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Hastings Direct: Car Insurance reviews

Name: Car Insurance
Rating: 3.15 (640 reviews)

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3.12

Based on 640 reviews, last reviewed 10th Jan 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

40% 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

Disgraceful car insurance company Awful company will never go with them again. They up your insurance quote every year with a stupid reason why where I can go somewhere else do cheaper... Read more Reviewed on: 10th 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 (640)

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

PLEASE READ THIS AND PLEASE BE WAREY

PLEASE READ THIS AND PLEASE LISTEN I went with hasting you drive(black box ) for my daughter Unfortunately she had a crash of no fault of her own and the car took a long time to be fixed so she wasn’t using it . I replied to emails that didn’t state you couldn’t reply to ( so no one read them apparently) explaining she wasn’t using the car as they wanted to no why it wasn’t alerting them and I had many convos with them about the crash and told them when she got the car back from being fixed she was shaken up and wasn’t driving so I assumed all was ok I have had her insurance cancelled by then they won’t reinstate it and have not been at all helpful this has had CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES for my poor child I’m devostated for her and now it’s around 7:8 thousand pound with a specialist insurer with a crash and a cancellation. If I can help one person not go through this heart ache Iv achieved something do not please do not insure with them on you drive Discusting Reviewed on: 12th December 2023

Becareful ! (from my real experience)

Like some people made complaints here. I am a new victom suffer from policy cancelled from this company with a ridiculous explanation. They just keep denying their faults. I got 2 car policys in this company. 1 of these policy have many error information that charged me for those correction and requested me to pay extra 400 more for a non fault claim history. However, the 2nd policy doesn't these problem at all. I refused to pay the extra and sent them the claim document which stated clearly my previous claim is a non fault claim. One of the CS told me a few days before that they would update the information accordingly after they receive the document. However, they did receive my email but no update at all and then cancelled my policy because I didn't pay the extra premium. I kept all email copies and their promise on phone. I would make complaint through all available channels. We should fight for our consumer rights especially I got enough information on hand. Reviewed on: 27th November 2023

car insurance claim

I have had a live claim since March this year, the customer service from start to finish has been appalling so far. The lack of communication from the beginning of the claim has been non existent, I have had to call each and every time to be met with advisors who have no clue what they are doing at all. They pass you from department to department and each and every advisor has no clue what to do or how to handle information. Passed to their legal team 1 email in July since then nothing. I would not recommend using Hasting Direct for any insurance at all. Reviewed on: 15th November 2023

One star as zero isnt an option

One star only because zero isn’t an option!!! I’ve been driving for 12 years, maximum no claims bonus. Never made a claim in my life not even a windscreen claim. I’ve been a loyal customer for years with Hastings then suddenly this morning I get an email saying they can’t renew this year. None of my details have changed, I live in the countryside, I’m probably one of the lowest risk people you could possibly want to insure. They won’t give a reason for why they won’t renew me just a straight no after all these years of paying in full every year and being a loyal customer! Absolute joke. I can’t wait to see the day Hastings insurance goes into liquidation, karma. I hope everyone you insure make claims this year Reviewed on: 13th November 2023

Insurance quote doubled in price again

So I just recieved my insurance quote fron Hastings direct which has more than doubled to now be £1048/year for a diesel audi TT. This is now the second year that they have doubled my premium with no reason and customer services that tell you no discount for long existing customer. Pay it of leave is their advise.This is from October 2023. This company is a money grabbing joke. Reviewed on: 26th October 2023

Worst insurance company

This is the worst insurance company I have had the displeasure of using. Lacked communication and not easy to get a hold of when it came to issues on repairs to cars.. Stay away from this company if you don’t want to be disappointed. Reviewed on: 22nd October 2023

Not covered

Found my car in morning with smashed front windscreen. No idea what or who did it. Called to make claim on insurance( fully comp including windscreen cover) passed to another department to arrange replacement only to find it would take five days( weather dependant). Enquired about a replacement while car is waiting to be repaired( a must for getting to work) I was told I can't get courtisy car. My policy includes courtisy car? I was told that as it wasn't involved in accident and was drivable I didn't qualify for courtisy car. This wasn't little chip or crack it was full on smashed. How is anyone able to drive when they can't see. Insurance doubled last renewal but I wasn't bothered as I thought was best to keep policy to be covered for any eventuality. What a mug, I will defiantly be shopping around when it's due for renewal. Not only out of pocket for premium for repair but also weeks work. Reviewed on: 20th October 2023

Poor customer service

Insurance cancelled because I failed to login to an app within a set time frame. Nightmare when you are away working and didn’t open emails entitled ‘please login to your app’ hardly urgent or suggestive of a cancelled policy. Told over the phone that ‘this maybe is not the company for you’ when I questioned why I had to login to an app to keep my policy! Stay away people if you work long hours as this discriminates against you! Reviewed on: 18th October 2023

Good change of mind

Got an increased renewal that seemed high On asking to rethink got a much better quote Unhappy with the initial high quote but very happy with response Reviewed on: 11th September 2023

£20 Charge to end policy even though policy had come to end !

Do not bother with their car insurance, as they want auto renew at the end of policy. My policy ran out, I did not want to renew it ....they charge £20 ....very sneaky will never use them again. Reviewed on: 1st September 2023

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