What Is The Best Car Insurance 2023?

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Moneyfacts has been analysing data for 35 years and our Star Ratings act as a badge of quality, providing an easy way for you to identify exceptional products that deserve your consideration. The chart below shows a selection of car insurance providers awarded four and five stars. Scroll down to see the full list of winners.

Featured car insurance providers

LV=
Moneyfacts Star Rating: 5 Stars

Insurance is simple when it’s me and LV=

We pay out on 99% of claims*

With our multi car insurance you'll save 12.5% on every car you add to your policy**

Tailor your cover with optional extras

^{*99.45% of direct motor claims paid Sep '22 - Aug '23}^{**Discounts are applied individually for each car}
Go To Provider's Site
Swinton
Moneyfacts Star Rating: 5 Stars

Key Benefits

Loss or damage caused by fire, theft, accident or malicious damage

Protected No Claims Bonus (optional)

Courtesy car

Breakdown cover (optional
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Saga
Moneyfacts Star Rating: 5 Stars

Steer clear of price rises – choose Saga Plus and we’ll lock the cost for 3 years if nothing changes. T&Cs apply. You can cancel any time without paying a fee.

Moneyfacts 5 Star rated – Saga Car Insurance is one of the top products out there.

Always room to manoeuvre – 3 Comprehensive cover levels to choose from, for people over 50.

99% of claims paid in 2022 – plus a guaranteed courtesy car while yours is at an approved repairer after a UK accident.
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Freedom Brokers
Freedom Brokers prides itself on straightforward, uncomplicated insurance with a first class claims service. You can choose from a range of easy-to-add car insurance policy upgrades, including breakdown cover, excess protection, legal expenses and replacement vehicle hire.

Access to your personal online account 24hrs a day, 365 days a year

Policies tailor-made for you with access to a range of insurers

UK-based call centre with a 24-hour claims helpline

Protected No Claims available

Foreign Use cover available to ensure you are covered abroad

Add Policy Upgrades to ensure that your cover is right for you
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Quotezone
Compare 110+ providers & save up to £490*

Search and compare cheap quotes from over 110 UK insurance providers including Hastings, Admiral, AXA, RAC, & Swinton.

Whether you’re a learner driver, a student or an experienced motorist in your 60s or 70s, compare quotes and see how much you could save today!

With Quotezone Rewards, unlock an entire platform of cashback and discounts for a full year just for completing an insurance quote

Save online at up to £1000 retailers

Earn cashback on your everyday shopping

Enter free competitions

*51% of consumers could save £490.26 on their Car Insurance based on representative cost savings from June 2023 data.
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By Miles
Moneyfacts Star Rating: 5 Stars

A fairer kind of car insurance for lower mileage drivers.

Simple, straightforward car insurance that you pay by the mile.

The less you drive, the less you pay.

Pay for what you use and always be covered by fully comprehensive insurance. No Claims Bonus protection comes as standard.

Instantly see the exact cost of each day’s driving in our app, then pay for what you’ve driven monthly. Simple as that.

Stay in complete control with simple bills, reminders and features to help you take care of your car on a daily basis.

Cover available to drivers between 17 and 80 years old
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Admiral
Moneyfacts Star Rating: 5 Stars

Windscreen Repair - Policyholders are eligible for the repair and replacement of windscreens (excess applies).

Courtesy Car - Use of a courtesy car whilst your car is being repaired at an Admiral approved garage.

European Cover - Up to 90 days cover in Europe

Stereo Cover - Unlimited cover for standard sound systems.

£5,000 Personal Injury Cover - Get £5,000 of personal injury cover for you and your partner.

Sat-Nav and Personal Belongings Cover - If your personal belongings or effects are damaged or stolen while in your car, we'll pay up to £150.

24 Hour Emergency Helpline
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Carole Nash
Classic car insurance specialist.

Up to £100,000 legal cover for non-fault accidents.

UK & European breakdown cover.

Agreed value available.

Salvage retention rights.

Up to 15% discount for club members.

Choose your own specialist repairer.

Shows, rallies and events cover.

Have gained recognition with numerous awards and commendations over the years.

The Carole Nash team boast a wealth of expertise when it comes to classic car insurance, so you can be confident you’re dealing with the very best.
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Temp Cover
Flexible short-term insurance from just 1 hour to 28 days

Cover available online in just 90 seconds

Ideal for borrowing a vehicle, test driving, sharing long drives, or picking up a new vehicle

Designed to fit around your needs so you only pay for the cover you want

Available for drivers aged 17-78
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Note

Links to third parties on this page are paid for by the third party. You can find out more about the individual products by visiting their site. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk will receive a small payment either if you click the links or if you use their services after you click through to their site. All information is subject to change without notice. Please check all terms before making any decisions.

Disclaimer

The list of car insurance providers on this page is a selection of services available and gives you an idea of the kind of options available. You can find out more about the individual products by visiting any of the providers listed. All information is subject to change without notice. Please check all terms before making any decisions. This information is intended solely to provide guidance and is not financial advice. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk will not be liable for any loss arising from your use or reliance on this information. If you are in any doubt, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk recommends you obtain independent financial advice.

How does a star rating help me find the best car insurance?

Our independent and impartial star ratings provide consumers with an expert view of the whole market. Customers use our star ratings as an honest and reliable way to identify the products and providers that offer the best benefits.

What parts of the car insurance policy do we look at?

The many factors we look at to determine star ratings include:

Compulsory excess
Voluntary excess discount
Multi-car discount
No claims discount
No claims discount protection
Uninsured driver cover
Telematics
Courtesy car
New car replacement
Transport from accident
Loss/theft of keys
Driving other cars
Personal accident

Legal assistance
Breakdown cover
Audio equipment cover
Sat nav cover
Medical expenses limit
Repair guarantee
Misfuelling cover
Foreign usage availability and limits
Windscreen cover
Child seat cover
Vandalism cover
Personal belongings
Set-up fees

Compulsory excess
Voluntary excess discount
Multi-car discount
No claims discount
No claims discount protection
Uninsured driver cover
Telematics
Courtesy car
New car replacement
Transport from accident
Loss/theft of keys
Driving other cars
Personal accident

Legal assistance
Breakdown cover
Audio equipment cover
Sat nav cover
Medical expenses limit
Repair guarantee
Misfuelling cover
Foreign usage availability and limits
Windscreen cover
Child seat cover
Vandalism cover
Personal belongings
Set-up fees

Compulsory excess
Voluntary excess discount
Multi-car discount
No claims discount
No claims discount protection
Uninsured driver cover
Telematics
Courtesy car
New car replacement
Transport from accident
Loss/theft of keys
Driving other cars
Personal accident

Legal assistance
Breakdown cover
Audio equipment cover
Sat nav cover
Medical expenses limit
Repair guarantee
Misfuelling cover
Foreign usage availability and limits
Windscreen cover
Child seat cover
Vandalism cover
Personal belongings
Set-up fees

Car Insurance Star Ratings 2023

Click the headings below to see the full list of star ratings awarded.

Car Insurance - Four Star

Admiral - Admiral Essential
Ageas - Optima Plus
Audi Insurance - Car Insurance
AXA Direct - Car Insurance
AXA Insurance - Car Insurance
AXA Insurance - Car Insurance (NI Only)
boom - boom Plus
Budget Insurance - Private Car Policy
Carole Nash - Six Wheel Insurance
Covéa Insurance - Private Car
Darwin - Car Insurance
Dial Direct - Car Insurance
Dial Direct - Premier Car Insurance
Drive like a girl - Private Car
Endsleigh - Endsleigh Loop
Fish Insurance - Car Insurance
General Accident - Car Insurance
General Accident - Telematics Car Insurance
Go Girl - Private Car Insurance
Got2Insure.com - Motor Insurance
Halifax - Car Insurance
Hughes Insurance - HughesDrive
Insure 2 Drive - Private Car Insurance
Insurethebox - Private Car
Lexus Insurance - Motor Insurance
Lifesure Group - Motor Insurance
LV= Broker - Clear Car Insurance
M&S Bank - Standard Car Insurance
Marmalade - Black Box Insurance
Moja - Moja
MORE TH>N - Smart Wheels Car Insurance
Policy Expert - Gold Car Insurance
Porsche - Car Insurance
Post Office Money - Over 50s Car Insurance
Prestige Underwriting - Prestige Drive NI
Quotemehappy.com - Plus Car Insurance
RAC - Black Box Insurance
Santander - Car Insurance
Swiftcover - Swiftcover Car Insurance
Swinton Insurance - Classic Car Insurance
Tesco Bank - Box Insurance
Toyota Insurance - Motor Insurance
Vitality - Car Insurance
WiseDriving - Intelligent Car Insurance (App and Device)
WiseDriving - Intelligent Car Insurance (Black Box)
WiseDriving - Intelligent Car Insurance (Self-Install)
Yoga Insurance Services - Car Insurance

Car insurance explained

Can you get an insurance quote before buying a car?

Yes, you can use a comparison site and the car’s registration details to find out how much this might cost to insure if you go ahead and buy the car. Sometimes when you a buy a car from a dealer it will come with seven days’ free insurance.

How long does a car insurance quote last for?

Each insurer will state how long their car insurance quote is valid for. Some insurance firms choose to update their pricing as and when required, while others allow for quotes to be valid for a set number of days. Quotes can be valid for 30 days or up to 90 days. If you obtain a quote and then need to make a change, this can also change the price you are quoted.

Why are my car insurance quotes so high?

The cost of your insurance will depend on your own personal circumstances, your vehicle, where you live and then a range of elements that affects the insurers total costs such as the level of claims, insurance tax and the number of personal injury claims.
Penalty points and previous accidents or moving to an area with higher levels of crime can all increase your insurance premium.

How to cut car insurance costs – 4 tips to keep down your premium

1. Avoid auto-renewing your insurance

Insurance customers that do not shop-around can find that their renewal quote creeps up year after year. While auto-renewing is convenient and can help to make sure you are not accidentally uninsured it could cost you more money. This is because of a practice called ‘price walking’ where insurers creep up their renewal prices despite there being no change in the customer’s risk profile.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) identified 6 million policy holders that were paying high or very high amounts for their insurance policy (across home and car insurance) in 2018. The regulator has stopped price walking from 2022 from when car insurance providers have had to offer the same prices to new customers as they do for existing ones. Those wanting the cheapest car insurance still need to be vigilant and continue to shop around for the best insurance deals as prices will still differ between providers.

2. Make a diary note to start getting quotes one month before your policy expires

Research from moneysavingexpert shows that the best time to get insurance quotes is between 20 to 26 days before your policy expires. Their research suggests that insurers include the amount of time allowed for getting car insurance quotes as a risk indicator. Those that leave it to the last-minute pay more for their car insurance on average.

3. A multi-car policy could save money for families with more than one car

Some insurers offer discounts for insuring multiple cars with them. You should still shop around to compare the premiums.

4. Check the interest rate charged if you pay your insurance monthly

If you pay your insurance monthly, you will usually be charged interest on the total quoted for your car insurance policy. This is because the insurer is lending you the money to pay for the policy upfront and you are then paying back this debt to the insurer. If you can pay upfront this will save you interest costs. If you need to pay monthly then check the interest rate you will be charged and include this when you compare the cost of car insurance quotes.

When is the best time to renew car insurance?

Getting a car insurance quote too soon or too late could cost you extra pounds according to research conducted in 2019 by moneysavingexpert. This showed that the lowest car insurances rates available through insurance comparison sites was between 20 to 26 days before your policy is due to start.
Insurers base their pricing on risk, and this includes your driving history, location and vehicle type along with other factors.

The research from moneysavingexpert suggests that insurers also use how much time you allow to get a quote before your policy start date as a risk indicator. Those who plan ahead allowing about three weeks before their policy start date are seen as less of a risk than the equivalent applicant requesting a quote closer to their start date.

How to find car insurance quotes

The best insurance policy should combine a competitive price, product features and cover that you need with a good experience if you should need to make a claim. Before you start to search price comparison sites, you should have a look at review and ratings to see which insurers have a good reputation.

We’ve listed above those car insurers and their specific policies that have been recognised by Moneyfacts with a four- or five-star rating – this is based on their product features. This will help you to apply directly to those insurers that offer good quality car insurance policies.
Review sites can also be a good source to find out people’s experiences of claiming through a car insurance company.

Once you have an idea of those insurers that should meet your needs in terms of a good quality product and a positive claims experience you can then look for the lowest price either directly, using our table above or through a comparison site.

Car insurance FAQs

How to get cheap car insurance for 17-year olds?

Younger drivers can often lower their insurance premiums by using a tracking device in their vehicle, this monitors their driving speed and style, as well as the times of day or night that they drive. A score is then applied and if this is good there is the potential for a lower rate at renewal. Sometimes this ‘black box’ insurance policies also restrict when you can drive, for example after 10:00 at night.

Does a car insurance quote affect your credit score?

When you get a car insurance quote, the insurance provider will run a soft credit check to check your details. They will only perform a full credit check if you decide to pay for your insurance monthly. This is because when you pay for your insurance monthly you are in fact borrowing the full cost of the premium from the insurer and then paying this back each month. This means you are also usually charged interest on the monthly payment too.

A soft search to check your identity does not have an impact on your credit score, you will only see an affect on your credit score once a hard check is made if you decide to pay for your policy monthly.

Find out more about insurance quotes and your credit score in our guide.

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