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Hastings Direct: Car insurance reviews

3.03
Based on 682 reviews, last reviewed 19th Apr 2026
100% increase in 5 star reviews
in the past 90 days
300% increase in 1 star reviews
in the past 90 days
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35%
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6%
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4%
See only 1 star reviews
35%

Latest highest rating:

4

Hail Hastings! Went through Hastings Direct for my car insurance, overall very efficient and quick process. Blackbox policy clearly outlined and sent out to myself v... Read more Reviewed on: 19th April 2026
James W's avatar
James W

Latest lowest rating:

1

Poor service even poorer company Ive given 1 star because its the lowest… Ive given 1 star because its the lowest i can give had a major motorbike accident may last year was in a coma... Read more Reviewed on: 4th April 2026
Mick Lee's avatar
Mick Lee

About this product

Hastings Direct provide award-winning car insurance.

You can get a Hastings Direct car insurance quote online and manage your policy via the mobile app. There are three levels of cover, Essentials, Direct and Premier. They're available as an online product which is a lower cost, self-service policy that you manage yourself.

Hastings Direct car insurance reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used Hastings Direct before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

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Hastings Direct Car insurance reviews (682)

Scam

1
I had insurance for just three months. They cancelled for no reason at all and now I have to pay twice my insurance. Besides they will not refund and charge ridiculous cancellation fees. Why do the British people have to suffer from those unscrupulous scams? And when will this govt intervene? Reviewed on: 27th May 2023

They were cheap, but a nightmare to deal with when I had to make a claim

1
They were cheap, but when I had to make a claim they have been absolutely useless. I submitted the claim in August 2022. It's now May 2023 and after them never proactively contacting me (I've always had to chase them) my repair has still not been carried out. Reviewed on: 17th May 2023

AVOID Hastings Direct

1
AVOID THESE SHARKS -- Auto-Renew is set to ON. Turn it off, they will not tell you. It defaults to charge you, even when you've sold your car, and they will NOT waive their so-called "admin fee". Just AVOID. Reviewed on: 3rd May 2023

You are probably not insured with Hastings Direct!

1
I have recently had call to change my policy, each change cost me £40.00 which seemed okay. They also gave me the option of taking up a completely new policy at this point which would cost me an extra £600 more on my policy, no idea why and it was not accepted. Then unfortunately I was in an accident which was my fault. It was at this point that I found out I was not actually insured with Hastings Direct as they had put my policy out to another insurer. I am now a month on with no repaired car no settlement and no loan car. I also believe my car was repairable but I was left for 2 weeks with no contact before they decided to write it off from a picture. They then said the engineer had inspected it. I will never ever insure with them again, Also my excess was not what I expected, the extra excess is only seen if you scroll across on a phone screen, that cost me an extra £180.00 Check who you are actually insured with and check your policy document carefully is my advice. I will never deal with them again. If I could give them less than 1 star I would. Reviewed on: 19th April 2023

lack of transparency

1
tried to add a temporary driver for 1 day to our policy and was told that hastings would not do this. upon asking for a reason i was told by the agent that they would not tell her. for lack of transparency on something so simple i am concerned if actually have to make a claim. complaints procedure told me that this was because it was an australian licence. i have personally added temp drivers to a policy before and numerous people iasked the same. all with international licences. not very impressed with the complaints experience even though never expected anything other than the reason. obfuscation and the email received from her glosses over the issue. she gets a 1* Reviewed on: 13th April 2023

Very good car insurance company

5
I have a car insurance on my car and it is provided on a very good affordable cost. Have very good customer service. Reviewed on: 7th April 2023

Terrible customer service

1
TERRIBLE COMPANY, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! My car was stolen and found early in February. Hastings has had my car since 10th of Feb, but has still not managed to get it into a garage to fix the damage from the theft. It is now April and I have still not been given a courtesy car. This company has left me carless for nearly two months. I have had to pay for taxis and other transport, and Hastings has not helped towards this in any way or shape. Do not trust this company or any promise they make. I am still waiting two months later for a courtesy car. Reviewed on: 31st March 2023

Stay away from this company

1
Do not go near this company. I made a legitimate claim for an overseas medical emergency and they have made the process as painful and difficult as possible. They don’t answer emails, phone lines are near impossible to get through on and they have missed every deadline or broken every promise along the way. I’m 4 months into the claim and still without the £2k I’m owed, now with legal action being threatened by the overseas hospital. So upsetting Reviewed on: 25th March 2023

Rip off

1
In the name of terms and conditions, Hastings began stealing money. While I was able to find insurance for over £200 less, my policy was automatically renewed. While I didn't authorize the withdrawal of funds, customer support said you have signed the terms and conditions, so they are allowed to take the £20 on the system-generated quote. This is their right, and this is how they make money. Please ensure that they cannot renew the policy until they send a letter by post. It's called ripping off and stealing under the name of T&C. I would not recommend them to anyone, and a lot of other customers reported the same. Reviewed on: 14th March 2023

Dishonest crooks

1
Your customer service stinks. First you autorenew my policy without me knowing it, you make me wait 30 minutes on the line to cancel only to find you won't do it without charging me a penalty. Nobody wants your autorenew - especially when it's 20% higher than last year despite no claims. You also obscure the fact that you add autorenew so the customer has no choice. To add insult to injury you claim to have sent me documents a month before renewal to review when you absolutely didn't. I expected better but you've behaved like dishonest crooks. Reviewed on: 9th March 2023

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