How to compare car insurance quotes
Find cheap car insurance quotes and stay on the road with MoneySuperMarket
It doesn’t take long
Pop in a few details about yourself, your car and driving history, and any named drivers
We’ll search for savings
We’ll show you which car insurance quotes are the cheapest and offer the best cover
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We compare dozens of the biggest insurance providers in the country, including:
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We combine independence, so we can negotiate the best prices, with excellent technology, to find the best value products and services.
That makes us, in our customers' opinions, the best price comparison website.
How to get cheaper car insurance
The average cost of car insurance has fallen slightly in the past year to £516, according to MoneySuperMarket data. But any savings are unlikely to be passed on to consumers. Some top tips to lower your premium:
Don’t auto-renew
Over a third of motorists let their policy renew automatically. Don't be one of them - shop around
Compare quotes
51% of customers who search for car insurance with us could save up to £270 on their premium
Increase your excess
Insurers are likely to reduce the cost of
cover if you're willing to increase your excess
What do you need to get a quote?
Details of the car
The car’s registration number if you have it to hand. If not, the car make and model is fine. We’ll also need the car’s age and any modifications you’ve made
What you'll use the car for
Social, commuting or business, and how many miles you think you’ll do a year. You’ll also need to say where you’ll keep the car at night for security
Your details
Including your job, your age and your address
No-claims discount (NCD) history
Details of your no-claims discount will help lower the price you are quoted. Use our no-claims discount tool to find out how many years’ no-claims discount your insurer will honour
Your licence
The type of licence you have and how long you’ve held it. You can also add any additional driving qualifications you have here
Our expert says
Our expert says
New driver? Here’s what you need to know
There are three main types of car insurance:
Fully comprehensive
The best level of cover. This protects you, your car and other motorists from any damage you cause. It also covers medical expenses, repairs, fire damage and theft of your vehicle
Third-party, fire and theft
This covers the cost of repairs to other people's cars and property, and to your own vehicle if it's stolen or damaged by fire
Third-party
The minimum legal requirement, this will only cover any damage you cause to other cars and property
Car insurance tailored to you
The cover you need also depends on what you drive, where, and how. There are also plenty of add-ons to help you find the right deal for you. It usually pays to shop around, because you are likely to save a significant sum of cash by changing insurer every 12 months, when your policy comes up for renewal.
Young drivers
Younger and learner drivers tend to pay a lot more for car insurance because they have less experience behind the wheel, and many buy specialist policies
European car insurance
You can drive in most of Europe on your UK car insurance, but there are several countries where you might need additional cover
Business car insurance
If you use your car for business reasons – including driving on behalf of your employer – you should consider taking out a business car insurance policy
Multi-car insurance
If there’s more than one car registered at your address, a multi-car insurance policy might help you and your household save money
Telematics insurance
Your insurer monitors how safely you drive via an app or a black box installed in your car. If you drive carefully, you could see a significant saving
Classic car insurance
Classic cars are usually more valuable – and harder to repair – than modern vehicles. If you own one, you may need a dedicated classic car policy
How much does car insurance cost?
The average price for fully comprehensive car insurance is £516 according to MoneySuperMarket data from November 2019. However, car insurance is priced on various factors, so premiums will differ considerably depending on your circumstances.
For example, young drivers are considered much more risky than older drivers, simply because they have less driving experience. Because of this, young people pay a lot more than more experienced drivers, and the same goes for people with points on their license and criminal records.
Policy | Average Cost* |
|---|---|
Third Party Only | £1,293 |
TPF&T | £852 |
Fully Comp | £476 |
*According to MoneySuperMarket data correct as of July 2019
Do I need a credit check?
If you want to pay for your car insurance monthly, the insurer will do a credit check to see if you’re able to make the payments. That’s because agreeing to pay monthly is technically a credit agreement: you’re borrowing the cost of the annual policy and repaying it over 12 months.
As with any credit check, a record of this search will remain on your file – and your credit rating will affect the amount of APR that you’re charged. If you have a poor credit rating, you may be charged up to 20% APR. And if you’ve struggled to pay credit in the past, or if you have a CCJ to your name, then you may be denied the option to pay monthly. If you think you’ll have issues with your credit rating, you can read our guide on improving your credit score.
If you choose to pay annually, you won’t be subject to a credit check.
Is car insurance cheaper annually or monthly?
Car insurance is usually cheaper when you pay annually, because insurers add on a fee for monthly payments. Some insurers may not offer monthly payments, but because it can be an ever-increasing lump sum each year, many motorists see it as a way of helping spread the payment.
If you choose to pay in monthly instalments, it’s important to be aware that most insurers will do a credit check to see if you are able to pay this monthly instalment.
What factors impact car insurance?
Car insurance is categorised on statistical risk, so there are several different factors taken into consideration when you get a quote for cover. This is why everyone pays a different price for their policy.
Age: This is a factor because, generally speaking, older and more experienced drivers are less of a risk than a young person that has been driving for less than five years. You will find that more experienced drivers will usually get much cheaper insurance premiums.
Gender: Even though insurers are no longer allowed to discriminate on gender, men still often pay more for their insurance. This is simply due to the cars they drive being statistically more powerful and that they drive more hours than women, amongst other factors.
Type of car: If you have an expensive or powerful car then you are seen as a higher risk for a number of reasons. If it’s expensive, it has a higher risk of being stolen. If it’s powerful, it’s deemed more at risk of getting into an accident driving at speed. If you want to see how your car impacts your insurance, you can check which insurance group it’s in for an indication.
Location: The location of your car is also factored in, because if the area has a high crime rate, then you are statistically more at risk of your car being stolen, damaged or vandalised.
Occupation: If you have a job where you drive more hours, then you are riskier in the eyes of insurers because you are literally on the road more. Or if you have expensive equipment as part of your job, it could be stolen from your car, therefore you present an increased risk.
Level of service
We aim to show you car insurance quotes from as many insurance companies as possible, so that you can find the right policy for you. Unfortunately, we can’t promise to show quotes from every insurance provider, because not all companies want to be included on comparison websites. We won’t offer you advice or make a recommendation, but we will provide you with all the information you need to help you decide which is the right policy for you. You can find out more about how we work here.
MoneySuperMarket can help you find great deals on your car insurance. From single to multi-car deals, satellite-based telematics policies to insurance for classic cars, we search the market to get the best combination of protection and price. Check out our news and guide pages for more information.
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