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Hastings Direct: Car insurance reviews

Name: Car insurance
Rating: 3.04 (676 reviews)

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3.04

Based on 676 reviews, last reviewed 23rd Feb 2026

91% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

75% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

34%

20%

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

Dodgy fees. I just finished a contract with this company. My car insurance was finished at 23:59 of the 19th of Feb. They have automatically renewed my car insura... Read more Reviewed on: 23rd February 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 (676)

Difficult to cancel

Was on hold for 10 minutes waiting to cancel the auto renew and then had to go through the re-quote process before they would let me go. Reviewed on: 6th July 2019

Excellent price good service

Really happy with my cover I am receiving with my car insurance Reviewed on: 6th July 2019

Good

Always been easy to get hold of and cheap Reviewed on: 6th July 2019

Great customer service and good prices

I have been with Hastings for several years and have no complaints. They have been helpful when I called the customer service to arrange cover and they have good prices. Reviewed on: 5th July 2019

kook elsewhere for insurance

I took out a policy with Hastings from money supermarket because it was cheap a few weeks before my renewal date as I knew I would get a cheap quote if I did that. But then 3-4 days before insurance started they rang me back and said I made a mistake on how long I had lived in this country. apparently there was a difference of 18 months (I have lived 47 years in this country) I knew I had filled it in correctly but I had no way of proving that. As a result they had to requote me and now it worked out 40% more than originally quoted. I know that insurance companies quote more when it gets close to renewal date so I was unable to get a cheaper quote. This is a scam that this company uses to get more money out of the customer. Reviewed on: 24th June 2019

Lack of Transparency

I took out car insurance with this provider online using MoneySupermarket. Com. When I received my policy a few minutes later, I discovered a couple of errors. Hastings direct had started my insurance a day earlier than I’d indicated on my online form. They had also reduced the value of my car. I called to advise them of the errors. I was told this could not be corrected without my policy being cancelled and re-quoted and I also need to take into account that the premium I originally paid may also increase when re-quoted. I informed HastingsDirect that I was not willing to pay a higher premium than that originally taken out and already paid in full. True to their word, they re-quoted my policy at a slightly higher amount than what I originally paid. When I refused to pay the difference in price, I was immediately told that if I cancel the policy, which incidentally is not even 24hrs old, I will be penalised £20 retainer fee! Apparently, this was noted on the website when I took out the policy, but HastingsDirect cannot even send me evidence to support this claim involving the £20 policy. I will be referring my complaint to the financial ombudsman as HastingsDirect are misleading consumers. Reviewed on: 20th June 2019

Worst customer service ever

I cancelled my policy last year and returned my certificate as per their policy. They did not refund me and I did not chase it up as it was a minimal amount. They recently tried to renew my policy which is disgraceful business practise in my view. So I phoned to tell them and was passed around a few departments. 30 minutes later I got to speak to a woman who told me they will be charging me £60 for two weeks "cancellation". My policy cost me £126 so they wanted nearly 50% more for failing to do their job. Today I received a threatening letter informing me they are taking the money or suing me. All while I am undergoing cancer treatment. thank you Hastings Direct. Will make sure everyone I know is aware how bad this company is. Reviewed on: 29th April 2019

con

I took out my policy thinking I was getting a web cam, when it arrived it was a device I had to get my garage to attach and it monitors every movement how you accelerate and brake etc. I then received an email informing my score was 39 and it had to be 40 or they will cancel my policy at the cost of £140. I am 60 driving for 40 years with 1 speeding offence 30 years ago! It's a rip off they should be ashamed of themselves Reviewed on: 18th April 2019

Cheap but poor customer service

I was with Hastings Direct for 2 years, during my second year I had an incident where I scratched another car, I immediately phoned my insurance and explained the situation, they told me on the phone that they had opened a claim and that I had an excess of £540 (it should have been £250 according to all my documents). I then never heard anything from them regarding if anything was actually happening with the claim - all I know is when I got the renewal quote through an accident was listed on there. I was never communicated with again after the initial call. Reviewed on: 15th April 2019

Worst company I have ever used!

On a comparison website they were coming in with a slightly cheaper quote than other companies. I should have read the reviews first. They are a terrible company who charge for every slight policy alteration. Esure don't. They tried to charge me over £33 for cancelling my insurance with 16 days left on policy as I was selling my car. I had paid up for the year so in actual fact they owed me 16 days, although I never expected a refund. Why would you charge when I am cancelling and guaranteeing never to make a claim?! I decided to hold onto my car for the extra days rather than give them a penny more! The advice of my friends... crash into a tree and claim big...make them pay. Good job I'm a decent and honest person....unlike Hastings Direct. Lost mine and all family / friends from ever shopping with you again!!!!!!!!!! Reviewed on: 13th March 2019

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