CompareFairlyBest Car Insurance 2026
Our pick : Direct Line (82/100) · Cheapest : Hastings Direct · Best value : Direct Line
In short
This comparison covers 7 car insurance across 11 criteria: Price / Year, Excess Amount, Coverage Level, No Claims Discount (Years), Customer Service Rating, Claims Process Rating. Direct Line comes first with 82/100, driven by Breakdown Cover Included (100/100) and Claims Process Rating (100/100). Aviva follows at 75/100 and beats it on Telematics Option Available. The cheapest option is Hastings Direct.
Comparison table
| Criterion | Direct Line | Aviva | Admiral | Hastings Direct | LV= | Churchill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price / Year (GBP) | 650 | 700 | 620 | 590 | 680 | — |
| Excess Amount (GBP) | 250 | 300 | 350 | 300 | 250 | — |
| Coverage Level | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | — |
| No Claims Discount (Years) (ans) | 10 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 9 | — |
| Customer Service Rating (étoiles) | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.1 | — |
| Claims Process Rating (étoiles) | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.9 | — |
| Breakdown Cover Included | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | — |
| Legal Expenses Cover | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Windscreen Cover | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | — |
| Telematics Option Available | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — |
| Monthly Payment Option | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best car insurance in 2026?
Direct Line is currently ranked highest with a score of 82/100, followed closely by Aviva, based on our comprehensive comparison of price, excess, coverage, and customer service.
How do you rank car insurance providers?
Our rankings are based on a neutral, data-driven approach, evaluating factors like price, excess amount, coverage level, no claims discount, and customer service ratings, with all data sourced transparently.
Which car insurance has the best customer service?
Direct Line scores highly for customer service, alongside its overall ranking, indicating a strong performance in customer satisfaction and claims handling.
What factors determine the best car insurance deal?
The best car insurance deal depends on a combination of factors including your annual price, excess amount, the level of coverage you need, and your no claims discount history.
Methodology and transparency
Ranking: options are sorted on measured, sourced criteria. No position is ever sold, and no advertiser pays to appear here.
Scope: this comparison is not exhaustive. It presents the options our sources document, not every offer on the market.
Earnings: some outbound links may be affiliate links that earn us a commission. This never affects the ranking, the scores or the data.
Data: every value is linked to its source and refreshed automatically; the collection date is shown.