Autonet Car Insurance Review
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Autonet car insurance, while sounding American, is actually based in Stoke-on-Trent. Founded in 1998, the company was initially a van insurance specialist but has branched out over the years, offering business, home, bike, travel, caravan, pet and even quadbike insurance policies! If you're reading this review, though, you're probably more interested in Autonet car insurance policies. FIND OUT IF AUTONET IS THE INSURER FOR YOU Compare and save over £200 Autonet motor insurance boasts “success continued year after year” and claims it is now the UK’s biggest independent van insurance broker, with a turnover of £130 million. 
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With the money rolling in, Autonet employs 700 people and manages over 340,000 policies.
But the company isn’t just an insurer. In fact, it’s more of a broker because it offers policies by working “alongside some of the leading insurers within the industry”, including Aviva, Allianz, Axa and Ageas. This means Autonet doesn’t offer polices from the whole market, but only from a restricted number of underwriters. To scope out a wider list of insurers, and see how much you could save, run a car insurance comparison. Autonet car insurance claim Autonet insurance's site is missing the promises of mega savings typically trumpeted by insurers. All it says is you can get a discount on insurance policies, subject to terms and conditions. We find this odd; as ever, the best way to find out if an insurer is pricey or cheap is by comparing prices. Autonet seems to target breadth, guaranteeing it can get you the right cover whether you drive a Mini or Maserati and says it caters for all ages and driving experience. The big draw is that it’s got 15 years’ experience in finding tailored policies for customers and that it constantly checks the market to find the best price. All in all, though, it’s hard to see what Autonet’s unique selling point is (and you can check the market yourself using a comparison tool). |
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Autonet’s customer service
Autonet can certainly talk a big game. It has an awards page listing its achievements, which include: Training Excellence Award 2013, after its call centres fielded 600,000 calls; a place in The Top 50 UK Brokers by the Insurance Post in 2016 and winning both the Personal Lines Broker of the Year and the Independent Broker Award of the Year awards in 2015 (we’re sure the parties were a riot). But it’s hard to tell exactly how good its customer service is. According to the Financial Conduct Authority’s official complaints data, between July and December 2016 Autonet received 0.01 per 1000 general insurance policies sold – a pretty low number. The chief cause of complaints were disputed bills and charges. If you need to make a complaint about Autonet, you can use our free complaints tool to make your voice heard. Autonet can be contacted directly on 03303 438 628; UK-based call centres are a plus. Autonet car insurance – key features Get a policy with Autonet and, the company claims, you can expect: * Discounts on policies * Mirrored no claims bonus (this means that if you have earned a no claims bonus on an insurance policy for one vehicle, you might be able to use it on a second car). * Instant car insurance * Electronical or postal correspondence * Full policy wording including key facts, schedule and car certificate * Experienced advisors to answer all your questions There’s nothing here that stands out. We’d expect full policy wording with most companies and, to be frank, we’re not sure how much of a perk it is that Autonet can contact you by email or letter. GET A FAIR DEAL ON YOUR CAR INSURANCE SWITCHING Compare and save over £200 |
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Autonet car insurance policies
Like most insurers, Autonet offers three main types of policy: Third party only, the most basic level of cover required by law; Third party fire & theft and Comprehensive. For more on what these different levels of cover mean, visit our guide: car insurance explained – which type of policy do you need? Don’t assume you’ll save money by opting for a quote for third-party only – often insurance companies charge less for comprehensive cover. Autonet add ons and extras The company offers a range of optional extras, including: breakdown cover; windscreen cover; excess protection; motor legal expenses and short term insurance. Before you fork out more money for any of them, ask yourself: are optional car insurance extras worth it? Provided by insurance giant Axa, Autonet’s breakdown cover does come with some pedigree; it won Best Breakdown Cover at The Personal Finance Awards in 2014/15. As far as introductory offers go, however, prices are pretty steep, ranging from £50.95 for just roadside assistance up to £89.95 for European breakdown cover. Autonet also offer a neat short-term insurance option with a partner company called Day Insurers. You can get between 1 and 28 days of cover – perfect if you need a vehicle for a test drive, for example. |
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