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Hastings Direct: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 3.14 (642 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

20% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

34%

20%

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

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

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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.

Hastings Direct Car Insurance reviews (642)

Review of the Hastings Direct, Car Insurance:

CheekyCharges Campaigner

Well i had already been with them a year, and they sent my quote for the next year and it was over 50% more than the previous year even though i was in double figures for no-claims and there were no changes from last year. So I decided to used a comparison website and inputting the same details as on the quote, the same company came up as the cheapest insurers on the comparison website, at over 50% less than their quote. So i called them and asked why i had 2 quotes with such different prices and they couldn't answer me, they also tried to quote me a price that was between my two other quotes and when i said it would be cheaper for me to leave them now, and then re-join them with my online quote their answer was 'So why did you bother calling then?' I was simply amazed at that! So the Golden rule should always be- NEVER accept the quote from your current insurers without looking around first, it will save you a fortune! Reviewed on: 6th March 2016

No customer service

Great until you need your no claims bonus sending. Called twice and both times advised it would be sent but nothing Reviewed on: 25th August 2021

Awful awful cowboys

Change a policy at their own whim with vague and open terms and conditions. Extorting me of over £300! Reviewed on: 6th August 2021

Terrible

I payed for a yearly car insurance policy staring in March 2021. Shortly after a received tab which monitors your driving and, depending on how good your driving is, I believe gets you cheaper rates the following year. Sounds like a good idea. However I had no idea that this tab was part of the policy - I just chose the cheapest insurance cost as many do. I guess it was in the small print. Regardless, I set up the tab as instructed. Within a couple of weeks I was receiving emails saying that there was an issue with the tab and that my insurance would be cancelled. Phoned up Hastings and the customer service agent told me it was a mistake on their end and the tab was working fine. A couple of weeks later I started receiving the same emails claiming there was a problem with threats of policy cancellation. As this was a busy time I forgot to contact them in time and the policy was cancelled after 5 months of an annual policy. They wouldn’t reactivate it and I had to start the search on insurance comparison sites again looking for a new yearly policy which was difficult as I had to find the funds for an extra 5 months. It’s just not worth the hassle. If you want to pay for an insurance policy and then not have to dealer the it again for around 12 months until you have to renew again , don’t go with Hastings direct. Reviewed on: 19th July 2021

People need to be warned about Hastings Direct...

I feel that I have received absolutely awful customer service from Hastings. I have never had an accident before, and we all hope that we will never have to use our car insurers, but that if we ever do it will be a simple process (words used by Hastings themselves when I called)...that is what we pay for after all. Unfortunately I had an accident in May and the process was anything but simple, thanks to the failings of Hastings. To start off with my number was taken down incorrectly by the call handler (despite re-confirming the correct number) and I was left waiting by the roadside for over 6 hours. There was no where around for me to walk to get a drink/food or any toilets within walking distance. I waited so long for help that I actually ended up in a humiliating situation (I don't want to share exactly what due to privacy, but Hastings are aware of what happened). Hastings have been awful from start to finish. I even gave my correct contact number to the person dealing with my complaint, yet it was still wrong on Hastings system. I didn't realise this until I received an email weeks later, asking why I hadn't responded to the valuation offer. I rang to update my number and later that day I received the texts that I should have received on the day of the accident. Bringing back the awful memory. My accident was on the 22nd of May and I received the texts on the 15th of June!! I have been contacted daily by Hastings to ask why I haven't accepted the valuation offer for my vehicle, despite me ringing to explain I was waiting for my complaint to be reviewed first and sending several emails to explain the same thing, with no response from Hastings whatsoever, just the same call every single day asking if I had received the valuation offer. The person dealing with my complaint even replied to say that I had given the wrong number to the call handler, however the number they said I gave incorrectly IS my correct number! The last email I received from Hastings was from the person dealing with my complaint, who assured me that the added information I gave would be looked into. I discovered when ringing to chase this up after hearing nothing, that Hastings had closed my complaint without telling me and without reaching a conclusion. I even rang Hastings and spoke to someone to tell them why I wasn't accepting the valuation offer and they didn't tell me that my complaint had been closed either. The communication has been terrible between Hastings themselves and Hastings to myself. I requested that Hastings absorb the remaining costs of my policy (which doesn't even equate to £250) due to their continued failings with my case, as I will not get a vehicle within the 30 day period they allow, but I have been informed that they cannot do this. I would avoid in the future!!!! Worst customer service I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. I am a nurse working through a stressful pandemic, and this was the very last thing I needed. It's the last thing that anyone needs, which is why I'm sharing my experience. Take care everyone ❤ Reviewed on: 2nd July 2021

I would not recommend Hastings to my worst enemys.

Unable to renew for next year . I called them up and I was told my details are changed . (NO) I was told to go use another insurance company . Reviewed on: 28th June 2021

Appalling service- avoid!

If i could give no stars i would. Avoid this company like your life depends on it. I am absolutely disgusted with the service, or lack of service from Hastings. It has taken them 4 weeks to view video footage of my non-fault claim and now subsequently time has run out regarding having to pay my excess. This is not the only issue, I have been placed on hold more times than I care to speak of (equating to hours not minutes). When I logged a complaint I was basically told that because they didn't agree with my claim it would not be upheld! I took insurance with Hastings a number of years ago owing to its good reputation but I categorically am saying now that I woukd not recommend them. I am actually going to pay the remainder of my policy to be able to go elsewhere immediately. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Shame on you Hastings - an experience than has gone from bad to worse each and every time I have had to make contact!” Reviewed on: 5th June 2021

Hastings cancelled my car insurance without any warnings..

Hastings have cancelled my car policy without any warnings, no email or a letter. Received email on 14th May stating your policy is cancelled. When asked they said because my car was write off and I should insure another car within 30 days, but I didn't know of this 30 days and Hastings didn't contact me by any mean to warn me. I spoke with Blessing on 15th May she escalated to her manager Maggy whose response to me is go check Terms and Condition, so basically Hastings are not doing their job to send me email to warn my policy will terminate after 30 days rather a MANAGER is telling me go read terms and conditions! IF THEIR MANAGER RESPONSE IS LIKE THAT WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM NORMAL EMPLOYEES!! I WORK IN CORPORATE BANK AND MY ADVISE TO HASTINGS BE PROFESSIONAL AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Spoke with Tamara on 21st May and she's blaming the postman she said we issued you a letter on 04th May, a letter that I have never received. I said to Tamara guess what I received every letter from Hastings but not this because they never sent me a warning letter. Complete unprofessional-ism, they cover themselves they didn't do their job and now blaming the post, and rude response go check the policy terms. I will just say they have no honesty, no integrity. Reviewed on: 24th May 2021

very poor customer service

i want to add my son-in-law on to my car policy. He hasn't had any significant accidents and has no driving offences in the last 5 years. I tried to do so online but having completed the form a message said that I needed to ring Hastings Direct. I've tried to do so, and just spent 45 minutes waiting to be answered. I've finally given up. I won't use them again, even if their quote is competitive Reviewed on: 30th April 2021

Avoid, worst company ever! Fees - Hidden Fee everywhere!

Absolutely terrible service, incompetent and unhuman!!! Hastings Entered wrong details over the phone, then charging me a fortune for they own mistakes, not willing to solve the issue, just constantly trying to charge me with fees. Worst insurance company ever. Will be sending this company to trading standards and plenty of other institutions to carry out a check, because this is not right. Reviewed on: 5th April 2021

Steal money iut accounts for policy i dont have

Stole full amount out my account and im still waiting 20 days later to have it returned i get nothing but excuses on why tgey cant return it stay well clear of this company Reviewed on: 23rd March 2021

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