Car Insurance
Why choose Swinton Insurance?
Here are just some of the reasons why you should choose us for your car insurance:
- Repairs covered — If your car is damaged, our Comprehensive policy will cover the repair cost up to the market value of your car (this includes both accidents and malicious damage).
- Market-value pay-outs — If your car is damaged or a total loss due to fire or theft your insurer will pay out up to the market value of your car.
- Inclusive Windscreen Cover — Windscreen Cover is included in all of our Comprehensive Car Insurance options so you don’t have to buy it separately.
- Extensive experience — We have over 65 years' experience in finding appropriate Car Insurance deals for our customers.
- Customer care - Winner at the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2021.
Based on reviews of all products
What types of Car Insurance are there?
There are three key types of Car Insurance drivers can choose from, based on your needs and your budget. You can also get additional extras such as Breakdown cover or Protected No Claims Discount where you need it
Comprehensive
Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of cover you can have for your car. This type of policy covers you against damage to your car as well as any damage that is caused to other vehicles in a collision. Comprehensive insurance allows you to claim for damage even if you’re at fault.
Third-party
Third-party insurance is the lowest legally-allowed level of car insurance you can take out. It covers damage to other road users and cars, but it won’t cover any damages to your vehicle. At Swinton, we do not offer third-party-only insurance, but we do offer Third-party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) cover.
Third-party, Fire and Theft (TPFT)
TPFT provides you with the same coverage as third-party car insurance with one additional benefit: it also covers you if your car is stolen or catches fire. TPFT is available with our Classic product.
Car Insurance cover in detail
At Swinton, we offer three different levels of comprehensive car insurance:
Key benefits | Essentials | Classic | Premier |
|---|---|---|---|
Loss or damage caused by fire, theft, accident or malicious damage | |||
Protected No Claims Bonus (optional) | |||
Courtesy car | |||
Breakdown Cover (optional) | |||
Windscreen Cover | Up to £150 | ||
Replacement locks | Up to £300 | Up to £750 | Up to £750 |
Cover for personal belongings (max cover £200) | |||
Driver’s Legal Protection | Optional | ||
Uninsured Driver Cover | |||
New car replacement | |||
Misfuel Cover | |||
14-day hire car |
Benefits listed relate to our Comprehensive cover. Third Party, Fire & Theft cover is available with our Classic product and excludes Driving other cars, Windscreen cover, Personal Belongings, Replacement locks, damage caused by accident, or malicious damage, Uninsured driver cover and child seat replacement cover. Please ask us for more details.
What information do I need to get a quote?
You can get a car insurance quote in minutes with Swinton by having the right information to hand. Here are the details we’ll typically ask for:
- Your driver details — Your license, age, and occupation, as well of the details of any other named drivers.
- Your vehicle’s value — How much your car is currently worth.
- Your usage — How often you use the car and what you use it for (e.g. commuting to work).
- Your registration plate — This allows us to confirm the make, model and year of your vehicle.
- Your mileage — How many miles your vehicle averages each year.
- Modifications — Any changes that have been made to your car that differ from factory standards.
- Your claims history — Any claims you’ve made in the past and details about your No Claims Bonus (NCB) if you have one.
Extras and add-ons
Breakdown cover
Adding Breakdown Cover to your policy means you’ll be covered in the event that your car stops working, whether that’s on the road or in your driveway. That way, you won’t need to worry about a big bill for roadside assistance — your breakdown provider will cover the cost.
Learn more about Breakdown Cover
Car Hire Cover
When you take out a Comprehensive car insurance policy with Swinton, you’ll be entitled to a courtesy car for the duration of repairs in the event that your vehicle needs to be taken off the road.
Learn more about Car Hire Cover
Windscreen Cover
Windscreen Cover is included with every Comprehensive Car Insurance policy from Swinton, which means you won’t be out of pocket if you have to replace your windscreen. This is subject to excess, and is applicable whether your windscreen is repaired or replaced.
Learn more about Windscreen Cover
Driver’s Legal Protection
Driver's Legal Protection will cover you for up to £100,000 of legal costs following an accident that wasn't your fault. It’s included as standard in our Classic and Premier Car Insurance policies and is available as an optional purchase on our Essentials policies, too.
How can I get cheap car insurance?
Limit your mileage
The fewer miles you drive each year, the lower the risk you represent to an insurer. If you can accurately report a low mileage that is a true reflection of your usage, you’ll get cheaper quotes as a result.
Build up your No Claims
Most insurers reward motorists who haven’t made claims in the past with discounts on their premiums.
Consider which car you want to buy
Cars with large engines tend to be more expensive to insure. Secure a quote before purchasing a new vehicle to understand your total ownership costs, including insurance.
Add security features
Installing devices like alarms and immobilisers will make it more difficult for thieves or vandals to break into your vehicle. Some insurers may require that these security features be added for high-value vehicles before offering cheaper quotes.
Park safely
Parking your car off the road at night in a private driveway or garage lowers the chances of your car being vandalised or stolen. This means you represent a lower risk to insurers, who may give you a cheaper quote as a result.
Install a black box
Telematics — technology that sends real-time data to your insurer about your driving — can help you get cheaper insurance, especially if you’re a young or inexperienced driver.
Pay annually
If you can, paying your insurance annually rather than monthly will cost less overall.
Insurance for learner drivers and students
Looking for a car insurance policy that’s suitable for younger drivers? At Swinton, our partners have several options to choose from.
Young Drivers Car Insurance
Young drivers are often quoted prices for their insurance that are much more expensive than more mature drivers due to their inexperience. Be Wiser work with a number of insurers who provide car insurance for young drivers.
Learn more about Young Drivers Car Insurance
Temporary Car Insurance
If you’re looking to insure a student while they’re home for the summer or perhaps to share the drive on a long journey, you can get a temporary Car Insurance policy with Swinton for as little as one hour at a time.
Specialist types of car insurance
Car insurance for Young Drivers
Young drivers are often quoted prices for their insurance that are much more expensive than more mature drivers due to their inexperience. Be Wiser work with a number of specialist insurers who provide car insurance for young drivers.
Learn more about Young Drivers Insurance
Temporary Car Insurance
Adding another driver to your annual policy can be expensive if it’s only for a few days. Temporary Car Insurance is a much more affordable way to cover things like learner drivers for up to 28 days without affecting your No Claims.
Learn more about Temporary Car Insurance
Modified Car Insurance
If there have been any modifications made to your car, it can limit the number of insurers who will be prepared to give you a quote. At Swinton, we can source quotes from providers who will cover modified vehicles so you don’t need to worry about incorrect cover.
Learn more about Modified Car Insurance
Over 50s Car Insurance
Drivers that are aged 50 and over usually have a lot of experience under their belts, meaning they can get some of the lowest prices from insurers. We get quotes from insurers without upper age limits, too.
Electric Car Insurance
Electric cars are a great way to help the environment, but they come with different insurance requirements to standard petrol or diesel cars, including cover for charging cables. At Swinton, we find quotes from insurers on your behalf.
Supporting Alzheimer’s Society
There are around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK. Someone develops it every three minutes and there’s currently no cure.
You can help make us make a difference, for with every Swinton Car Insurance policy taken out online, you have the option to make a £2 donation. Your kind gift will help provide a lifeline to more people affected by dementia.
Policy Documents
Essentials
Policy Wording (PDF - 432KB)
Classic
Policy Wording (PDF - 458KB)
Premier
Policy Wording (PDF - 864KB)
Frequently asked questions
Car insurance is a legal requirement for every motor vehicle in the UK. Since the Road Traffic Act of 1988, all motorists have to be insured against their liability to others. Because of this, all drivers need to have at least a third-party insurance policy in place before they can take their car on the road. You can incur fines if your vehicle is not taxed* or if you have taken it off the road without registering it as SORN.
*Not applicable if the vehicle is over 40 years old due to tax exemption clauses on classic cars.
At its most basic level, Car Insurance covers the cost of damages you make to other vehicles or road users. Car Insurance can cover you for a lot more, though, including damage to your vehicle — even if it’s deemed to be your fault — and options like breakdown cover. These additional levels of coverage are optional across all our Essentials, Classic and Premier policies.
Annual car insurance payments enable you to pay for your car insurance in one single payment when you take out your policy and works out cheaper because of it. If it works better for you to spread out the costs of your insurance payments, though, monthly instalments may work better for you. Swinton offers you the choice of annual or monthly car insurance payments.*
*Additional fees and terms & conditions apply. Swinton acts as a credit broker, not a lender. We work exclusively with one lender. Further details will be provided.