Hedgehog Car Insurance Review

author-profile-picture
Nishadh Mohammed updated on September 24, 2020

verified information

verificator-profile-picture-profile-picture

Information verified by  Adeline Harmant

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 methodology

This is the ultimate review to guide you through Hedgehog car insurance.

So if you want to get cover details, better value for money for your car insurance and tips to lower your insurance premium, then you might love the following article.

Let’s dive right in!

Is Hedgehog a good car insurance company?

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 Hedgehog car policy terms and conditions and given our own ratings based on different criteria.

4,0 Safe overall rating for Hedgehog

Our ratingOur opinion
Customer service & satisfaction

5 star defaqto rating
Highly rated customer service in terms of availability, 24/7 report claims service
Full online support
No customer service telephone access for most of the services provided
No information on the website as regards the services provided

Cover provided

Misfuelling cover is provided on both the comprehensive and TPFT covers
There is an option to enhance the additional extras provided e.g Courtesy car cover can be enhanced from 14 to 28 days.
Uninsured driver's promise is included with the comprehensive cover

Value for money

A 50% discount is given for customers who buy out an insurance policy in advance
Multi car discounts are offered
The covers provided are cheap and affordable
Cancellation fee of £75

Financial strength for pay out

Hedgehog insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway International Insurance Limited which is a part of Berkshire Hathaway - the world's 10th-largest company by revenue. This proves their high ability to pay out claims.

Technology

User experience on the website is well thought as the website can be easily navigated
Online login option through which customers can effect changes on their insurance policy
Presence of live bot to answer questions
Apart from the policy documents provided, no information was provided as regards the insurance company

Safe rating for Hedgehog

Expert and customer reviews on Hedgehog

We compiled expert and customer reviews from independent institutions, to give you an overall idea of Hedgehog's reputation.

Review organisationConsumer satisfaction rates for Hedgehog
Defaqto expert rating for Hedgehog defaqto 5 stars
TrustPilot4,67/5 based on 2,884 reviews (Reviews Institute)
Consumer satisfaction rates on reviews for Hedgehog

To check if Hedgehog 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 opinion on Hedgehog car insurance policy

Hedgehog is an online car insurance company whose policies are underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway International Insurance Limited, one of the large companies in the world in terms of revenue.
This solidifies the financial capacity of the insurance company.

Hedgehog offers car insurance services at cheap and relatively affordable prices. The company offers two levels of car insurance policies: Third Party Fire and Theft and Comprehensive. The comprehensive level (rated 5 stars by Defaqto) of cover include a lot of features like the courtesy car, key cover, windscreen repair, personal injury cover, new car benefit, stereo cover and cover in Europe. Features like the motor legal protection, breakdown or premium hire car cover (a premium courtesy car, including if yours is stolen or written off after an incident) can be added for an extra charge.

However, the downside is that the policies must be mostly managed online but you still have a claim number to call to report incident.

Finally, compare best car insurance in less than 20 secs without giving your email.
No spamming, promise.

Compare

What does Hedgehog car insurance policy cover?

Hedgehog offers two levels of car insurance:

  • Third Party Fire & Theft
  • Comprehensive.

CoverComprehensiveThird-Party Fire and Theft
Accidental damageyesno
Fire & Theftyesyes
Windscreen cover (no effect on NCB)yesno
Liability to other people£20M£20M
New car replacement benefit (up to 12 months, 59%)yesno
Courtesy carsubject to availabilityno
Personal accidentUp to £5,000 per person and £10,000 per accidentno
Medical expenses£100no
Personal belongings£250no
Keys cover£500 for keys stolen or lostno
Cover abroad in the EU - 90 daysyesyes
Uninsured driver promiseyesyes
NCB protection providing you have more than 3 years NCBavailableavailable
Hedgehog car insurance policies

What does Hedgehog Comprehensive car insurance cover in details?

Breakdown cover

The Breakdown cover provided is an optional extra which can added or removed from the insurance policy based on the driver's discreetion. There are 4 levels of cover provided and they are:

  • Basic recovery this cover level includes roadside assistance, provision of alternate source of transportation and overnight accommodation when needed
  • National recovery this cover level includes what is listed in the basic recovery cover level and in addition, nationwide recovery services
  • Home assistance this cover level includes what is listed in the basic recovery cover level and in addition, home assistance in the case of a breakdown
  • European this cover level includes what is listed in the home assistance cover option with the addition of the Pre-Departure Cover option which makes provision for foreign travel.

Courtesy car

No Car hire option is provided. However, Hedgehog insurance provides a courtesy car for a minimum of 14 days as standard. However, there is an option to enhance this coverage option and increase the time frame to 21 days. It is important to note that courtesy cars are only available when the car is being repaired by an Hedgehog approved UK repairer.

Personal accident

In the case of an accident in the insured vehicle which in 3 months results in death or disablement; whether permanent or temporary, the Personal Injury Cover provided by Hedgehog insurance makes room for the following:

  • £2,500 in the case that the accident leads to death
  • £1,500 for the permanent loss of any limb above the wrist or ankle
  • £1,500 for the complete and irrecoverable loss of sight in one or both eyes.

Windscreen cover

Hedgehog Insurance provides windscreen cover and a sum of £500 to provide for the:
Cost of repairs for the breakage of windows or windscreen glass (does not include sunroof or paranomic glass) provided the damage to the windscreen would be sufficient to cause the vehicle to fail an M.O.T. test.
In case you need to report a glass damage, you can directly call Hedgehog's partner Autoglass or go on their website. Autoglass is the UK's leading car glass repairer available 365 days, 24/7.

Motor legal protection

Hedgehog only provides motor legal insurance when there ismore than a 50% chance of winning the case and achieving a positive outcome.If this is feasible, the sum of £100,000 would be offered to cover:

  • 24/7 Legal Advice
  • Insurance to cover for legal costs to address some types of disputes.

Other guarantees offered at Hedgehog

  • NCB Benefit: Yes
  • Uninsured driver promise: Yes (NCB is protected if you are hit by an uninsured driver)
  • Personal belongings: £250
  • Audio equipment & Sat Nav: £1,000
  • Medical expenses: £100
  • Liability limit: £20,000,000
  • Courtesy car availability: As standard, 21 days
  • Coverage abroad: 90 days

Excess and fees at Hedgehog

Excess

  • Fire excess: cost of damage is covered
  • Theft excess: cost of damage is covered
  • Accidental damage excess: cost of damage is covered
  • Windscreen replacement excess: £200 for replacement, £50 for repairs
  • Driver under 21 excess: no

Admin Fees

  • APR charges on monthly payment: Variable
  • Renewal fee: £10
  • Cancellation fees: Cancellation fees during cooling off period : £50
  • Cancellation fees outside cooling off period : £75
  • Adjustement fees: Adjustment fee: £10

Hedgehog car insurance terms and conditions

How much does Hedgehog car insurance cost?

You'll find below indicative car insurance quotes at Hedgehog:

Drivers'ageMonthly premium
18 years old£104,21
40 years old £42,98
60 years old£31,69
Quotes above are for a comprehensive car insurance - eco car, clean record driver, Liverpool

Costs of Hedgehog 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.

Finally, compare best car insurance in less than 20 secs without giving your email.
No spamming, promise.

Compare

Is there any promo codes or discounts available at Hedgehog?

At Hedgehog, customers who pay for the insurance policy 3 weeks before the start date would get a 50% discount.

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!

What are the other car insurance policy types available at Hedgehog?

Hedgehog multi-car insurance

Hedgehog insurance offers Multi vehicle policies and offers customers discounts when more than one car is registered under the same address on the same insurance policy. No other details as regards this was provided on the website.

How to contact Hedgehog car insurance?

Hedgehog phone numbers

You will find all important phone numbers to contact Hedgehog auto insurance:

Contact numberOpening hours

Claims

0330 058 7330

Monday to Friday 9am – 5.30pm.

Autoglass

0344 248 2164

Monday to Friday 9am – 5.30pm.

Breakdown service

0333 043 8665 (standard breakdown cover)
0333 016 4150 (premier)

Monday to Friday 9am – 5.30pm.

Legal care

0330 058 7330

Not Stated

Contact numbers at Hedgehog

Hedgehog other contact details

You'll find below Hedgehog main contact details:

Contact details of Hedgehog
Email address

[email protected]

Customer account with Hedgehog login

My account

Social mediaNo
ChatbotYes
Contact details at Hedgehog

You can also contact them by mail by writing to Hedgehog car insurance:

Hedgehog Car insurance
2nd Floor
Nicholson House
Nicholson Walk
Maidenhead
SL6 1 L

How to claim on your Hedgehog car insurance?

There are different numbers to call depending on the nature of your claim.

  • To register a standard claim or a car accident with Hedgehog, you can call the dedicated Hedgehog claim team, a UK-based call center available 24/7 at: 0330 058 7330.
  • For a glass damage claim, you will need to call Hedgehog's partner Autoglass at 0344 248 2164 or directly go on the Autoglass website
  • For a breakdown claim: 0333 043 8665 (standard cover) and 0333 016 4150 (Premier cover)
  • For Legal care: 0333 344 2564.

To claim on your car insurance, always prepare upfront:

  • your policy number
  • evidences of claim.

Good to know

If your claim is related to crime (theft, fire etc.), you must go to the police before calling your insurer.

How to cancel your car insurance at Hedgehog?

Since car insurance is a legal requirement, Hedgehog will renew your policy automatically at the end of the policy period without any notification from your side. However, Hedgehog 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.

Good to know

You can cancel your car insurance policy at any time but cancellation fees may apply especially if you cancel outside the cooling-off period.

You can cancel optional extras or your Hedgehog car insurance policy in full through your customer portal online. When you click on the cancel button, you will be shown the cancellation fees you will have to pay, as well as any amount due before cancelling. Unless you've cancelled within the cooling off period, you will not get any premium refund.

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!

Hedgehog could also refuse to cover your car any longer if you don't pay for your premiums within the time allocated, if they find out that you omitted important information that was required by the company such as your driving experience or if you have committed a fraud of any kind (this act is known as ‘fronting’). 
Hedgehog will send you a cancellation notice (usually 7 days).

>> Download our free and online car insurance cancellation letter template.

Did you like this article?
author-profile-picture/
Nishadh Mohammed
hellosafe-logo
hellosafe-logo

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.