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Hastings Direct: Car Insurance reviews

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3.10
Based on 642 reviews, last reviewed 29th Jan 2025
100% decrease in 5 star reviews
in the past 90 days
25% increase in 1 star reviews
in the past 90 days
See only 5 star reviews
34%
See only 4 star reviews
20%
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7%
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5%
See only 1 star reviews
34%

Latest highest rating:

5

Sensible approach to black box (You Drive) policy. I had a black box (You Drive) policy. My car needed repairs which took several weeks and meant I wasn't driving it. Hastings Direct contacted me askin... Read more Reviewed on: 20th October 2024
Katie M's avatar
Katie M

Latest lowest rating:

1

DO NOT USE HASTINGS PLEASE Terrible - my car gets stolen and they refuse the claim for a key discrepancy issue and THEN LOSE THAT key! Car has been found by the police and Hasti... Read more Reviewed on: 29th January 2025
Will Green's avatar
Will Green
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About this product

Looking for your new car insurance provider? Check out the Hastings Direct car insurance reviews on Smart Money People, left by genuine customers to help you make an informed decision when choosing your next provider.

Founded in 1997, Hastings Direct offers car, van, bike and home insurance, providing flexible policies with a wide range of optional extras. Its car insurance policies come with varying levels of cover, alongside a telematics policy, YouDrive, which rewards good driving with lower renewal rates.

What factors do you consider to be most important when choosing a car insurance provider? Are you looking for a telematics policy that can save you money? Perhaps you require breakdown cover or courtesy car cover? What about windscreen cover, or protection from vandalism? Whatever your needs, check out our Hastings Direct car insurance reviews to see how existing customers rate their policies.

Have you had a Hastings Direct car insurance policy? Share your experience with the Smart Money People community to help us increase trust and transparency in financial services. Tell us how satisfied you were with the price of the premium, and whether you managed to find cover for all of your needs? If you’ve had a YouDrive policy, did you find the scoring of your driving fair, and did you find a noticeable discount on your renewal? Leave a Hastings Direct car insurance review today and help other drivers.

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Hastings Direct Car Insurance reviews (642)

Conflict in information given by Hastings

1
Wish I didn't have to give them even a single star to do this review. Tried to ring but ended up via Live Chat. Explained was selling the vehicle so didn't require the auto-renewal. gentleman on other end of live chat stated that if we cancelled the policy now we would be charged £45 cancellation. We stated we were selling not had sold. He said to inform them once we had sold the vehicle and we would not be charged the cancellation fee. Next day get an email stating that the policy was now cancelled and we had been charged the £45 cancellation fee. Rang and explained the policy should still be running until as we still have the vehicle, in process of being sold. Was told they cannot insure a vehicle that we don't own. Explained we STILL have the vehicle all paperwork and no money had changed hands. They would not reinstate the policy for the remaining days of this month, we would have to take out a new policy. They will not refund the £45 cancellation fee as we cancelled the policy because we jhad sold the vehicle, WE STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE. Requested a transcript of the live chat and was told they would put us through to somebody who would send it to us via email today. Line went dead. Rang back. Told that the person had the request for the transcript but as it was a long process to get it they would be in touch tomorrow to let us know when. So the be all and end is that we have a vehicle with no insurance and they have charged us £45 for the privilege. Oh I must add that they will give us the £45 only if we take out another vehicle policy with them. No way would we give them the business and no way would we recommend to anyone else. Also it cost 12p per minute to call them and they will IMO put you on hold for a minimum of 10 minutes. Reviewed on: 12th June 2022
Steve Davis's avatar
Steve Davis

Run now

1
Paid 409 for a year policy. Moved so I called to change my address. My mileage, car being parked on a driveway etc hadn't changed. Only my postcode changed. I was living in a small town, still am now, no crime in either yet now, for the last 4 months of my policy they are wanting an extra 241 from me. That means for 4 months they expect me to pay over 90 a month for insurance. Asked why and apparently there is no criteria for why!!!!!!!! These people are thieves and utterly disgusting. Moreover, they want to charge me a 45 cancellation fee even though they are forcing me to cancel due to the price. Will be reporting these thieves to the financial ombudsman. How this is fair and just is far beyond me. Never again. They are the worst insurance company in the world. I have never been charged such fees for moving home. It's not like I'm moving to a warzone. It's a tiny town. The complaint is apparently resolved. Hastings would not budge on anything. I will never ever buy my car insurance from them ever again. All they care about is their fees and profits. Disgusting company with no morals. And they were more interested in getting me to pay for an entire year and lose my no claims discount. Disgusting. I hope they go bust. Reviewed on: 25th May 2022
MJ's avatar
MJ

Awful

1
After buying my insurance policy that required the tab, they cancelled my policy after a few months because of ‘issues with driving data’ which i had previously spoken to them about and had been told it’s because my battery was low on my phone when i was driving or something. i re synced the tab and always charged my phone before journeys and yet they cancelled my insurance anyway without contact. Reviewed on: 18th May 2022
molly.reyyan@gmail.com's avatar
[email protected]

So frustrating

1
Someone ran into me on the 8th April. I reported it immediately and it is now 27th April. I keep getting switched from Hastings. to Enterprise car rentals, to IMS(whoever they are), to Cannon motor repairers. I keep getting told by Enterprise car rentals(apparently they arrange the garage to fix the car), that Cannon, the local garage have been informed about my case several times. I ring Cannon up and they've never heard of me. Lies lies and yet more lies. Reading the reviews below I think I'm in for a long problem. Reviewed on: 27th April 2022
John Smith's avatar
John Smith

Exhausting and disappointing

2
Unfortunately, I didn't have a great experience with Hastings due to the only two times I had to contact them. I had to make a claim due to an accident caused by a stray deer. It took 4 months from initial communication to finally repair the vehicle. The third party allocated to my repair was actually beyond useless and failed to even respond to the body shop for over 8 weeks. I had to raise an "official complaint" to get the ball rolling on the above and I used my time to arrange repairs, courtesy cars and communication...I specifically opted for above essentials so I could relax from doing this, in the end it was moot. I needed to update my insurance due to moving over to an EV...Hastings decided that £1700 a year for a driver with 10 years experience and 6 years no claims. To paint perspective, the average quote I was receiving on animal based comparison sites came to £600. If the price was only 10% higher, with Hastings, I would have continued to use them without any qualms. I contacted support to understand why the price increase was unfathomable and if it could be reduced, I was unsuccessful with this request and ultimately had to cancel. Finally, upon cancellation I am then charged a £45 cancellation fee...it's not crippling but is completely immoral and borderline extortion. Since Hastings can "technically" provide me insurance, at a staggering price, I am the one that has decided to cancel and therefor I have to pay the penalty. Yes, I should "aLwAyS ReAD tHe CoNtRaCt", but why do we have to go to such efforts as a customer just to receive adequate and morally correct service from these monopolistic multi million pound conglomerates? It's insanity. Reviewed on: 26th April 2022
Luke's avatar
Luke

Scammers

1
Waiting for claims for the past I think 11 months to be paid, we did already 5 complaints and nothing , we put this case to court and we are waiting for a reply, they don't contact us regarding the situation and my mental health and anxiety keeps raising. We contact the ombudsman and he's fallowing the situation. This insurer is a scammer they're running from their obligations. Reviewed on: 25th April 2022
walter carvalho's avatar
walter carvalho

Money making charges

1
Good initial quote and cover. However when you change a reg number and or car thats when the fun starts with the money making scams to charge you money when other companys dont. I had 2 cars insured with hastings. Took a reg plate off one car and was charged. Understand that as they blamed the underwriters. Then get new car quote and was charged over a thousand pounds more for the one car than for the cost of the policy for the two cars. £1900 for one car. Went o compare site and got a quote for £400 and went with them. Canceled with Hastings and got charged 75 pounds for all the years of loyalty with no convictions or accidents ect. Also changed reg with new company totally free of charge HASTINGS ARE A RIP OFF. Reviewed on: 20th April 2022
Steven Pooley's avatar
Steven Pooley

WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH

1
WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH. HAVE WASTED DAYS OF MY LIFE TRYING TO GET THEM TO CANCEL MY POLICY AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE EVIDENCE THEY REQUIRE. IT IS A WAR OF ATTRITION2 HOURS ON THE PHONE THIS MORNING ALONE. DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM. Reviewed on: 9th April 2022
Lisa FF's avatar
Lisa FF

ABSOLUTELY USELESS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY

1
My accident happened 22/3 2022 and still waiting for 2 so called mangers to ring back regarding this and still no courtesy/ hire vehicle Fully comprehensive treated like sh#t Reviewed on: 4th April 2022
Belinda Mills's avatar
Belinda Mills

ABSOLUTELY USELESS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY

1
Please read and listen "DONT" do it go else where you will thank me in the future Today 4 April 2022 ........ accident happened on the 22 /3/2022 still no courtesy car or hire car Still waiting for call backs from 2 so called managers.... no good ! No help !waste off money Hastings direct are crap Reviewed on: 4th April 2022
Belinda Mills's avatar
Belinda Mills

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