The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Offered as part of the finance arm of the high street mainstay, John Lewis provides just one level of comprehensive car insurance, underwritten by Covea.
Read our John Lewis car insurance review to learn about its policies, how to make a claim, and what customers think about its cover.
John Lewis offers one level of comprehensive car insurance. Its policy includes:
| John Lewis car insurance | |
|---|---|
| Age range | All |
| Level of cover | Comprehensive |
| Injuries to other people | Yes |
| Damage to other people’s property | Yes |
| Theft | Yes |
| Fire damage | Yes |
| Repairs to your own car following an accident | Yes |
| Motor legal protection | Optional |
| Your medical expenses | Up to £500 per injured person in medical expenses Up to £10,000 in personal injury benefits |
| Driving other cars | Yes (if eligible) |
| Breakdown cover | Optional |
| Courtesy car cover | Yes |
| Hire car cover | No |
| Windscreen replacement | Yes |
| Personal belongings | Up to £250 |
| Replacement locks and keys | Up to £1,000 |
| Protected no-claims bonus | Optional |
| Cancellation fee | £40 |
You can add the following optional extras to your John Lewis car insurance for an additional cost:
If you need to make a car insurance claim through John Lewis, you should complete the following steps:
If you need to cancel your John Lewis car insurance policy, you should call 0330 024 0612, email customerservice@car.johnlewisfinance.com, or write to John Lewis Finance, PO Box 887, Halifax, HX1 9UE.
You’ll be refunded for the remaining time on your premium, minus the following fees:
| Cancellation period | Fee |
|---|---|
| Within 14 days of your policy start date | £0 |
| After 14 days | £40 |
If you need to contact John Lewis about your car insurance and it isn’t related to a claim, you can get in touch by:
John Lewis Finance has a “Great” Trustpilot rating of 4.1 out of five, based on more than 11,400 reviews.
It’s important to note, however, that John Lewis Finance offers more than just car insurance, so its rating is a reflection of the brand as a whole.
Of the five-star reviews that specifically mention car insurance, John Lewis is praised for the quality of its customer service, its competitive quotes for new customers, and the help it gives when making a claim.
As for its less positive reviews, there are the usual complaints about rising renewal costs and the lack of flexibility regarding John Lewis’s cover options.
“Dave at John Lewis Finance car insurance was a human being and listened to my query. He was pleasant [and] went through the ‘facts’ section of the quote to check everything was okay. We adjusted a couple of things, and he produced a new quote that was much cheaper than the original and better than the comparisons. Made my day. Thank you.”
“This year, I changed from LV, who had been very good, to John Lewis because it was a much better price. My car was involved in a collision, which wasn’t my fault. From the outset, they have been with me every step of the way, providing me with help to access physiotherapy, a quick assessment of my vehicle (written off), [a] fair settlement, which was paid very quickly, and legal help to navigate a number of options around the claim. When I did find a replacement vehicle, arranging cover was extremely quick. The UK-based call centres were very easy to deal with, and there was almost no queueing time. The staff are kind and sympathetic, [and] I cannot find fault with anything, hence five stars.”
“Cost – pretty good. Cover – decent. Flexibility – non-existent. Hello, I’d like to add another car to my insurance for a short period – we don’t do multi-car. Okay, can I take out a separate short-term policy for another car? No, we don’t do that. Oh, then can I add another driver to my policy for a short period? No, only for the full length of the policy. FYI, we also have insurance on another car with LV. Their response – of course, no problem. That’s three strikes, John Lewis – I shall not be renewing.”
Alongside a “Great” Trustpilot rating, John Lewis has the following industry ratings:
| Provider name | Trustpilot score | Defaqto score |
|---|---|---|
| John Lewis | 4.1 stars | 5 stars |
| Admiral Insurance | 4.5 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for Telematics, 3 stars for Essential) |
| Ageas | 4.0 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for Essentials) |
| Aviva | 4.0 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for third party, fire and theft) |
| Axa | 4.3 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for standard third party, fire and theft and comprehensive car insurance) |
| Direct Line | 3.8 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for third party, fire and theft and Essentials) |
| esure | 3.6 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for third party, fire and theft, 3 stars for Flex) |
| Hastings Direct | 4.2 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for third party, fire and theft, 3 stars for Telematics, 2 stars for Essential) |
| LV | 4.4 stars | 5 stars (3 stars for third party, fire and theft) |
| People’s Choice | 1.4 stars | 5 stars (4 stars for third party, fire and theft) |
With a five-star rating from Defaqto and a four-star rating from the tougher critics at Fairer Finance, John Lewis offers a solid comprehensive car insurance policy with few bells and whistles. Most of its cover limits match comparable policies from other providers, and Trustpilot is full of praise for its customer service.
However, John Lewis has no level of cover that includes breakdown cover or motor legal protection as standard – both need to be added as optional extras. It also doesn’t offer multi-car insurance, so John Lewis might not be appropriate if you have multiple vehicles that need cover.
John Lewis car insurance is underwritten by Covea Insurance PLC.
John Lewis Finance, the company that provides car insurance, has a “Great” rating on Trustpilot, and many reviewers praise its customer service.
