Business use
Standard car insurance won't cover business use, so you need a special policy for work vehicles
Earn a £15 reward when you switch
We compare quotes from 177[1] of the most trusted car insurance providers in the UK, so you can easily compare defaqto ratings, cover level and price to help you get the best cover.
We’ll need some details about the driver and the car you’d like to insure.
We’ll find you the cheapest quotes from 177[1] trusted insurers.
Choose the policy that best suits your needs and complete your purchase.
Your car registration number and driving licence number
Any no-claims bonus you’ve accrued
When you bought the car and any modifications made
Your expected annual mileage
Whether you’ll use the car for social, commuting, or business purposes
Note: you can still get a quote if you don't know the registration yet
🚩 It is illegal to drive without car insurance in the UK
You must have at least third-party car insurance.
Otherwise, police can issue on-the-spot fines of £300 and put 6 penalty points on your licence. If you are taken to court you face unlimited fines and disqualification from driving.
Car insurance also financially protects you if something goes wrong. Without it, you could have to pay all the costs if you have a road accident or if your car is stolen or damaged.
You can check if you're insured through the free Motor Insurance Database (MID).
💡 Top tip: Even if you are insured it's useful to compare quotes to make sure you're not spending more than you need to.
Learner drivers must be insured to drive on UK roads.
Professional driving teachers will usually cover you on their insurance for lessons in their car
If you have lessons in your own car or your friend or family member’s car, you must take out provisional licence insurance
Learner driver insurance works like standard car insurance policies - it financially protects you from car-related issues. But as it is a separate policy any accidents you have while driving will not affect the vehicle owner’s no-claims bonus.
Most learner driver insurance policies are automatically cancelled once you've passed your driving test, so you need to purchase car insurance as soon as you become a qualified driver.
Car insurance is generally more expensive for inexperienced drivers. If you are confident in your driving abilities you may be able to reduce the cost by getting black box insurance (also called telematics insurance). Comparing quotes is also a great way to save some cash.
Over-50s car insurance works exactly like standard car insurance, but is often cheaper. That's because insurers regard older drivers as generally more experienced and therefore less likely to have accidents.
Of course age is just one factor that influences your car insurance premiums. Your driving history, previous claims, the type of car you drive, where you live, and the level of cover you choose will all also play a role.
If you drive to work you'll need car insurance that includes commuting.
If you use your car for any other work purposes, including visiting clients or running work errands, you'll need business car insurance. There are different levels depending on how much you use the vehicle.
If driving is a key part of your job you'll need commercial car insurance. This cover is designed for people working jobs such as taxi drivers or delivery drivers.
Multi-car insurance allows you to insure two or more cars on a single policy with the same provider. It's usually for cars registered to the same address, but sometimes you can add immediate family members who live elsewhere. You can also get multi-car breakdown cover.
You'll often get money off your insurance for every extra car added to a policy.
Temporary car insurance covers the same things as standard car insurance. Policies usually last from one to 28 days, although some policies will allow you to be insured for up to 90 days.
If you need insurance for more than a few months it may be cheaper to take out a standard annual policy, even if you do not drive the car for the full year.
Unsure how long you'll need insurance for? Most providers will let you pay a date rate which can be extended for as long as you wish.
Black box car insurance, also called telematics insurance, is a type of policy that involves having a device installed in your vehicle so your insurer can monitor your driving habits. If you drive well and follow road safety rules, they may offer you lower premiums.
Telematics insurance is one way new drivers and young drivers can make their insurance cheaper, although this only works if you consistently drive well.
There are three types of cover to choose from when you buy car insurance. These are:
Fully comprehensive cover is the best car insurance policy as it gives you the highest level of protection. It will cover you for a wide range of risks, often at the cheapest price.
Third-party, fire and theft covers your vehicle for theft, accidents, and fire damage as well as other people, their vehicles, and their property.
Third-party cover is the minimum legal requirement. Despite only covering injuries and property damage, it’s usually more expensive than fully-comp cover.
According to Consumer Intelligence – an independent third-party that checks car insurance prices across the market – 51% of customers could save up to £485[5]. How much you could save will completely depend on your personal circumstances and how much you’re currently paying, but there are ways to ensure you get the lowest possible premium.
You could get a lower price by simply being organised. Quotes tend to be cheaper between 20-27 days out from your renewal date. If you leave it until the last minute to compare quotes, you’ll pay more, so be organised and check prices earlier rather than later.
Car insurance prices have gone down for the first time in three years - but only by 1.1%[6] and only for drivers over 25 years old. With most of us still feeling the squeeze, MoneySuperMarket looked at tweaks we can make to our insurance to save some cash.
Of the changes we can control, shopping around probably has the biggest impact on the price we pay, with a majority of people being able to cut the cost of their car insurance by up to 48.65%[7] by comparing quotes. Paying annually rather than monthly is another big saver, and can shave 31%[8] off the price. Our third top tip is renewing early: buying a policy 20 days before it starts can knock 17%[9] off your total price.
Sara Newell Car & Van Insurance Expert
You can almost always get a better deal by shopping around. MoneySuperMarket does the work for you: comparing quotes with us can save you up to 48.65%[7] on your car insurance.
If you can afford to, it is worth paying for your car insurance in one go. Annual payments are up to 31%[8] lower than the total cost of monthly instalments, saving you up to £267[8]
Insurers can monitor your driving habits with telematics hardware, so sensible drivers can sometimes earn lower insurance premiums.
One of the simplest ways to reduce your insurance cost is to increase your voluntary excess. Be careful not to increase your excess so much that you can't afford it'
Smaller, less powerful cars are usually cheaper, safer to drive, and less attractive to thieves and vandals.
Parking your car in a locked garage keeps it safe from criminals, making it less likely you’ll need to claim for theft or vandalism.
Adding an experienced driver to your policy tells insurers it won’t be just you driving, so they’ll reduce the price. However, you must be honest about the main driver of the vehicle.
As car insurers generally view advanced drivers as being less likely to have accidents, passing an advanced driving course can sometimes help cut car insurance costs.
Cutting down on how much you drive can slightly reduce your insurance costs. Someone who drives 10,000 miles a year pays on average 3%[8] more than someone who drives 2,000 miles.
The logic for insurers is that if you’re not on the road as much, you’re less likely to have an accident.
We're so confident that we'll find you the cheapest car insurance deal with MoneySuperMarket, that we're making a price promise to you.
If you find the same car insurance policy for cheaper elsewhere, not only will we refund the difference, we'll also give you a gift card worth up to £20!
Restrictions and T&Cs apply, click here for details.
In the news at the moment: Leaving your car to warm up unattended could invalidate your car insurance. Find out how.
Keep up to date and find out all you need to know with our latest guides.
insurethebox
Black box telematics Your driving will be monitored to promote safe driving. There are no curfews on this policy. Potential to earn bonus miles and a reduced renewal price for safe driving.
Great for
But be aware that
This is for illustrative purposes only. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. Quote taken on 23.02.2024.
Learn more about our full methodology here.
As well as standard comprehensive policies, we can help you find specialised types of policy for specific circumstances, including multi-car insurance and short-term cover:
Standard car insurance won't cover business use, so you need a special policy for work vehicles
This lets you take out temporary car insurance from anywhere between a day and a few months
This car insurance type gives you the option of adding more than one car to your policy
Get the chance to bring your costs down by installing a black box, which monitors your driving habits.
If you’re learning in your own car, learner driver insurance provides cover while you’re practising to pass your test
Some providers offer tailored car insurance for drivers over 50, so it’s worth comparing the whole market
All drivers, including newly qualified drivers, are required to have car insurance when driving on the road
Breakdown cover pays for the cost of calling out a mechanic if your car breaks down and you need roadside assistance.
If your car is in for repair, courtesy car cover will help you get a replacement vehicle for while you need it.
Personal accident cover pays out a lump sum if you’re injured or killed in a road accident.
Motor legal protection will covers any legal fees you might face in relation to a road accident.
Windscreen cover will pay for the cost of repairing or replacing a cracked windscreen.
If you lose your car keys or if they're stolen, car key cover will cover the cost to replace them.
Also know as misfuelling cover, wrong fuel cover pays for the necessary repairs you'd need if you accidentally top your car up with the wrong type of fuel.
Personal belongings offers protection for your belongings in the event your car is stolen, which can be handy if you tend to leave them in your car.
Protects your no-claims discount by letting you make a certain number of claims within a year before it affects your premiums. Building a no-claims discount will reduce your premiums over time.
Add on | Average cost |
|---|---|
Breakdown cover | £31[10] |
Courtesy car | £10[11] |
Legal cover | £29[12] |
Personal injury cover | £22[13] |
Car insurance group checker - check which insurance group your car falls into
Car insurance cover advisor - identify the type of cover you need
Electric vehicle finder - find the electric vehicle that best suits your needs
Car finance calculator - get an idea of how much car finance might cost you
Check your credit score - if you pay car insurance monthly, your insurer will perform a 'hard' credit check
If you plan on paying your car insurance monthly, then your insurance provider will perform a ‘hard’ credit check. A low credit score can drive up your premiums. You can keep an eye on your credit score with our Credit Score tool
In the news at the moment: Leaving your car to warm up unattended could invalidate your car insurance. Find out how.
Keep up to date and find out all you need to know with our latest guides.
With 171ii car insurance providers to choose from on MoneySuperMarket, the "best" company will depend on your individual circumstances. Factors like your age, driving experience, location, car type, and desired level of coverage will all influence which insurer offers the most competitive rate and suitable policy.
Using our comparison tool can help you find the right policy for you at the best price.
A fully comprehensive car insurance policy generally offers the most protection and can be surprisingly cost-effective, making it the best value for most car owners.
Car insurance in the UK is priced based on groups of cars, ranging from 1 to 50. Group 1 represents the vehicles considered the cheapest to insure, while Group 50 represents the most expensive. New cars can sometimes be more expensive to insure because they're more valuable.
You can check which group your car comes under here
While you can get car insurance at any time, the best window to score the most affordable cost of your premiums will fall within 15 to 29 days of your policy renewal date. Compare quotes with MoneySuperMarket to find the most affordable option for you.
How long a quote is valid for is down to the insurer. MoneySuperMarket can save your quotes for you, but we cannot guarantee that the price will be the same if you wait to purchase.
However, our Price Promise means that you can be confident you are getting the best deals with us. If you find the same car insurance policy for less we'll refund the difference and give you a gift card worth up to £20.
Restrictions and T&Cs apply, click here for details.
You can cancel your car insurance policy at any time by contacting your insurer.
If you cancel within 14 days
You can often cancel your policy during this cooling off period without paying a cancellation fee, or paying a reduced amount.
If you cancel after 14 days
You will usually be entitled to some money back but you will almost certainty be charged a cancellation fee. You also won't be refunded for the time you've been insured, which will be worked out on a pro-rated basis.
The excess is the amount of money you must contribute to any claim on your car insurance. It is a fixed amount and will be outlined in your policy documents.
Insurance excess is often divided into:
Compulsory excess: set by your insurer, this is the minimum contribution.
Voluntary excess: set by you. The higher your voluntary excess, the lower your premiums are likely to be.
If the costs you are claiming for are smaller than your excess, it is not worth going through your insurance. This may also be true if the claim amount is not significantly higher than the excess, since insurers often give no-claim discounts that could save you more money in the long run.
A no-claims bonus is a discount given by insurers to customers who have not claimed on their car insurance before. The longer you drive without claiming, the bigger the discount you can earn when renewing your cover.
No-claims discounts mean that it can be cheaper in the long run to not claim on your car insurance for smaller costs. This is especially likely to be true if the amount you would be claiming for is close to your excess.
Yes, you're likely to pay less overall if you pay the annual fee upfront. This is because insurers add on a fee for monthly payments. While monthly payments can help to spread out the cost over 12 months, you will end up paying more overall. Insurers will carry out a credit check if you opt to pay monthly to see if you can afford it.
While advanced driving courses such as Pass Plus or IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) make you a better driver, they won’t always save you money on your car insurance. While the average person is unlikely to save with Pass Plus on their record, younger or inexperienced drivers might be able to save a few quid. However, any discounts will depend on the individual insurer, and the course itself may cost more than any savings on your insurance cover. You may well save more by shopping around and comparing deals from different providers.
The number of miles you drive on average per year is used to calculate your car insurance premiums. To calculate your expected mileage, you can:
Look at the number of miles you drove the year before on your annual MOT certificate
Check your car's service record - mileage is noted in your logbook every time your car has its annual service
Calculate how many miles you drive each week and add them all up
Yes. You can usually add up to three named drivers to an insurance policy alongside the main driver. The main driver must be the person who uses the vehicle the most.
Additional drivers receive the same level of cover as the main driver. Adding them to the policy can make it cheaper or more expensive depending on their risk profile. Young drivers may find it makes their insurance cheaper if they add their parent to their policy, for example.
You can also take out an any-driver insurance policy which allows anyone you wish to drive your car. This type of policy can be expensive, as your insurer can't tell who is driving the car at any given time.
Any-driver insurance can be particularly useful for business purposes. For example, tradespeople might want any driver van insurance so multiple workers can use a vehicle.
Yes, a lower annual mileage typically results in cheaper car insurance. On average, MoneySuperMarket customers who drove between 5,001 and 10,000 miles in a year paid £168.33 less for their comprehensive car insurance in March 2024 than those who drove over 50,000 miles, resulting in a saving of around £168.33 per year.
The reason behind this is, the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be involved in an accident. Insurance companies often reward lower-risk drivers with lower premiums.
Possibly, as long as you've updated your insurance policy beforehand by contacting your insurer and they have approved the vehicle change.
If you don't have insurance, one option is to take out a temporary car insurance policy when you pick up your new car. Short-term insurance can cover you until you sort out an annual policy.
In 2022 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced new rules compelling car insurers to offer the same price to both new and existing customers.
The intention was to make car insurance pricing fairer and prevent people from being financially disadvantaged if they remain with their provider.
You work hard to earn your money, and we don’t think you should waste a penny of it paying over the odds on your household bills. That’s why at MoneySuperMarket, we’re on a mission to save Britain money.
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So how do we make our money? In a nutshell, when you use us to buy something, we get a reward from the company you’re buying from.
You might be wondering if we work with all the companies in the market, or if our commercial relationships with our partners might make us feature one company above another. We’ve got nothing to hide, and we want to give you clear answers when it comes to questions like these, so we’ve pulled together everything you need to know on this page.
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