Prima Car Insurance
📋 Quick Summary — What This Review Covers
This review gives you a clear, no-nonsense look at Prima Car Insurance. You will find a full breakdown of the three plan tiers (Essential, Plus, Premier), how the claims process works in practice, what each plan pays out for personal injury and belongings, how windscreen cover and the courtesy car guarantee work, and — critically — what situations are not covered at all. By the end, you will have everything you need to decide whether Prima is the right insurer for you.
What Is Prima Car Insurance?
Prima is a UK-based car insurer that has built its model around one straightforward premise: use technology to price policies fairly, then pass those savings on to drivers. Unlike many traditional insurers who rely on broad demographic assumptions, Prima uses real data points — driving history, mileage, and vehicle usage patterns — to calculate a premium that actually reflects how you drive.
The result is a policy that tends to reward careful, lower-mileage drivers considerably more than a standard market quote would. Prima currently holds a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot from over 4,744 verified customer reviews, which places it well above the industry average for customer satisfaction in the UK motor insurance market.
Prima does not offer third-party-only or third-party, fire and theft cover. Every plan it sells is fully comprehensive — a deliberate policy choice that simplifies the buying decision and ensures no driver is underprotected.For a broader comparison of similar UK providers, our reviews of Yoga Car Insurance, One Protect Car Insurance, and Hugo Insurance are worth reading alongside this guide.
Prima Car Insurance Plans & Pricing
Prima structures its offering into three plan tiers. Each one builds on the previous with additional features included as standard rather than bolt-on extras. Here is how they compare at a glance:
| Feature | Essential | Plus | Premier |
| Starting Price | From £254/yr | Higher | Highest |
| Fully Comprehensive | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Windscreen & Glass Cover | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Courtesy Car | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| New Car Replacement (<1 yr) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Personal Injury Payout | £2,500 | £2,500 | Up to £5,000 |
| Personal Belongings Cover | £250 | £500 | £1,000 |
| Uninsured Driver Guarantee | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Motor Legal Cover | Add-on | Add-on | ✔ Included |
| RAC Breakdown Cover | Add-on | Add-on | ✔ Included |
💡 Pricing NoteThe £254 average starting price reflects the Essential plan for qualifying drivers. Your individual premium will depend on your age, driving history, vehicle type, and annual mileage. Drivers with a clean record and low mileage typically receive the most competitive quotes. You can get a quote directly from Prima’s official website.
Understanding Each Plan
- Prima Essential
The entry-level plan and covers the core comprehensive bases — accident, fire, theft, and third-party liability. It does not include windscreen cover or the Uninsured Driver Guarantee, and legal and breakdown cover are available as paid add-ons only. - Prima Plus
adds windscreen and glass cover and — importantly — the Uninsured Driver Guarantee, which protects your no-claims bonus if you are hit by someone who has no insurance. Motor legal cover and breakdown assistance are still optional extras on this tier. - Prima Premier
The all-inclusive tier. It bundles legal cover and RAC breakdown assistance as standard, raises the personal injury payout to £5,000, and doubles the personal belongings limit to £1,000. For drivers who want the simplest, most comprehensive protection available, Premier removes the need to think about add-ons at all.
What Happens When Your Car Is Damaged?
Accident damage is the most common reason any driver makes an insurance claim. Prima covers your vehicle across every plan for damage resulting from:
- Road traffic accidents — whether a minor scrape or a serious multi-vehicle collision
- Fire or explosion, including engine fires
- Theft or attempted theft — including damage caused by a break-in even if nothing is stolen
- Deliberate vandalism by a third party
- Flooding, storm damage, and other extreme weather events
Repairs vs. Total Loss
When your car is damaged, Prima will arrange for it to be assessed by one of its approved repairers. If the vehicle can be economically repaired, Prima covers the full cost of those repairs up to the pre-incident market value of the vehicle. If the cost of repairs exceeds what the car is actually worth — a situation insurers call a total loss or write-off — Prima pays you the market value of the car at the time of the incident in cash, and the vehicle is handed over to the insurer.
New Car Replacement (Under 12 Months)
This is one of Prima’s most useful benefits for newer vehicle owners. If your car was purchased less than 12 months ago and is either written off or stolen and not recovered, Prima will replace it with a brand-new equivalent model — not simply pay out the depreciated market value. Given that a new car can lose 15–20% of its value in the first year alone, this benefit can represent a significant financial saving.
Courtesy Car & Alternative Transport
One often-overlooked aspect of any car insurance policy is what happens to your daily life while your car is off the road. Prima includes a courtesy car guarantee on all three plan tiers, provided your vehicle is being repaired by a Prima-approved repairer.
What Type of Courtesy Car Will You Get?
The standard courtesy vehicle is a small hatchback. It is provided from the day your car is booked in with the approved repairer and remains with you until your own car is fully repaired and returned. This means you should face no gap in your transport during the repair period.
If you regularly drive a larger vehicle — an SUV, estate, or MPV — and a standard hatchback would not be suitable for your needs, Prima offers an upgraded courtesy car as an optional paid add-on at the point of purchase. It is worth adding this at the outset rather than trying to arrange it after an accident.
What if Prima Cannot Provide a Courtesy Car?
In situations where an approved repairer is not available — for example, if you are involved in an accident abroad or in a very remote location — Prima’s policy document sets out alternative provisions. Always read your full policy schedule so you understand what applies in your specific circumstances.
Windscreen & Glass Cover Explained
Cracked or chipped windscreens are among the most frequent causes of an insurance claim in the UK. Prima includes glass cover as standard on the Prima Plus and Prima Premier plans. If you are on the Essential plan, glass damage is not covered and you would need to pay for repairs yourself or add the cover separately.
What Exactly Is Covered?
Prima’s glass cover extends to the following:
- Front windscreen
- Rear windscreen
- All side windows
- Sunroof glass (where the vehicle has one)
Claims must be made through a Prima-approved auto glass specialist. Using an unapproved repairer could invalidate your glass claim, so always contact Prima before arranging any glass repair or replacement independently.
Excess Charges for Glass Claims
| Type of Glass Claim | Excess Payable |
| Windscreen / Glass Repair | £25 |
| Windscreen / Glass Full Replacement | £115 |
| ✅ Good to Know A glass claim made through Prima’s approved specialist does not affect your no-claims bonus (NCB). You pay only the excess shown above, and your future premium is unaffected. |
Personal Injury Cover
Car accidents can result in serious physical harm to the people inside the vehicle. Prima includes a personal injury benefit that pays a lump sum in the event of a serious injury or accidental death suffered by the policyholder, a named driver, their spouse or civil partner, or any passenger travelling in the insured vehicle at the time of the accident.
Payout Amounts by Plan
| Prima Plan | Maximum Payout |
| Prima Essential | £2,500 |
| Prima Plus | £2,500 |
| Prima Premier | Up to £5,000 |
The payout is per incident, not per person, and is intended to cover immediate costs such as private medical care, rehabilitation expenses, or loss of earnings during the recovery period. For more serious or long-term injuries, you may also wish to consider a separate income protection insurance policy to supplement this benefit.
No-Claims Bonus (NCB) Protection
Your no-claims bonus (NCB) — sometimes referred to as a no-claims discount — is one of the most valuable financial assets a UK driver holds. Every claim-free year adds to it, and over time it can reduce your premium by 50% or more. Losing your NCB following an accident you didn’t cause is one of the most frustrating outcomes a driver can experience.
Prima’s Uninsured Driver Guarantee
Prima addresses this directly with its Uninsured Driver Guarantee, available on the Prima Plus and Prima Premier plans. If another driver collides with your vehicle and they turn out to be uninsured, Prima will:
- Keep your NCB completely intact — as if the claim never happened
- Refund any excess you have already paid out of pocket
The only condition is that you must be able to provide the other driver’s details — name, vehicle registration number, and a description of the incident. Without these details, Prima cannot pursue the other party, and the standard claim process would apply.
For further information on how uninsured driver incidents are handled at a national level in the UK, the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) provides comprehensive guidance on your rights and the claims process.
| ⚠️ ImportantThe Uninsured Driver Guarantee is not available on the Prima Essential plan. If NCB protection is a priority for you, the Prima Plus plan is the minimum tier you should consider. |
Does Prima Car Insurance Cover Driving Abroad?
Yes. Prima automatically extends comprehensive cover to UK-registered vehicles travelling in a range of overseas destinations — at no additional premium. The countries covered include all EU member states plus the following non-EU nations:
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Iceland
- Serbia
- Andorra
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
No separate travel extension or border cover certificate is required for these destinations. Your standard Prima policy applies automatically. Your policy documents will specify the maximum number of consecutive days per trip and the total number of overseas trips permitted per policy year — check these limits before planning an extended road trip.If you need supplementary travel insurance for baggage, medical emergencies, or trip cancellation abroad, our review of Puffin Travel Insurance covers a specialist option worth considering alongside your Prima policy.
Personal Belongings Cover
If personal items inside your car are damaged, destroyed, or stolen as a direct result of fire or theft, Prima will reimburse you up to the limit specified for your plan tier. This applies to everyday items such as laptops, clothing, handbags, sports equipment, and similar personal effects.
| Prima Plan | Maximum Payout |
| Prima Essential | Up to £250 |
| Prima Plus | Up to £500 |
| Prima Premier | Up to £1,000 |
There are typically per-item sub-limits within the overall cap — for instance, a single laptop may be covered up to £200 even on the Premier plan. Always check your policy schedule for individual item limits before assuming high-value items are fully covered.For expensive single items such as professional camera equipment or high-end jewellery, a dedicated gadget or valuables insurance policy will usually provide better individual item coverage. The Association of British Insurers offers guidance on choosing the right supplementary cover for high-value possessions.
What Is NOT Covered — Policy Exclusions
Every car insurance policy has exclusions, and Prima is no different. Understanding what is not covered is just as important as knowing what is. The following situations will result in a claim being declined across all Prima plan tiers:
| ❌ Prima Car Insurance Will Not Pay Out If:The full list of exclusions is below. These apply to all plans — Essential, Plus, and Premier. |
- Unlicensed driver: Anyone driving your car without a valid UK driving licence, including you.
- Unnamed driver: A person who is not named on the policy drives the vehicle.
- Drink or drugs: You or any named driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident.
- Car left insecure: Your car is left unattended with the keys inside or the doors unlocked. Theft will not be covered in this scenario.
- Wrong fuel: Misfuelling — putting petrol into a diesel engine or vice versa — is not covered under any Prima plan.
- Incorrect use: Using the vehicle for a purpose not declared on the policy, such as commercial hire, taxi services, or courier deliveries.
- Mechanical breakdown: Faults or failures not caused by an accident — engine wear, component failure, etc. — are not insurance claims.
- Deliberate damage: Any damage intentionally caused by the policyholder or a named driver.
These exclusions are consistent with standard UK motor insurance practice and are aligned with UK Government guidance on motor insurance requirements. Always read your full policy document carefully before making a claim.
Our Verdict on Prima Car Insurance
Prima Car Insurance does what it promises: transparent, fully comprehensive cover with no third-party-only options, a technology-driven pricing model that rewards safer drivers, and 24/7 claims support throughout. The plan structure is logical, the exclusions are standard and clearly stated, and the Uninsured Driver Guarantee on the Plus and Premier tiers is a genuinely valuable benefit that many comparable insurers charge extra for.
The key decision is which plan tier suits your situation. If you have a car that is less than a year old and want maximum protection, the Premier plan offers the most complete coverage for peace of mind. If you want solid comprehensive cover at the lowest entry price and are comfortable adding extras if needed, the Essential plan is a credible starting point. The Plus plan sits comfortably in the middle for most drivers.
Prima is not the right choice if you want a third-party-only policy to reduce your premium to the absolute minimum. But for drivers who want quality comprehensive cover from an insurer with a strong and verifiable track record, Prima is worth serious consideration.
Frequently Asked Questions
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