Which? compile lists of insurance quotes for their 'best buy guide' so streamline your enquires and just call the companys below that coinside with your car's insurance group, and area risk. (sorry for it's length)
Which? Car insurance: Best Buy guide
Fed up with another premium hike? Switch to a Best Buy to start saving
Ten minutes is all you need to save hundreds of pounds on your car insurance. Just get a couple of quotes from the Best Buys, see below, and compare them with your renewal quote. We’ve checked 6,450 premiums from 41 car insurance companies in the UK to find our Best Buy policies. We’ve also checked hundreds of pages of policy documents to ensure our Best Buys offer the right level of cover. See the big table to see what features each Best Buy has and see policy features for an explanation of them.
Our Best Buys are based on comprehensive cover and take account of the policies’ excesses. For an explanation of the different types of insurance, see here. Most companies offer very similar levels of cover. If you are short of time try Hastings Direct or Marks & Spencer. They are good value for most drivers.
Some of the cheapest quotes we found were from companies that cut costs by not providing a courtesy car if you have an accident or your car is stolen. As we think a courtesy car is an important part of a comprehensive insurance policy we haven’t made any of these companies Best Buys. But if you’re happy to sacrifice the courtesy car for a cheaper premium, get quotes from Quinn Direct or Swiftcover.
How to choose a Best Buy
We list the Best Buys in order of price, with the cheapest at the top in each category. To ensure you get the best quote, try both a couple of phone Best Buys and online Best Buys in the category closest to your circumstances.
If you live in a rural area or small town, look at the low-risk areas part of the table. If you live in a city or large town, look at the high-risk areas part of the table and choose the category closest to your age and personal circumstances.
If you drive a small car (a Ford Fiesta, for example), look at the Best Buys in group 1 to 7. For a medium car (such as a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Vectra), look at the Best Buys in group 8 to 13. For a large car (such as a BMW 5 series), look at the group 14 to 20 Best Buys. If you aren’t sure what car group your car is use an online guide such as
http://www.abi.org.uk.
Best Buys – Low-risk areas
Car group 1-7 (low risk)
Hastings Direct
Marks & Spencer
NAGc
Swiftcover a
Budget
Churchill
Car group 8-13 (medium risk)
Hastings Direct
Marks & Spencer
NAGc
Swiftcover a
Budget
Admiral
Car group 14-20 (high risk)
Hastings Direct
Marks & Spencer
Elephant.co.uk
Admiral
Budget
Marks & Spencer
Hastings Direct
Marks & Spencer
NAGc
Best Buys – High-risk areas
Car group 1-7 (low risk)
Hastings Direct
Marks & Spencer
Budget
Debenhams
Budget
AA
Car group 8-13 (medium risk)
Hastings Direct
Marks & Spencer
Halifax
RAC
Debenhams
Car group 14-20 (high risk)
Hastings Direct
Budget
Virgin Money
Cornhill Direct
Halifax
Yorkshire BS
Sainsbury’s
a Includes additional premium for optional courtesy car
b Maximum cover age 85
c NAG includes Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank
d Maximum cover age 75
e maximum cover age 90
f Maximum cover age 80
g Maximum cover age 79
h Maximum cover age 74
i Maximum cover age 70