Choosing the right car insurance cover

If you are going to drive a car in the UK, you are legally obliged to have car insurance cover. But the choice is yours as to the level of cover you wish to buy.

Third party

This is the minimum cover the law requires to meet your liabilities towards third parties. It does not cover any damage to your own vehicle, whether the loss is caused by a road accident or by fire or by theft. This type of insurance is probably sufficient if your car is worth less than about £500.

Third party, fire and theft

Once again, if the car is worth only £500 to £1,000, this is a popular level of basic cover against third party claims, but also includes loss or damage to your own vehicle through theft or fire.

Comprehensive cover

As the name suggests, this will cover your own car against accidental damage, fire and theft, as well as claims by third parties. Naturally, given the increased breadth of cover, it is the most costly of the three principal types of car insurance cover.