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Hastings Direct: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 2.99 (678 reviews)

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2.99

Based on 678 reviews, last reviewed 4th Apr 2026

100% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

25% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

36%

19%

35%

Latest highest rating:

5

I've been with Hastings Direct for a good few years... I've been with Hastings Direct for a good few years now - they've helped me with carious claims and at a difficult time when I had a car accident they... Read more Reviewed on: 23rd January 2026

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

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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 (678)

Appalling Customer Service

I received an email stating my car insurance was being renewed. I called to say I didn't want a renewal as I had gone elsewhere (I wasn't aware auto-renewal was on). The email stated that I wouldn't be charged if I cancelled within 14 days of the policy starting (policy starts tomorrow) so I'm still on my current policy, only to be told I will still have to pay a £20 handling fee. Obviously, I wasn't happy about it but what can I do - this is how these companies make a quick buck on the side. I asked the customer service advisor to send me the bill. Her response was to tell me that she will email me the bill but I should read everything carefully and, if I didn't pay after a certain period of time, they will pass my unpaid £20 fee onto debt collectors. At no point did I say I wasn't going to pay. Why would one of your agents say that?! I won't be buying insurance from here again. Unnecessary extra fees and extreme customer service agents. Reviewed on: 30th October 2022

Don't have an accident if you are insured with hastings insurance.

Not completed in a timely manner, confusing/inadequate comms, no courtesy car available even though part of the contract of insurance, ...This is supposed to be fully comp. The car is still not repaired, I've not seen it since it was collected to be assessed a month ago, the accident was almost 4 months ago. The repair job has been closed, Hastings not replying to my comms, repairer refuses to tell me what has been repaired so far and the car is waiting for a new light. Hastings have asked for a review & I still haven't even seen my car yet!!! The worst Insurance policy yet. Reviewed on: 14th October 2022

Absolutely useless

I insured my new car in December 2021 and this firm was quick enough to take my business. 11 months later when the new insurance was due I got a letter saying that they couldn't insure me anymore. When finally getting through on the phone, the chap told me that it was the underwriters that couldn't insure my car and no reason given, and here was me thinking I was insured with Hastings Direct, silly me. If you value your sanity and your car stay well away from this firm. Sybil valentine Reviewed on: 12th October 2022

DO NOT BUY INSURANCE WITH THIS COMPANY

DO NOT BUY INSURANCE WITH THIS COMPANY DO NOT BUY INSURANCE WITH THIS COMPANY. This company is ridiculous, IF WE NEED TO CONTACT THEM IT WILL TAKE YOU HOURS WAITING ON TEH PGONE FOR ANYOEN TO PICK UP, and after speaking with them saying i don't want to renew my insurance they haven't done anything and they tried to renew and ask money... now on the phone again to tell them once again i don't want to renew, waiting now for 55 minutes and no one pick up the phone, when one guy pick up the pone keep saying the connection is not good and put me on hold again... Really, is this how you want to keep clients? VERY VERY BAD SERVICE..ALREDAY BOUGHT INSURANCE WITH OTHER COMPANY... Reviewed on: 12th October 2022

Cheap but unprofessional

Renewal is an issue ! Cancellation is an issue ! Customer service is terrible ! Avoid at all costs ! Reviewed on: 12th October 2022

AVOID

This company is an absolute joke. They have a snazzy advert on Sky and a Defecto 5 star rating but if you are buying for a young driver avoid like the plague. My son had an accident on the 9th September. The initial person he spoke to on the phone seemed to be inexperienced, asked questions and for information that should have been readily available in the policy documents i.e., what size is the engine? He was over an hour on the phone. The police attended the scene and were even getting annoyed at the length of time they were taking to take details. The car had to be recovered by the police as it was in a dangerous position for other road users. Hastings Direct were going to leave a vulnerable person by the road for 5 hours waiting on recovery. They assessed the car on the 16th September it took them until the 28th September to say it was a total loss but didn't update his website account until a couple of days ago. Had to phone them three times, twice they said they'd phone back and never did. He had to fill in a 52 question online form on the 3rd / 4th October, again with information already provided and some that was too in-depth (DVLA licence checks for myself and my wife, who weren't driving???). They sub-contract to various companies and they don't speak to each other. Had a letter from Coplan to send spare keys and V5 but wanted the final settlement in black in white, broken down to state what exactly is being deducting as I wish to claim back recovery costs if included, still waiting. They were meant to send e-mail twice but never. Will phone back for third time tomorrow. Been writing this while waiting to get through to substitute car phone number (30 minutes and counting). Couldn't give them 0 stars as website wouldn't let me. 1 star is being generous in the extreme. Reviewed on: 11th October 2022

This company is a scam!!!

Someone drove into my car last week. It's over a week now and I still haven't got a courtesy car despite having a fully comprehensive policy. Hastings Direct passed the repair to Enterprise, then Enterprise allocated it to the local garage. I'm calling every single one of them daily and I'm being told a different story each time. The most shocking is that Hastings takes no responsibility after the claim is made. I'll escalate this matter to a higher instance. Reviewed on: 10th October 2022

Save your sanity and please avoid

An accident over 3 weeks ago was met with a flurry of phonecalls from Hastings. Only to find liability, When it actually came to having my car fixed, well over 3 weeks on and my car is still on my driveway. I am unable to use it, but despite a Premium Insurance policy (ha ha!) which I believed meant I would have a courtesy car throughout I actually have no means of transport still. They do not phone you, and when you phone them promises are made that I am afraid are total lies, to date I have been given 4 dates I would be assigned a garage and none of it happened. To say this is impacting my life (and others that rely on me) is an understatement. They simply don't care! When you look at reviews for this company be sure to look at reviews of Customer Service that is the honest reflection of the company. People are happy when they take out their policy as it is amazing how competent they are in that process, but once you need help, trust me, one star is one star too many. Avoid. Reviewed on: 6th October 2022

Please please steer clear

Please do not use this company. I am claiming on them as I was driven into by someone who is insured with them and they have done nothing but be deceitful, ignore messages and do anything they can to not pay out what I am owed. There are many stories I have (the accident was in July and still unresolved even though driver admitted fault) For your own sake please do not use them. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2022

Cheap price with lots of features

Good quote and lots of features including key protection and breakdown cover. Not increased star rating as I don’t have experience with making a claim through Hastings. Reviewed on: 2nd October 2022

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