Is ASDA Car Insurance Any Good?
Choosing the right car insurance plan can be a daunting task for new as well as experienced drivers. ASDA car insurance plans point you in the right direction with their customer oriented approach. ASDA Financial Services Ltd offers all kinds of insurance policies including car insurance. ASDA was part of the WalMart Group. The company brings a fresh perspective and new ideas as they are new in the motor insurance market. The car insurance plans provided by ASDA have numerous key features which should be considered by all drivers. ASDA provides specialised policies for new and young drivers and multi-car insurance as well as general car insurance.
Importance of car insurance
There are many significant reasons to have car insurance, least of which is that it is required by law. The Road Traffic Act, 1988 makes car insurance in the UK compulsory. Car insurance provides you protection and can help you to avoid huge expenses in future. In case you are involved in a car accident, your insurance will help to cover expensive claims and also pay for your hospitalization if you suffer any injuries. The insurance plan, like ASDA car insurance, would not only protect you but also other passengers including your family members as well as the other driver. Accidents don’t happen with a forewarning and anyone can make a mistake. But sometimes you may have to face consequences of the other driver’s fault. With ASDA car insurance you have the peace of mind that you are protected even if an uninsured driver causes an accident.
Normal health insurance generally does not cover the medical expenses of a car accident and your car insurance supplements the health insurance by providing for such expenses. Good car insurance even covers dental expenses incurred due to an accident. ASDA car insurance will also save you a lot of hassle following a car accident. There’ll be no need to negotiate costs of repair with the other driver and other property owners involved in the accident. Repair and replacement expenses including towing and damages to the other party, are covered by the car insurance plan. According to the Motor Insurers Bureau, in the UK approximately 380 million pounds worth of
damage is inflicted by uninsured drivers on the road. You don’t want to be caught in a situation where you’ll have to pay for someone else’s mistake. So it is best to choose an appropriate car insurance plan and ASDA will assist you in every step of the process.
Cover level of ASDA car insurance available
ASDA provides a combination of Defaqto’s 5 Star rated features and competitive prices. The company offers three types of car insurance plans-
Comprehensive cover- This plan provides the most complete coverage possible. It provides protection to you and your vehicle from any kind of accident, whether it was your fault or not. Comprehensive coverage is not mandatorily required by law. But it can be beneficial to have total protection. The plan will even cover the damages caused to your car by non collision accidents like natural disasters and vandalism.
Third party, Fire and Theft– This plan provides you peace of mind while covering others. It covers you and your vehicle if any damage is caused by fire. You’ll also have protection in case your car gets stolen. If an accident occurs due to your fault, the plan will cover any damages to the other party(third party) and their vehicle.
Third party only- This plan is perfect for the budget conscious policy seekers and it covers the minimum legal requirements. And is best suited for people who own a cheap car. Taking a car on the public highway without third party insurance is an offence in the UK. Any damage to other people’s property is covered by this plan, along with compensation for death or injury resulting from an accident caused by you. You’ll be covered even if any damage or injury is caused by your passengers. But you cannot make a claim against your own vehicle under this plan or for any personal injury suffered in the accident. If you wish, you can opt for car legal insurance add on that will cover legal expenses in case any dispute arises.
New and Young driver insurance
This type of policy is catered especially for young first time drivers between 17 and 25. A similar policy is available for older drivers who have just passed their test. ASDA compares policies from 50 top car insurance providers including Swinton, AUTONET, Goskippy, AXA, Acorn and Hastings.
Insurance is expensive for young drivers
Young drivers aged 17 to 19 are involved in approximately 9% of car accidents. Also 25% of 18 to 24 year old drivers will have an accident within 2 years of passing their test. Older new drivers are also at high risk of having an accident but not as much as younger drivers.
Insurance providers are risk averse and will raise insurance premiums to protect themselves from the costly payout of an accident claim
Can young drivers reduce their car insurance?
Buy the right car
Young drivers might dream of buying a flash sports car, but the truth is that they will have to buy a very boring car with as small an engine as possible to be able to afford the car insurance.
Modifying your car
Car modifications can raise your insurance premiums, so you can’t even soup up the looks of your car without it costing you more. And not informing the insurance company can lend you in trouble if you crash, leading the insurance company to void your policy.
Adding a mum or dad to your policy
Adding a parent to your policy as second driver might reduce your insurance costs. If you just want to drive occasionally yet build up your no claims bonus then putting your name down on a parents policy would be cheaper. After a couple of years of no claims bonus you will then be able to obtain reasonably priced car insurance under your own name.
Which is the best level of young driver car insurance?
The choices are between 3rd party only, 3rd party fire and theft, and fully comprehensive. The cheapest is usually third party only and the most expensive is usually fully comprehensive. But sometimes some providers will only provide fully comp for young drivers and this may be cheaper than 3rd party only policies from other insurers, so check out fully comp prices as well.
Multi-car insurance
ASDA car insurance also offers a policy for multi-car insurance. This policy can be especially beneficial for families/households that own more than one car. And works out less per person than four separate insurances. ASDA’s plan covers up to 4 vehicles and 4 drivers, provided that all drivers are of legal driving age. It is easier to manage the insurance policies for multiple cars with a multi-car insurance, because they all come under one policy. You only have to remember just one renewal date, and make only one premium payment for all your cars. The result is less hassle and reduced paperwork.
Multi-car insurance can be of two types. First is the linked policy, in which each of your cars has their own policy. You can determine individual levels of cover and add-ons for each car, but all policies will be linked under your name. The second is one policy for multiple cars, where all of your cars will be on one single policy with the same cover for each car. Multi-car insurance policies are designed to be a cheaper and more convenient option.
ASDA car insurance offers
ASDA provides many facilities to the policyholders. Different insurance plans have different
benefits.
Available on all policies-
● In case you need legal advice, the company provides access to a 24/7 legal assistance helpline.
● The helpline for UK based claims is open 24 hours a day.
● You can get 5% cash back if you use your ASDA Money Credit Card for purchasing the insurance plan.
Available on Value insurance offers-
● If your car is not available for use following an insured accident then you can use a courtesy car provided by the company.
● The insurance plan will provide coverage of up to 100 pounds for every child seat in the car.
● Damage to your personal belongings kept in the car will also be covered up to the limit of 150 pounds.
● Monthly premium payments are flexible and can be adjusted according to your needs.
● The insurance will also include a 30 day European cover.
● You can also opt for car rescue cover as well as breakdown cover for additional cost.
● You’ll get up to 100,000 pounds for covering any repair and legal expenses insured due to an accident.
Available on ASDA Defaqto 5 Star rated car insurance-
● In addition to all the above mentioned benefits, the car rescue cover as well as the breakdown cover will be included as standard.
● With full comprehensive policy, you’ll also get unlimited windscreen cover when using approved repairers.● All year round European car insurance is also included in the plan.
● You can also have the optional no claims discount protection.
If someone borrows your car
In many plans offered by ASDA, car insurance policy follows the car so you’ll be protected even when someone else was driving the car and met with an accident. You can lend your car to a friend without any worry as your insurance policy will cover most of the claim that may arise when your friend was driving the car. To be safe, choose appropriate coverage and add any person to your policy who regularly drives your car.
Factors that affect the insurance premium
ASDA car insurance plans offer customer friendly premium options. But ultimately the cost of your insurance premiums depends on the car you drive. There are many factors that can affect your auto insurance premium.
● Age- Brand new cars can cost a bit more to insure than a slightly older car because new cars cost more to repair or replace if they are involved in an accident. But if your car is very old or is a vintage then it can cost more to insure because spare parts of such cars are tough to find and repair expenses are also high. Older cars have outdated safety features and that can also increase the cost of insurance premium.
● Make and Model of the car- The make and model of your car also has a huge impact on the insurance premium. Luxury cars and sports cars have high insurance premiums
because repairing even a small dent on such cars can cost a fortune. However minivans and SUVs are generally less expensive to insure.
Although ASDA is a newcomer in the car insurance market, they have partnered with Vast Visibility who are the trusted industry experts with years of experience in searching the market to get you the best possible prices. ASDA promises to provide the cheapest quote price online and you can get an insurance quote by answering some simple questions about the car you’re looking to insure and your driving history. ASDA provides budget friendly car insurance plans,
for even lower than 260 pounds.
ASDA financial services also offer more specialized vehicle insurance, including motor home insurance and caravan insurance, so that you can cover all your family’s vehicles with one provider. ASDA works with more than 60 of the UK’s leading car insurance providers like AXA, Hastings and Swinton. You just have to fill a simple form and the ASDA will do all the hard work and return the cheapest quotes from all the insurance providers. With ASDA, you’ll get quality services for great value.