Best car insurance for the over-50s 2024 - Which? (2024)

Do car insurance costs increase as you age? We compare the insurers that specialise in policies for older drivers

DS

Dean SobersSenior researcher & writer

Getting the best car insurance when you're over 50

Your 50s and 60s should be among your cheapest years for car insurance - providing you pick the right policy.

Yet as you get older, costs can begin to rise, and some insurers may refuse to take you on entirely.

Here we reveal the best insurers for older drivers and explain how to get cheaper cover.

Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.

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Best over-50s car insurance providers

NFU Mutual car insurance

• Maximum age:80
• Policy score: 76% on its standard car insurance policy - 4th of 61 policies we rated
• Customer score:81% - 1st out of 27 insurers we had customer scores for
• Claims score:84% - 1st out of 25 insurers we had claims scores for

We like:It doesn't charge admin fees or interest if you want to pay monthly. It's been a Which? Recommended Provider since we launched our scheme more than a decade ago.

We don't like: You have to call to get a quote, and it favours customers in rural areas so it may not offer cover if you live in a major city.

Read our expert review of NFU Mutual.

LV car insurance

• Maximum age:80
• Policy score: 78% on its standard policy - 3rd of the 61 policies we rated
• Customer score:70% - 2nd of the 25 insurers we had customer scores for
• Claims score: 74% - 2nd out of 25 insurers we had claims scores for

We like:LV is one of a minority of insurers guaranteeing repairs for a vehicle's life, and its policy is one of about a third offering a temporary replacement car if yours is stolen. It also offers protection for no-claims discounts against an unlimited number of claims.

We don't like: A replacement car after an accident doesn't come as standard you have to pay extra.

Read our expert review of LV car insurance.

Best over-50s car insurance compared

Our table includes the car insurers for which we received customer scores and analysed their policies, ranked by customer score.

To sort by 'max age', click the three lines icon. To read more about these insurers, click the insurer name.

What does over-50s car insurance cover?

When shopping around, consider as much of the market as possible.

Don't feel you have to go for a specialist policy. In our analysis of standard car insurance policies we found that:

• The average maximum age was 87
• Several insurers had policies with no maximum age - Churchill, Direct Line, Privilege, Sainsbury's Bank and Saga)

Some insurers market their products specifically at older drivers, typically those over the age of 50.

Generally speaking, they will have high maximum age limits and an emphasis on features they think older drivers will value.

For instance, Saga provides very generous levels of cover for driving overseas – a full year's comprehensive cover in its Select and Plus policies.

Is over-50s car insurance cheaper?

Be warned: over-50s cover may not be cheaper than standard car insurance.

All insurers take numerous factors into account when setting your premium, not just your age. And with many more insurers offering standard policies than over-50s policies, there's more competition between standard providers.

If you're looking for the cheapest car insurance you should seek quotes from different comparison sites, plus insurers that aren't on them such as Direct Line and NFU Mutual.

Our guide to getting cheap car insurance includes everything from tweaking your cover to cut costs to haggling with your insurer.

• Find out more:Is it worth getting life insurance over 50?

You don't need an old-age car insurer

Dean Sobers, Which? car insurance expert says:

'Age plays a big role in the prices car insurers set for drivers. The youngest tend to pay the most, and average premiums start ticking upwards for those past their seventies - but as a general rule of thumb, getting older works in your favour for most of your years of driving.

'Of course, there's much more to you than your date of birth - which is exactly why you shouldn't let your age dictate how you choose insurer. Providers carefully research the sorts of things their target customers probably want in their insurance, but an insurer trying to appeal to you as being great for those of your age isn't guaranteed to be your perfect fit.

'You don't necessarily need a "specialist" insurer. Think carefully about the cover you want, and make a list of these requirements. Then look around widely (comparison sites make this fairly easy) to find insurers that meet these needs for the most reasonable price.'

• Find out more: finding cheap insurance.

More on over-50s car insurance

How we analyse car insurance

Our editorial independence means we are able to work on behalf of consumers, not insurers. That means our reviews are fair and there's no hidden agenda.

Customer score

This is based on a survey of 2,793 policyholders (adults of all ages) who have recently made a car insurance claim. The score reflects how satisfied customers say they are with their provider and how likely they would be to recommend it.

Insurers must receive a minimum of 30 customer responses to be included.

Policy score

This is our assessment of the quality of standard cover comparing 78 elements of a policy. We weight certain features of cover or costs (fees and excesses) based on the impact we think they generally make, from courtesy cars to breakdown cover.

Among the highest-weighted elements are the insurer's guarantee on repairs, cover for glass damage, conditions of its no-claims discount, whether it'll provide a replacement vehicle, fire, theft and accidental damage excesses, and interest rates charged for paying premiums in instalments.

We carry this analysis out every 12 months. The next update will be in January 2025.

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