Car insurance premiums have edged up for the first time in a year, with drivers paying an average of £559 in the final quarter of 2025, according to the Association of British Insurers.

Even so, the cost of cover is only part of the picture. Misunderstandings about what policies include can surface at claim time, when it matters most.

Here, Which? unpicks the most common car insurance myths, showing where assumptions often fall down and what to check before you buy or renew.

• Select Which? as a preferred source on Google so you can see more independent news written by expert Which? journalists.

Myth 1. Glass claims are free and don’t count

Glass claims are often cheaper than other claims, but they’re not always free.

Many comprehensive policies apply a separate, lower excess for windscreen damage. Repairs are often free, while replacements usually involve a fixed excess, commonly around £50 to £150.

Glass claims often don’t reduce your no-claims discount, but insurers can still record them and take them into account when setting your next premium. Cover may also depend on using an approved repairer.

• Find out more: best car insurance companies in the UK

Myth 2. A courtesy car is guaranteed 

A courtesy car isn’t always included as standard and, in some policies, isn’t included at all.

Where it is included, it’s usually only provided while your car is being repaired at an insurer-approved garage. If your car is written off or stolen, many policies won’t offer a replacement, or will limit it to a short, fixed period.

The car itself is typically a basic, small model, not a like-for-like replacement, and availability can depend on the repairer.

Some insurers offer enhanced or guaranteed replacement car cover, but this is usually an optional extra rather than standard.

• Find out more: what’s happening to car insurance premiums?

Myth 3. Non-fault claims don’t affect your insurance

Even if another driver is entirely to blame, a non-fault claim can still affect your premium.

Insurers usually record all claims, including non-fault ones, and may take them into account at renewal. For example, if your parked car is hit and the other driver’s insurer pays for repairs, your no-claims discount may stay intact, but your premium can still rise.

You may also need to pay your excess upfront and reclaim it later once liability is settled, which can take time. If you have more than one non-fault claim in a short period, the impact on price is more likely to be noticeable.

• Find out more: making a car insurance claim

Myth 4. Legal cover means you’re protected in any dispute

Motor legal cover is mainly there to help you claim money back from the other driver after a non-fault accident. For example, it may help recover your excess, lost earnings or other costs your insurer doesn’t cover.

It usually doesn’t help with arguments involving your own insurer, such as disputes over a payout, delays, or whether a claim should be accepted. It also won’t cover unrelated legal problems.

Insurers will normally only use legal cover if they think the case is likely to succeed. If fault is unclear or evidence is weak, they may decide not to pursue it.

• Find out more:  the best car insurance policies you won’t find on comparison sites

Myth 5. The cheapest policy is the best deal

The cheapest quote often comes with more limited cover.

Lower-priced policies may have higher excesses, fewer included features, stricter claim conditions or weaker claims support. Extras such as windscreen cover, courtesy cars or personal belongings cover are often stripped back to keep prices down.

Two policies with very different levels of cover can look similar on price, especially once discounts are applied. That’s why it’s important to look beyond the headline quote and check what’s actually included.

Myth 6. Items left in the car are fully insured

Personal belongings left in your car are often only partially covered, or not covered at all.

Many policies set low limits for personal possessions, commonly a few hundred pounds in total, and may also apply a single-item cap. High-value items such as phones, laptops or tools are often excluded unless they’re declared separately.

Cover may also depend on how the items were stored. Insurers can refuse claims if belongings were left visible, the car wasn’t locked, or there were no signs of forced entry.

If you regularly leave valuable items in your car, you may need separate cover, such as home contents insurance or a specific add-on.

Myth 7. Protected NCD means premiums won’t rise

No-claims discount (NCD) protection stops you losing your discount after a claim, but it doesn’t freeze your premium.

Even with protected NCD, insurers can still increase your underlying premium at renewal. For example, you might keep a 60% discount, but if the insurer raises the base price, you’ll still pay more overall.

Protected NCD also has limits. Policies usually only protect a set number of claims over a certain period, and different insurers are more or less generous about which claims count.

So while NCD protection can be valuable if you make a claim, it doesn’t guarantee your price won’t go up.

• Find out more: best car insurance for a no-claims bonus