Third party car insurance
Compare third-party car insurance
What is third-party car insurance?
Third-party car insurance is the legal minimum level of cover you need to drive on UK roads.
It covers: injuries or damage you cause to another person, their vehicle, or their property from a car accident.
It doesn't cover: you or your own car, which means you’ll have to pay for any damage yourself.
It might be suitable if: you have an older, lower-value car which would be uneconomical to repair if you had an accident.
What is covered by third-party car insurance?
Third-party car insurance policies generally all offer similar protection but always check your specific policy.
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What is covered?
Injury to a third party - including passengers in your car
Damage to a vehicle belonging to a third-party
Damage to a property belonging to a third-party. For example, if you damage someone’s wall
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What isn't usually covered?
Damage to your own vehicle from road accidents, theft, or fire
Your medical costs or rehabilitation if you are injured
Do I need third-party car insurance?
Legally, you must have at least third-party cover to drive in the UK.
Uninsured drivers risk:
A £300 fine
Six penalty points
A driving ban if the case goes to court
Having your car seized
However, you could choose to take out other car insurance types with extra cover:
💡Top tip: You might prefer third-party only cover if you have a low-value car.
How much is third-party car insurance?
🚩 Third-party car insurance is usually the most expensive option even though you get the least cover.
Average price of third-party policies:
£850
.47^
Prices are higher than other policy types because:
Fewer insurers offer third-party policies, so there is less competition to offer cheaper prices
Insurers raised premiums after noticing third-party policy holders were statistically more likely to make a claim
What types of car insurance can I get?
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Fully comprehensive
✔ The maximum level of cover for you and your vehicle
✔ Protects the third party (the other driver) if you're in an accident
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Third-party, fire and theft
✔ Insures your vehicle against fire damage and theft
✔ Protects the third party (the other driver) if you're in an accident
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Third-party only
✔ Covers damage costs for third parties
✖ Does not cover you or your vehicle if you have an accident
What's the difference between third-party and comprehensive car cover?
While third-party car insurance offers the minimum level of cover, a fully comprehensive policy is the opposite.
Fully comprehensive car insurance covers everything under third-party and third-party, fire and theft policies and also includes cover for damage done to your own vehicle. You are covered regardless of who causes the accident.
Extra benefits are also more likely to be included in comprehensive policies – such as wrong fuel, breakdown cover or lost keys cover – either as standard or as an optional add-on.
How can I get cheaper car insurance?
Pay annually – paying in one lump sum is cheaper than monthly payments which have interest added on
Increase your voluntary excess - this means your insurer has less to pay out. But make sure your excess is still affordable
Consider telematics – installing a black box, particularly if you’re a young driver, can result in lower premiums over time if you drive sensibly
Average discount for paying annually:
31%^
Compared to paying for your insurance in monthly instalments.
Cut out extra cover and add-ons – upgrades such as breakdown cover and windscreen cover will increase the total amount you pay
Improve vehicle security - measures such as a factory-installed alarm can reduce the risk of theft
Shop around - comparing quotes can bring significant savings. We compare quotes from 185
^ trusted UK car insurance providers
Average breakdown cover cost:
£30^
When added as an extra to a car insurance policy.
Our expert says…
Why pay more for less cover? It may be counterintuitive, but bare-bones third party car insurance can actually be more expensive than fully comprehensive policies. Minimal cover could be an expensive mistake if you later get involved in an accident, so do check how much different types of policy actually cost.
Faith Archer Personal Finance Expert
Trusted Service Awards Winners
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
Does third-party insurance cover car theft?
No, third-party car insurance won’t cover you if your car is stolen or broken into – you’ll need at least third-party, fire and theft cover for this.
What is third-party, fire and theft car insurance?
Third-party, fire and theft is the next policy up from third-party only. It adds cover for your own vehicle if it’s stolen, broken into or damaged as a result of a fire or explosion.
Can you get added extras with third-party insurance?
Yes, you can usually add extras to your third-party policy, but it will increase the cost. Buying a fully comprehensive policy may work out cheaper as you get some extras included as standard.
What happens if you're involved in an accident and only have third-party cover?
If you’re involved in an accident, third-party cover will pay out for the cost of injuries sustained by the third-party, and any damage done to their vehicle or property.
However, you’ll be left to pay for your own vehicle’s repairs, and if you’re injured you won’t be able to claim for things like compensation, legal fees or physiotherapy costs.
Why is third-party insurance more expensive than comprehensive cover?
Previously, third-party cover was the cheapest option, and was therefore often taken out by younger and higher-risk drivers looking to cut costs. This meant that more claims were made on third-party policies than other policy types.
Insurers noticed that third-party policy holders were statistically more likely to make a claim, so raised the premiums for this type of cover.
Also, fewer insurers offer third-party policies, so there is less competition to offer cheaper prices compared to fully comprehensive cover.
What happens if I’m caught driving without insurance?
If you’re caught driving uninsured you could get:
A fixed penalty of £300
Six penalty points
A driving ban if the case goes to court
The police also have the power to seize your vehicle and it can cost between £100 and £200 to retrieve a car from an impound lot.
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Why should I use a price comparison website?
One of the best ways to get the lowest prices and best deals is to compare quotes from different companies. We do the work for you, comparing quotes side-by-side and giving you all the information you need so you can choose the right deal for your needs and your wallet.
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No, not every company can be included in our service. This is because some companies don’t want their products included on comparison sites, and some decide that they would rather not pay a fee. There are also a few smaller providers who can struggle to cope with the volume of customers that can find their products if they appear on MoneySuperMarket.
Our goal is to search deals from as wide a range of companies as possible so that you can choose the deal that suits you.
Is car insurance eligible for SuperSaveClub and rewards?
Yes, you can earn SuperSaveClub rewards when you buy car insurance through MoneySuperMarket.
This includes:
Up to £15, which you can withdraw as a pre-paid Mastercard or a gift card for brands like Sainsbury's and Amazon.co.uk
Free Days Out pass (worth £180), which gives free entry to a range of UK attractions
Cashback of up to 10% when you spend at brands including eBay, Just Eat and Argos
To earn SuperSaveClub rewards on purchases you must:
Sign up to SuperSaveClub (it's free)
Be signed in to your account when you make the purchase
More information can be found on our SuperSaveClub homepage.
Is car insurance eligible for Price Promise?
Yes, car insurance is included in our Super Save Price Promise.
If you buy through us then find the same deal for less we will:
refund the difference
give you a gift card worth up to £20
Terms and conditions apply. More information can be found on our Price Promise page.
Reviewed on 12 Dec 2025 by
YouGov Survey 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2025. Net Recommend score derived from “Which of the following online service websites would you recommend to a friend or colleague, or tell them to avoid?” Base: Current Customers of (MoneySuperMarket n=18,382, Compare the Market n=16,802, Go.Compare n=10,162, Confused.com n=8,229, Uswitch n=528).
Based on the median annual price of comprehensive car insurance policies sold through MoneySuperMarket in October 2025, with one driver who has held their licence for at least one year.
Based on the median annual price of third party, fire & theft car insurance policies sold through MoneySuperMarket in October 2025, with one driver who has held their licence for at least one year.
Based on the median annual price of third party only car insurance policies sold through MoneySuperMarket in October 2025, with one driver who has held their licence for at least one year.
Accurate as of 12 December 2025.
Based on car insurance policies sold through MoneySuperMarket between August 2025 and October 2025 where the user requested Breakdown Cover and it wasnt included as standard cover.
Based on MoneySuperMarket quoted policies for annual car insurance, between August 7th 2024 and November 5th 2024