Tesco Bank car insurance review

With six main policies to choose from, and discounts for Clubcard members, Tesco Bank could be an option when you come to compare car insurance quotes.

Operating since 1997, and with 5 million customers across its banking and insurance products, it’s the personal finance arm of its supermarket namesake.

Read on below for our Tesco car insurance review, including the details of each major policy it offers, what its customers say, and how it stacks up against its competitors.

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What car insurance cover is offered by Tesco Bank?

Tesco Bank offers six different levels of cover. Four of those policies are fully comprehensive: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and black box insurance.

You can then also get Tesco Bank Silver-tier insurance for third party only, and third party, fire and theft cover.

Bronze

With Tesco Bank Bronze fully comprehensive car insurance, you’re covered for the following:

Damage to your car: if you’re in an accident, you can claim for the costs of any repairs up to the market value of your car (excluding damage to your windscreen)

Fire damage: if your car is damaged by fire, you can make a claim up to the market value of your vehicle

Theft: if you car is stolen, or damaged in an attempted theft, you can make a claim on your Tesco Bank Bronze car cover

Third party liability: if you’re in an accident, Tesco will cover the costs incurred by any other drivers, up to £20 million

Death or injury to third parties: if someone else were to be injured or killed in an accident involving your vehicle, Tesco Bank will cover you, regardless of the cost

Emergency medical treatment: you can claim £100 per person for emergency medical treatment following an accident

Personal accident: if you or your partner is injured or killed while travelling in, or getting out of, your car, you can claim up to £1,000

Audio/visual/electronic devices installed by the manufacturer: if your manufacturer-installed electronic devices, including sat navs, are stolen or damaged, you can make a claim, up to their market value

Stolen keys: you can replace your lost or stolen keys, or any other ignition device, as well as your locks, up to a maximum cost of £300

Courtesy car cover: you can get a small temporary replacement vehicle while your car is being repaired at an approved garage following an insured incident that has resulted in a claim

Child seat cover: you can claim up to £300 to replace a child car seat damaged during an insured incident

Driving your car in Europe: you can drive your car abroad for 90 days in select European countries without taking out a new policy

Silver

Tesco Bank Silver car insurance includes everything in the Bronze level, as well as:

Personal accident: at the Silver level, you can make personal accident claims up to £5,000

Windscreen repair: you can claim the market value for repairing your windscreen if you use an approved repairer, or up to £40 for a non-approved repairer

Windscreen replacement: you can claim the market value for replacing your windscreen if you use an approved repairer, or up to £125 for a non-approved repairer

Aftermarket audio/visual/electronic devices: any aftermarket electronic divides that have been installed can be claimed for, up to £1,000

Stolen keys: at the Silver tier, you can claim up to £750 for stolen keys and other associated costs

Uninsured driver promise: this means that if you’re in an accident that’s not your fault, and the other driver is not insured, your excess will be refunded, as long as you meet Tesco Bank’s requirements

Driving other cars: you may be allowed to drive other cars on your Silver policy, with third party only cover, as long as you meet Tesco Bank’s age and occupation requirements

Personal belongings: if you make a claim following an accident, fire or theft, any personal belongings in the car will be covered up to £200

Replacement car: if your car is written off, or declared as a total loss, and it is less than 12 months old, you will receive a like-for-like replacement

Onward travel: in the event of an insured incident, you will be refunded for the cost of travel to get to your planned destination or home, up to £150

Gold

The Tesco Bank Gold car insurance policy includes everything found at the Silver level, as well as:

Personal accident: you can claim up to £7,500 with your Gold policy

Stolen keys: you can claim for the market value of replacing your stolen keys, and any other associated costs

Lost keys: if your keys are lost from anywhere other than your car, you can claim for the full market value of replacing them

Enhanced courtesy car cover: instead of a small car, you will receive a vehicle equivalent in size to the one being repaired

Personal belongings: your personal belongings will be covered up to £500

Onward travel: you will be refunded for travel costs, or the price of one night’s accommodation, up to £500

Misfuelling: if you accidentally fill your car with the wrong fuel, you can claim for the roadside drainage and flushing of the fuel tank, or the recovery of the car, as well as replenishing the fuel tank with 10 litres of the correct fuel

Vandalism promise: if your car has been vandalised, you can make a claim that won’t affect your no-claims bonus, as long as you meet Tesco Bank’s requirements

Silver (third party only)

With Tesco Bank’s third party only Silver car insurance, you will have cover for:

Third party liability: up to £20 million

Death or injury to third parties: this cover is unlimited

Emergency medical treatment: up to £100 per injured person

Driving other cars: if you meet the eligibility requirements

Driving your car in Europe: for up to 90 days

Silver (third party, fire and theft)

As for Tesco Bank’s third party, fire and theft cover, it includes:

Fire damage: up to market value

Theft: up to market value

Audio/visual/electronic devices installed by the manufacturer: up to market value

Aftermarket audio/visual/electronic devices: up to £1,000

Third party liability: up to £20 million

Death or injury to third parties: this cover is unlimited

Emergency medical treatment: up to £100 per injured person

Driving other cars: if you meet the eligibility requirements

Child seat car: up to £300

Driving your car in Europe: for up to 90 days

Black box insurance

Tesco Bank’s black box insurance is a comprehensive policy for drivers aged between 17 and 35 looking to reduce the price of their car insurance long-term. Tesco Clubcard members can receive a guaranteed discount when taking out a policy.

A black box or telematics device will be installed in your car that will monitor how you drive. At the outset of your policy, you will choose the maximum number of miles you’ll drive a month: 6,000, 8,000 or 10,000. If you find you need more, you can buy additional miles online or over the phone.

You can earn up to 100 additional miles a month if your black box shows you’ve been driving safely.

At renewal, you may then be able to get a reduced premium, if you’ve proven yourself to be a safe driver.

Tesco Bank car insurance policies at a glance

Conclusion

Tesco Bank might be an option if you don’t want the most feature-rich cover available, but still want comprehensive cover. Its Silver level, in particular, has a five-star rating on Defaqto – of interest if you don’t want the costs associated with the fuller Gold policy.

Loyal Tesco customers may want to consider it, simply for the fact that Clubcard members are eligible for a discount on their premium.

If you appreciate being able to speak to someone over the phone when you have an issue, then Tesco Bank’s Trustpilot reviews suggest it could be a good fit. However, if you’d rather communicate with your provider via email or live chat, Tesco Bank might not be for you.

Frequently asked questions about Tesco Bank car insurance

Who is Tesco car insurance underwritten by?

Tesco Bank car insurance is underwritten by Tesco Underwriting Ltd.

Who owns Tesco car insurance?

Since 2008, Tesco Bank, including its car insurance arm, has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Tesco PLC.

Senior Finance Writer

Connor Campbell is an experienced personal and business finance writer who has been producing online content for almost a decade.

Connor is the personal finance expert for Independent Advisor, guiding readers through everything they need to know about car insurance and home insurance. From how much it costs to the best insurance providers in the UK, he’s here to help you find the right policy for your needs.

In his capacity as writer and spokesperson at NerdWallet , Connor explored a number of topics close to his heart, such as the impact of our increasingly cashless society, and the hardships and heroics of British entrepreneurs. His commentary was featured in sites such as The Mirror , the Daily Express and Business Insider .

At financial trading firm Spreadex, meanwhile, his market commentary was featured in outlets such as The Guardian , BBC , Reuters and the Evening Standard .

Connor is a voracious reader with an MA in English, and is dedicated to making life’s financial decisions a little bit easier by doing away with jargon and needless complexity.

Senior Editor

After growing up with a passion for writing, Molly studied journalism and creative writing at university in her home country of the United States.

She has written for a variety of print and online publications, from small town newspapers to international magazines. Most of her 10-year career since relocating to the UK has been spent in business journalism, writing and editing for admin professionals at PA Life magazine and business travel managers at Business Travel News Europe and representing those titles at conferences around the world.

Now an Editor at the Independent Advisor, Molly is an expert in a broad range of consumer topics, that include solar panels and renewables, home improvements and home insurance, and consumer technology such as home security and VPNs.

In her free time, Molly can usually be found exploring the outdoors with her husband and their young son or gardening.