Third-party car insurance

Third-party insurance is the most basic level of car insurance you can get – and the legal minimum you need to drive on UK roads.

It offers cover if you damage another person’s car or injure someone while you’re driving.

But you won’t be covered for your own injuries or any damage to your car if an accident is your fault. You’ll need to foot the bill for this yourself.

People often assume third-party insurance will be the cheapest as it offers the least cover, but that often isn't the case.

As shown above, third-party cover can be expensive. By comparison, third-party, fire and theft typically costs £962, while comprehensive cover costs £593 per year².

Third-party cover might be more expensive because:

• Higher-risk drivers choose third-party cover to try and save money, but those drivers are then priced more expensively by providers, or

• With fewer third-party policies sold nowadays, the market is less competitive and therefore more expensive.

If your car isn’t worth very much, you might want the most basic insurance cover possible.

This is because the cost of fixing your car might be more than it’s worth, making the repairs not worth bothering with. Alternatively, the cost of repairs may be so low that you’re able to cover the expense yourself.

Another instance when third-party insurance might make more sense is for drivers who don’t drive their car very often.

To start a quote, you’ll need to give us a few details about:

• Your vehicle

• How you use your vehicle – for example, your annual mileage, where you park overnight

• Your personal details, including your address, age and employment status

• Any claims or convictions

• How many years of no-claims discount you have

• The type of cover you’re looking for.

Once you’ve completed our online form, we’ll show you a list of suitable quotes to compare.