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Operating since 2000, Esure is an insurance company with a number of different motor policies, including one that is only offered via price comparison websites. This means it may be an option worth considering when you compare car insurance quotes.
Read on for our Esure car insurance review, including what policies it offers, what they cover, and how its customers feel about its service.
Esure offers three main car insurance policies: third party, fire and theft, comprehensive cover, and Esure Flex.
With Esure third party, fire and theft insurance, you’ll be covered for the following:
Esure comprehensive car insurance includes everything found in the third party, fire and theft policy (extended in places to include accidental damage), as well as:
Esure Flex is a comprehensive car insurance policy only available through price comparison websites. It is also digital-only, meaning you’ll only be able to make changes and contact customer service online.
It differs from Esure’s standard comprehensive policy in the following ways:
You can also take our specific comprehensive electric car insurance with Esure (but not with Esure Flex).
This includes everything found in the standard comprehensive car insurance policy, as well as:
| Third party, fire and theft | Comprehensive | Esure Flex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age range | All | All | All |
| Level of cover | Third party, fire and theft | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
| Injuries to other people | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Damage to other people’s property | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Theft | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fire damage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Repairs to your own car following accident | No | Yes | Yes |
| Motor legal protection | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Your medical expenses | No (optional Personal Accident and Medical Expenses Benefits) | Up to £300 in medical expenses per injured person; up to £5,000 in personal accident cover | Up to £100 in medical expenses per injured person; up to £2,500 in personal accident cover |
| Driving other cars | Yes (if eligible, third party cover only) | Yes (if eligible, third party cover only) | Yes (if eligible, third party cover only) |
| Breakdown cover | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Courtesy car cover | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hire car cover | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Windscreen replacement | No | Yes | Yes |
| Personal belongings | No | Yes | No |
| Replacement locks and keys | Up to £500 (theft only) | Up to £500 (theft only) | Optional |
| Protected no-claims bonus | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Cancellation fee | £26 (within 14-day cooling off period); £60 (after 14 days) | £26 (within 14-day cooling off period); £60 (after 14 days) | £26 (within 14-day cooling off period); £60 (after 14 days) |
You can add the following optional extras to your Esure car insurance policy:
If you need to make a car insurance claim through Esure, you should complete the following steps:
If you want to cancel your Esure car insurance policy, you’ll need to ring 0345 045 1000.
As long as you haven’t made a claim, you’ll receive a refund for the time remaining on your premium, minus the following fees:
| Cancellation period | Fee |
|---|---|
| Within 14 days of your policy start date | £26 |
| After 14 days, or if Esure needs to cancel your policy | £60 |
If you need to contact Esure about your car insurance, and your query isn’t related to a claim, you can use:
If you want to make any changes to your policy or payment details, it will cost £26 per alteration.
Esure has an ‘Average’ Trustpilot score of 3.1 out of five, based on more than 27,600 reviews. This is a much lower rating than most of its competitors.
It is important to note, however, that this score is for Esure as a whole, and not just its motor insurance products. Esure also offers home insurance and travel insurance.
Of the five-star reviews that mention car insurance, many praise Esure for the value of its new quotes, and its easy-to-use website. Customers also spoke positively of Esure’s claims team.
Esure’s more negative reviews, meanwhile, frequently mention high renewal costs – a complaint common of most providers over the last 12 months. Many reviews also mention difficulties with contacting customer service over the phone, as well as complaints about the quality of that service when you finally get through.
“Thank you, you were the most reasonably priced car insurance I could find. Especially as the prices for annual car insurance [have] risen so much. It was so easy to apply and get my documents online.”
“I have had two car accidents in the last six months. On both occasions I have had efficient, compassionate customer care, keeping me informed about my claims, [and] even delivering both courtesy cars to my place of work. I certainly recommend Esure car insurance.”
“My car was a total loss, [and it’s] only then that you realise how good (or poor) an insurance company really is. They are very difficult to get through to (phone and webchat takes one to two hours on hold). You then get inexperienced or overworked staff. I’m still without a car or pay-out cheque five weeks after the accident! Cheap price [equals] cheap service. Don’t fall for their Defaqto rating, I’ll use Trustpilot when deciding next time.”
Alongside its ‘Average’ Trustpilot score, Esure also has the following ratings from Defaqto:
| Provider name | Trustpilot score | Defaqto score |
|---|---|---|
| Esure | 3.1 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for Third party, fire and theft, 3 stars for Flex) |
| Ageas | 4.1 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for Essentials) |
| Axa | 4.3 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for standard third party, fire and theft and comprehensive car insurance) |
| Direct Line | 3.7 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for Third party, fire and theft and Essentials) |
| People’s Choice | 1.4 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for third party, fire and theft) |
| Hastings Direct | 4.1 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for Third party, fire and theft, 3 stars for Telematics, 2 stars for Essential) |
| Admiral Insurance | 4.4 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for Telematics, 3 stars for Essential) |
| Aviva | 3.9 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for Third party, fire and theft) |
| LV | 4.5 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for Third party, fire and theft) |
| NFU Mutual | 4.4 stars | 5 stars |
While its third party, fire and theft and comprehensive policies have four- and five-star reviews from Defaqto respectively, there are a few ways in which Esure seems to fall short of its peers.
With an ‘Average’ rating of 3.1 out of five, the brand’s Trustpilot score is much lower than most of its competitors. These reviews contain frequent complaints about the quality of its customer service, and how difficult it is to speak to someone over the phone.
Its Uninsured Driver Promise appears not to include no-claims protection, while its cancellation fees, especially those incurred during the 14-day cooling off period, are very high. It also only offers maximum personal accident cover of £5,000, and you’re not covered for onward travel.
However, Esure’s no-claims bonus protection add-on does allow for unlimited claims, and its comprehensive medical expenses limit is a healthy £300 per injured person.
Sheilas’ Wheels is part of the Esure Group, and many of its policies are very similar to those offered by Esure. Esure Group also owns First Alternative, another motor insurance brand.
Esure car insurance is underwritten by Esure Insurance Limited, and arranged and administered by Esure Services Limited.
