The best car insurance in the UK

With so many car insurance providers on the marketplace, it can be difficult to figure out really offers the best cover. That’s where you come in: by joining thousands of other Smart Money People and leaving a review of your car insurance you can help us go some way towards seeing who gives the best cover. Here’s what we’ve been told so far:

Your top 10 car insurance providers

You came up with this chart! All we’ve done is taken the car insurance reviews that you’ve left over the past year and make it look a bit racy.

Looking at our Smart Money People reviews we can see that there’s a lot of love for LV=, but Hastings Direct provide the best value for money and AXA give incredible customer service. Direct Line just about makes the overall top 10, but shoots up to 7^th position when it comes to customer service.

How to save money on your car insurance in 2015

Don’t crash!

Probably the most obvious way to lower your premiums is to avoid claiming on your policy. You could get as much as a 30% discount at the end of your first year, and it only increases the longer you go without claiming.

Track your driving

Some insurers give drivers the chance to install technology in their cars that can be used to send information about how well you’re driving, which could reduce your premiums. They send back all kinds of info, including how fast you drive and how you brake and handle corners. You might also be offered a dashboard camera, which could be used to settle claims quicker.

Become a co-driver!

There are companies that will knock 10% off the yearly cost if you have driverless technology, such as automated parking or emergency braking systems, installed.

How to save money on your car insurance in the future

Don’t overshare

Information you put online could be used to determine how much you pay for your premiums. Sharing selfies on Twitter instead of watching the road? You could be paying extra when your renewal is due as a result. It may be worth thinking that what you’re sharing will tell insurers a lot about your approach to driving safely. According to Ford, 33% of 18-24 year old British drivers have posed for a selfie behind the wheel.

Get a driverless car

It’s been predicted that 90% of cars on the road by 2020 will be driverless. This should make driving a little simpler, and cheaper... unless your Batmobile decides to speed up at a tight bend!

Invent a hover car

If we’ve learnt anything from Back to the Future it’s that hover cars aren’t too far away. If you’re flying above mere road users then you reduce your chances of a collision. Just keep an eye out for birds!

Where there’s blame...

The internet is full of bizarre and interesting car insurance claim stories – it seems that absolutely anything can happen on British country’s roads.

Earlier this year, Saga revealed that animals cause almost £1 million of damage to their customers’ cars each year. One unlucky customer returned from a walk around Dartmoor National Park to find 12 horses licking the paintwork off his car, causing £1,200 worth of damage.

And check what’s under your bonnet before you set off: another policyholder discovered too late that a cat had sought refuge under the cover. The result? Nearly £4,000 worth of damage!

How good the claims process is functioning is an important issue to our reviewers. Here are a few we’ve received that highlight how they’ve found it with Saga, Go Girl, and LV=:

So who offers the best car insurance?

Our reviews point to LV= offering the best car insurance provider in the UK, based on their overall score, but Hastings Direct and AXA have also attracted their share of positive reviews so should also be worth a look.

Buying/renewing insurance and making a claim tend to be two of the main times when people get in contact with their insurance companies. Help thousands of other Smart Money People by leaving a review of your car insurance provider. We’ll be updating our chart of the top rated car insurers in 2016, and only your reviews can change this league table.

Previously we’ve taken a look at best current accounts and best credit cards in the UK, so if you’re thinking of switching banks take a look at these two articles.

Not so hot on your car insurance company? If you're insured with with Aviva or Direct Line, take a look at our new public complaints pages!