WE NAME BRITAIN’S BEST CAR INSURERS

Most of us buy our car insurance on the price of the premium alone, but you need to be certain your provider will deliver in the event of a claim. So we count down the top 25 insurers based on our Driver Power results

IF you own and drive a vehicle, you need motor insurance; it really is that simple. Yet even though many of us spend hours researching the very best model to suit our needs, few put the same time into finding the right cover.

And while price is everything for many people, if you need to make a claim you may end up regretting not taking out cover with a company that charges slightly higher premiums but ultimately delivers expert service during your hour of need.

To help you make the right choice, we’ve ranked the top 25 insurers across seven key areas, from the speed at which you can take out cover to making a claim.

Along the way we’ve rated how friendly and helpful the staff are, how well they can explain the exact detail of their company’s individual products – including specialist cover – and the clarity of the terms and conditions and smallprint of the policy.

Add in how good the insurer is at keeping you informed in the event of a claim, what the overall experience is and whether its policy is good value for money, and you’ve got all you need to know about insurance.

So which insurer should you go with? Before we reveal all in our top 25 countdown, we’ve uncovered a few industry-wide points that may assist you when you’re searching online or picking up the phone for a quote.

PRICE remains the key factor when taking out car insurance, and many drivers use comparison websites. But past experience also plays a part; a company that’s given good service before and still offers a keen quote is likely to get repeat business, and 79 per cent of you stayed with your current firm. Slightly fewer people paid less than £300 for 12 months’ cover than in 2015; a few per cent more paid up to £400. SWITCH insurer and you’re likely to save – unless you negotiate with your current firm. More than 90 per cent of you scored discounts of up to 20 per cent by calling and haggling. However, the majority of Driver Power respondents tell us they still don’t do this, with just a third saying they’d phoned up to query a renewal fee. Our figures show more people should be doing it; what is there to lose, after all? ONLY eight per cent of respondents made a claim in the past 12 months. But when you do, you want it dealt with quickly. If there’s a dispute, a claim can rumble on, but overall insurers seem to handle cases quickly, with 73 per cent settled in under two months – that’s better than a year ago. Not so great news is that, compared with in 2015, claims are more likely to stretch to a year than be settled in five months.