Hastings Direct is a UK-based insurance company that offers car, van, bike and home insurance. It was founded in 1997 and has over 3 million customers. It is part of the Hastings Group, which also includes other insurance brands such as Hastings Direct You Drive, InsurePink and People’s Choice. In this article, we will review the features, benefits and drawbacks of Hastings Direct car insurance, and provide the phone number to contact them.
Features of Hastings Direct Car Insurance
Hastings Direct car insurance has three levels of cover: Essentials, Direct and Premier. They are all available as a standard or online product, which is a lower cost, self-service policy that you manage yourself in the app or MyAccount. You can also choose YouDrive, a telematics car insurance policy where your price is based on how you drive. If you have more than one car in your household, you can opt for Multi Car insurance and get a discount on each car.
Some of the features of Hastings Direct car insurance are:
- Courtesy car cover, which provides you with a car to use while yours is being repaired during a claim
- EU cover, which covers you for up to 90 days per trip abroad
- Driving other cars cover, which allows you to drive someone else’s car with their permission (subject to insurer approval)
- Windscreen cover, which covers the cost of repairing or replacing your windscreen if it is damaged
- Vandalism promise, which protects your no claims discount if your car is vandalised
- Uninsured driver promise, which covers your excess and restores your no claims discount if you are hit by an uninsured driver
- Personal belongings cover, which covers the loss or damage of your personal items in your car
You can also add optional extras to your policy, such as:
- Enhanced personal accident cover, which covers you and your passengers for injuries or death caused by an accident
- Breakdown cover, which provides roadside assistance and recovery services if your car breaks down
- Motor legal expenses cover, which covers the legal costs of pursuing or defending a claim after an accident
- Key protection cover, which covers the cost of replacing your keys or locks if they are lost, stolen or damaged
Benefits of Hastings Direct Car Insurance
Hastings Direct car insurance has some benefits that make it attractive to customers, such as:
- Flexible and affordable cover options that suit different needs and budgets
- Easy to get a quote online or over the phone
- Easy-to-use app that allows you to access your policies, payments and documents
- 24/7 claims helpline that provides support and guidance in case of an incident
- Defaqto 5 Star rating for its Direct and Premier policies, which indicates a high level of quality and comprehensiveness
- Consumer Moneyfacts Award for Car Insurance Provider of the Year 2018, which reflects customer satisfaction and value for money
Drawbacks of Hastings Direct Car Insurance
Hastings Direct car insurance also has some drawbacks that may deter some customers, such as:
- Auto-renewal policy, which means that your policy will be automatically renewed unless you cancel it before the renewal date
- High cancellation fees, which may apply if you cancel your policy after the 14-day cooling-off period
- Low customer reviews on some platforms, such as Trustpilot, where it has an average rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars based on over 127,000 reviews
- Limited coverage for some features, such as driving other cars cover, which is only available for drivers over 25 years old and with comprehensive policies
Hastings Direct Car Insurance Phone Number
If you want to contact Hastings Direct car insurance by phone, here are some numbers that you can use:
- For new quotes: 0333 321 9801 (Monday to Friday from 8am to 9pm; Saturday from 9am to 5:30pm; Sunday from 10am to 5pm)
- For existing customers: 0333 321 9801 (Monday to Friday from 8am to 9pm; Saturday from 9am to 5:30pm; Sunday from 10am to 5pm)
- For claims: 0333 321 9800 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
- For windscreen repair: National Windscreens (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
- For breakdown assistance: RAC (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
You can also contact Hastings Direct car insurance by email, online chat, or post. For more details, please visit their website.
Hastings Direct car insurance is a popular and reputable insurance provider in the UK that offers flexible and affordable cover options for car owners. It has some features and benefits that make it stand out from the competition, such as its app, its vandalism and uninsured driver promises, and its Defaqto 5 Star rating. However, it also has some drawbacks that may affect some customers, such as its auto-renewal policy, its cancellation fees, and its low customer reviews on some platforms. Therefore, it is advisable to compare different car insurance quotes and policies before choosing the best one for you. You can contact Hastings Direct car insurance by phone, email, online chat, or post if you have any questions or queries.