Co-op Insurance car insurance review

Co-op Insurance is part of the well-known Co-op Group, which is owned by millions of members. It sells various kinds of insurance, including car, home, travel and pet insurance.

Its car insurance is underwritten by a panel of insurers which includes Ageas, Axa, Covea, Sabre and Tradex.

We've reviewed two levels of car insurance provided by Co-op Insurance – a standard policy and an Essentials alternative. 

Both policies cover drivers aged between 17 and 99.

Please note: 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.

Does Co-op Insurance offer the best car insurance?

See how this compares with the best car insurance, or read more about how we rate car insurance.

What does Co-op Insurance car insurance cover?

We reviewed two car insurance policies from the Co-op Insurance. Select a policy from our table to see what it offers and our score.

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'There's a lot to like about Co-op's standard policy'

Dean Sobers, Which? car insurance expert, says:

The Co-op’s standard car insurance policy scored 68% in our analysis of cover. This was pretty impressive – among the top fifth of policies we reviewed. 

It isn't a Best Buy, however, because of the complaints records of several of the insurers underwriting its policies.

Elements that struck us positively about its cover included a guarantee of repairs that will last as long as you continue to own the vehicle. There’s also no claims limit for windscreen or windows damage – though there’s a £150 limit if you use a non-approved repairer. 

It wasn’t perfect, however. If your car is written off or stolen, Co-op Insurance offers use of a temporary replacement vehicle (as an optional extra) for up to 14 days. Some other policies allow for as much as double this time.

It also charges a higher-than-average APR (extra costs in interest) if you’re paying monthly. 

A real cooling-off period

After buying Co-op’s policy you’ll have a 14-day cooling-off period to change your mind. This is common, but what’s less common is that if you decide to switch during this period, the Co-op won’t charge a cancellation fee under its standard policy.

Most insurers will charge an admin fee reflective of their costs setting up the policy, but less than they’d charge after the cooling-off period has ended.  

If you switch away from Co-op after that two-week period, switching will cost £50.

Essentials

Co-op Insurance also provides a cheaper, stripped-back Essentials policy with less cover and some higher fees. This scored an unimpressive 49% – close to the bottom of our table.

How good is Co-op Insurance at handling claims?

Co-op Insurance’s panel of underwriters – Ageas, Axa, Covea, Sabre and Tradex – accepted 95-100% of car insurance claims in 2024. This was around the average (98.8%) for the market.

Of customers who claimed, 5-10% made a complaint, which is also about average (6.9%).

How can you save money on Co-op Insurance car insurance?

Co-op Insurance's standard policy is only available directly, not through comparison websites. 

Its Essentials policy, on the other hand, can only be bought through the following comparison sites:

• Compare the Market
• Confused.com
• Go.Compare
• MoneySuperMarket

Co-op members may get a discount off their premium.

You're best off using comparison sites to find quotes from other car insurers before getting in touch with Co-op Insurance. You could then mention what you've been quoted and use it to haggle the premium down.

Want to pay monthly?

You can choose to pay your premium in one go or in monthly instalments. Paying monthly usually costs more overall. This is because paying by instalments is usually provided as a form of credit – with interest or other charges applied.

When we reviewed Co-op Insurance's Essentials policy, its rate for paying in monthly instalments was 29.2% APR. This is quite a bit more than the average rate (20.49% APR) charged among providers that told us their rates.

It would be cheaper to pay annually and perhaps spread the cost with an interest-free purchase credit card.

Above information correct as of December 2025.

How does Co-op Insurance compare with other providers?

The standard car insurance cover from Co-op Insurance got a policy score of 68%, placing it just behind the standard car insurance policy from Esure and Saga, and also Allianz's premium cover and Direct Line Comprehensive Plus (which had 69%). 

Co-op Insurance's Essentials policy scored 49%, a little less than Aviva's Zero Essentials policy and both Churchill's and Quote Me Happy's Essentials policy, which all scored 52%.

Co-op Insurance: how can I claim?

If you need to make a claim with Co-op car insurance, call 0345 999 8888 or you can register a claim online.

• Find out more: is it worth claiming on your car insurance?

Should you buy Co-op Insurance car insurance?

Perhaps, if the quote is very competitive. Co-op's standard policy impressed in our analysis, but we’re not as confident in its levels of service.

How we rate car insurance

Find out how the Co-op Insurance rates for other products

• Co-op Insurance travel insurance review
• Co-op pet insurance review