurance
  • Limited to 7,000 miles a year
  • Good driving can earn retail vouchers as reward
logo ladybirdAsk for quote
  • Offers specialist cover eg classic car, convicted drivers, sports cars
  • Exhaustive questionnaire
logo girls drive betterAsk for quote
  • Free legal expense upgrade
  • Black-box policies available
  • Policies available for any type of girl profil including ladies with points on licence or previous convictions
  • Free vehicle tracking if car gets stolen
  • Any "women" upgrade available (handbag, keycare etc.)
Best women car insurances

Prices based on the following criteria: Vauxhall Corsa, fully comp insurance for driver aged 21-30 in South East England, no NCB.

What are the best student car insurances?

The following table compares the best student insurance policies offered by some of the most popular providers:

Insurance companiesPremium per yearOur comment
logo ingenie£1234,27
  • Often one of the cheapest quotes for students
  • Black box specialist for younger drivers
logo carrot£1,409
  • Black box based
  • Weekly rewards for good driving
  • Has its own app for rewards
  • Competitive quotes
logo hastings direct£1,945
  • One of the biggest car insurers
  • Good for student and young drivers (black box policies available)
  • Often highly competitive prices
logo think insuranceAsk for quote
  • Experts in young driver cover
  • Black box required
  • No curfew
logo go girl£5,547
  • Female friendly insurance
  • Includes windscreen, handbag and courtesy car cover
logo endsleigh£7,072
  • NUS recommended
  • No 1 student insurance provider
  • Not always the cheapest quote
Best student car insurances

What are the best car insurances for new drivers?

The following table compares the best new driver insurance policies offered by some of the most popular providers:

It lists some quotes from prominent insurers for 17-20 year old mini car drivers living in the Greater London area.

Insurance providerBlack box policyAnnual premium
logo hastings direct smartmilesYes£2,296.63
logo girls drive betterYes£2,461.29
logo smartdriverclubYes£2,888.21
logo o2 box on board 1Yes£2,975.36
logo racYes£3,006.69
Best new drivers car insurances

What are the Best black box car insurances?

The following table compares the best black box insurance policies offered by some of the most popular providers:

Black box insurance companiesQuotesFeatures of policyOpinion
logo ingenie£2,134.76 per year
  • Designed specifically with young and new drivers in mind between the ages of 17 and 30.
  • Both learner drivers and full license holders can use these policies.
  • Does not offer cover for short-term cover, business and commercial use
  • Earn no claims discounts with this policy
  • Earn your discounts every time you renew
  • Offers fully comprehensive policy plans
  • Data tracking offered by a self-fit device that’s sent in the post to install when you can
  • Policies have proven to reduce the risk of you being involved in an accident by as much as 400%
logo hastings direct smart miles£2,296.63 per year
  • Hastings Direct Smart Miles offers access to free app to monitor all data collected about your driving performance
  • You can earn no claims discounts on your policy
  • Offers a 10% discount for student drivers
  • App is capable of helping you map out your journeys and offers driving tips in real-time to reduce your premiums
  • Drivers must drive less than 15,000 miles per year
  • You must mainly drive between the hours of 5am and 10pm to remain covered and not void your policy
  • Holds thousands of five-star black box car insurance reviews from drivers across the country
cooperative logo£2,875 per year
  • Specifically designed for new and young drivers who want to start with driving with low premiums but want to move to a traditional policy within two years
  • Offers a free courtesy car guarantee in case you ever need it
  • No night time curfews to void your insurance, but driving between 11pm and 5am can affect your driving score
  • Earn discounts and reduced premiums for being a consistently safe driver
  • Offers business use black box car insurance, but some restricted do apply
  • Offers the ability to add optional extras such as motor legal expenses cover and UK breakdown cover
  • Allows discounts in premium with no claims bonuses and named driver discounts
  • Allows you to download the free dedicated smartphone app to track driving and offer more discountsNo policies available for black box insurance over 25
logo bell£2,978 per year
  • Offers policies with no curfews or mileage limits
  • Offers plug-and-drive policies with no need to install a black box into your car
  • Works by recording six months worth of data you then send back to Bell to receive your discounts
  • Not a fully automatic real-time process to recording and sending off data wirelessly
  • Insurance policies provided by Admiral with all included benefits they provide
logo rac insurance 1£3,006.69 per year
  • Specifically designed for new and young drivers who want to start with driving with low premiums but want to move to a traditional policy within two years
  • Offers a free courtesy car guarantee in case you ever need it
  • No night time curfews to void your insurance, but driving between 11pm and 5am can affect your driving score
  • Earn discounts and reduced premiums for being a consistently safe driver
  • Recommended by 9/10 of existing customers
  • One of the most trusted car insurance providers in the UKOffers free Motor Legal protection for the first 12 months of your policy
  • Offers both an uninsured driver guarantee and vandalism cover promise
logo tesco bank box£3,012 per year
  • Offers third party to fully comprehensive policies to all drivers
  • Earn no claims discounts with every claim-free year
  • Guaranteed car insurance quotes with black box with discounts available for Tesco Club card members
  • Earn a bonus 100 miles for every safe driving month you complete
  • Advanced accident alerts that can contact the emergency services on your behalf
  • Provides a full 24/7 customer helpline for whenever you need help with your policy
  • Monitor all driving data using the dedicated dashboard or through the free dedicated driving app
  • You can buy more miles to add onto your policy as and when you need them
  • Offers free theft tracking technology that can be used by police to help locate your car if its stolen
coverbox logo£3,600 per year
  • Free access to dedicated driver dashboard on your computer or smartphone
  • All call lines open 24/7 every day of the year
  • You can protect your excess and your no claims discount
  • Easy installation that you can plug into your vehicle yourself
  • Uses leading insurance providers such as Aviva and Axa to provide you a variety of insurance policies and potential cover benefits
  • Pay as you drive based on the miles you do, not a predetermined limit
  • Receive regular tips on how to reduce premiums and drive safer
  • Consistently average reviews on how good the service of this provider is
logo general accident£3,880.89 per year
  • Offers a dedicated app that’s easily installed into your car as and when you need it
  • All data is handled automatically and you don’t need to do anything technical
  • All driving factors are taken into consideration
  • Offers a discount reward scheme for safe drivers to further reduce their premiums
  • Receive free email updates on your driving performance and tips on how to improve
  • Monitor all data taken through the dedicated free app or online through your own personal dashboard
  • Young driver insurance black box Deals for under 25s who have just passed their test to help them enjoy affordable insurance
logo admiral little box£4,831.68 per year
  • The safer you drive, you’ll be offered discounts on your premium every month
  • Free dedicated theft tracking to help you get your car back safely and quickly
  • Choose whatever mileage limit you want, as long as its over 1,900 miles per year
  • Offers discounts with their single car and multicar policies
  • Holds five-star ratings from thousands of policy customers across the country
  • Rated a five-star insurance provider by Defaqto
  • See all driving performance information through the website
Top 10 best black box insurances

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What Are The Best Third-Party Fire and Theft Car Insurances?

Not all insurers are competitive for TPFT policies. We've searched the market looking for those insurers who offer good policies at the right price, and they're shown in the table below.

InsurerAnnual premiumMain features
logo o2 box on board£1,312.97
  • Telematic policy - you'll need to install a black box
logo rac insurance 1£1,339.02
  • Telematic policy - you'll need to install a black box
  • Includes free breakdown cover and legal protection for your first year
logo admiral£1,374.24
  • Includes 90 days European cover
  • Includes Driving Other Cars cover
  • Includes No Claims Bonus
logo elephant£1,387.68
  • Up to 90 days European cover
  • Flexible payment options
  • A good insurer for younger drivers
logo diamond£1,400
  • Includes cover for fitted audio and carphone equipment
  • Includes manslaughter defence costs
  • Good insurer for women drivers
logo insure wiser£1,853.55
  • High compulsory excess of £3,000 makes this a poor policy if your car is worth less
logo one call insurance£1,859.46
  • High compulsory excess of £3,000 makes this a poor policy if your car is worth less
  • Uninsured driver promise
  • Straightforward website with live chat option
logo sterling insurance£2,392.70
  • High compulsory excess of £3,000 makes this a poor policy if your car is worth less
  • Includes 30-90 days European cover
  • Younger and learner drivers covered
Best third party fire and theft car insurances

Those quotes are for driver of eco car, aged 21-30, Greater London, clean licence.

What are the best comprehensive car insurances?

The following table compares the best comphrensive car insurance policies offered by some of the most popular providers:

InsurerAnnual premiumPersonal accidentCourtesy carBreakdown coverMotor legal protection
logo admiral little box£823.20YesYesYes£29.95
logo admiral£976.64YesYes£44.95£29.95
logo elephant£977.76YesYes£44.95£29.95
logo diamond£978.88YesYes£44.95£29.95
logo one call insurance£1,365.23YesYesYesYes
logo quote me happy£1,495.96YesYes£26.72Yes
logo general accident£1,530.82YesYes£26.72Yes
logo hastings essential£1,644.94YesYes£34.99£29.99
logo hastings direct£1,772.77YesYes£34.99£29.99
logo esure£1,778.47YesYes£38.14£31.00
logo sheilas wheels£1,778.71YesYes£38.14£31.00
logo sterling insurance£1,827.42YesYes£66.00Yes
logo more than£2,218.94YesYes£27.99£28.50
logo tesco bank£2,241.93YesYes£39.85£13.65
logo my policy£2,255.88YesNo£34.80£23.20
Best comprehensive car insurances

What are the best third party only car insurance?

The following table compares the best third party only policies offered by some of the most popular providers:

Insurance providerMonthly premium
logo one call insurance£113.75
logo be wiser£127.58
logo sterling insurance£152.25
logo go girl 2£209.75
logo dialdirect£247.08
logo endsleigh£270.14
logo royal bank of scotland£289.66
logo post office£291.25
logo ms£300.75
logo rac£309.08
Third-party only car insurance comparison

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What are the best classic cars insurance?

Insurance for classic cars is a specialised area and the best classic car insurance quotes will come from specialists who understand the market.

Find out main classic car insurers of the market as well as a short review on each:

Insurance providerOur comment
logo lancaster
  • Competitive prices and a good level of cover
  • Charge a £70 arrangement fee
logo grove and dean
  • Competitive and friendly
  • Classic car insurance criteria include many quite modern classics and sports cars
logo footman james
  • Specialist insurer with staff who actually drive vintage cars and ride classic bikes
  • Generally require classic cars to be over 20 years old
logo hagerty
  • One of the best insurers for the older historic vehicle
  • Offers European touring cover as well as Private Client Service for owners of £250,000-plus cars
logo rac
  • Mainstream insurance provider that also offers classic car insurance for cars made between 1951 and 1990
  • Covers competitive motorsport use as well as regular driving
logo admiral
  • One of the biggest generalist car insurers
  • Also offers classic car policies for cars between 30 and 70 years old, and worth £1,000 to £25,000
  • Good opportunity for owners of 'budget' classics like the 2CV and Beetle
logo lv
  • Another big insurer with a classic policy
  • Policy is not available if your car is a daily driver or for named drivers under 30
Best classic car insurances

What are the best temporary car insurances?

Let’s begin with a short term car insurance comparison of some of the best short term car insurance companies that can allow you to insure car for a day and some of their features:

ProviderCover durationStandard excessAge limitExclusionsOur comment
insure4aday logo1 day to 28 days£250 19 to 75 years
  • Hired vehicles
  • Modified cars
  • Vehicle must not be impounded
  • Very trustworthy insurance specialist
  • Flexible temporary cover
  • Possibility to add up to 2 additional driver to your plan
logo insure daily1 day to 28 days £250 19 to 75 years
  • Speed testing or trials
  • Using vehicle for competition
  • Using vehicle to carry load or passengers for a fee
  • Cars with a value above £45,000
  • Specialist provider for short term covers
  • Stringent list of eligibility terms
logo day insure1 hour to 30 days cover£250 19 to 75 years limit
  • Damage due to ageing or gradual deterioration
  • Damage to tyres
  • Vehicle use for other purposes other than intended use
  • Flexible cover with a comprehensive package as standard
  • No temporary cover for hired or rented cars
logo cuvva 11 hour to 28 days Varies19-65 years old
  • Changing the intended use of the car
  • Using car for competition or rallies
  • Changing cars to a car that cannot be covered
  • Car driven by driver not named on policy
  • Very digital oriented specialist for short term car insurance
  • Does not include for free any optional extras
logo tempcover1 day to 28 days£250 or £500 18-75 year
  • Modified vehicles
  • Using vehicle to carry passengers commercially
  • Used for carrying goods for reward
  • Offers flexible temporary cover
  • Only available for those who have been residing in the UK for at least 12 months
logo collingwood7 days to 24 weeks£350 17-65 old
  • Failure to update insurer about important changes in information
  • Car used in a race or rally
  • Specialist insurance provider with temporary cover only for learner drivers
logo rac1 hour to 30 days£25018 to 75 years old
  • Car driven to hazardous location
  • Car used to carry hazardous goods
  • Car used for commercial purpose or any other purpose not mentioned in policy
  • Incidence leading to a claim is covered by another policy
  • Very famous provider in the UK
  • Does not offer temporary cover for learner drivers though
logo veygo1 hour to 30 days£250 17 to 85 years old
  • Damage due to wear and tear
  • Driving without a license
  • Incorrect and unauthorized used
  • Intentional damage
  • Misfuelling
  • Veygo is the temporary cover from Admiral
  • Made for people with no car
  • Very flexible
  • Complete with a 100% online subscription
logo one call insurance1 day to 84 days£250 19 and 75 years old
  • Does not cover damage if car is impounded or confiscated
  • Participation in races or rallies
  • Damage due to wear and tear
  • Covers learner drivers that are 17 years and above
aviva logo1 hour to 28 days£250 19 to 75 years old
  • Glass damage
  • Damage due to deterioration
  • Driven by someone with no current license to drive your vehicle
  • Offers a comprehensive package as the standard offer for its temporary cover
logo sky insurance1 day to 28 days Varies17 to 75 years
  • Car changed while policy is still on
  • Failure to supply correct documentation
  • Using the vehicle to carry passengers for payment
  • Insurance broker company that offers a wide range of products
  • Limited third party EU cover as standard
  • Policy starts instantly
Best short term cover

What are the best senior car insurances?

The following table compares the best third party only policies offered by some of the most popular providers:

Insurance companiesAnnual premiums for 41-60 years old
logo bell£647.36
logo admiral£719.04
logo elephant£721.28
diamond logo£724.64
logo hastings direct£1,279.03
logo brightside£1,652.47
Car insurance quotes for senior comparison
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Nishadh Mohammed
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Nishadh Mohammed is a seasoned news editor and financial writer, working with HelloSafe since May 2023. Nishadh has developed expertise in financial markets, insurance, and investment products, with a deep understanding of the Canadian financial landscape. He has honed his SEO skills and content marketing strategies while writing for Canadian publishing houses. Armed with a master's in Business Analytics and extensive journalistic experience, Nishadh uniquely combines data proficiency and thorough research to deliver comprehensive and accessible information.