If I could give -5 definitely would ..... The usual scenarios.... I paid for fully comp with vehicle replacement......this has been refused severely effecting my working week ...... a estimate price... Toon meer
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I started this policy back in March 2026...it's now 3 days until September. I've just been requested to Data Share with this company so they can track my locations and movement. When I too... Toon meer
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In my 52 years of driving and buying car insurance, this firm are absolutely the worst and most untrustworthy one I've ever dealt with. Everything they did was so unprofessional, from not picking up t... Toon meer
Bedrijf heeft geantwoord
First with them i changed my car after waiting 25 mins on phone got to speak to someone who was not very good with English. You talk about daylight robbery charging me 179 pound for changing my car... Toon meer
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Bedrijfsgegevens
Informatie afkomstig van verschillende externe bronnen
Make great savings through your car insurance, home insurance and vehicle breakdown recovery. Get a quote from Hastings Essential now.
Contactgegevens
TN39 3LW, Bexhill-on-Sea, Verenigd Koninkrijk
- www.hastingsessential.com
1,2
Zeer slecht
114 reviews
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I started this policy back in March…
I started this policy back in March 2026...it's now 3 days until September. I've just been requested to Data Share with this company so they can track my locations and movement.
When I took the policy out with them, it did say that they will require data sharing for 30 days, but didn't specify what this referred to. They want you to give access to track ALL your travel, including walking!! What has this got to do with car insurance??
I contacted them to ask generally about the data sharing, and the first response was to offer a refund, less the £45 cancellation fee! Not exactly consumer helpful. I refused it, and let them know I'll be filing a complaint, and making others aware on social media.
Absolutely disgusting, and should be closed down as a business for breaching consumer rights.
If I could have selected zero stars I would have done so.
Avoid this insurance policy as it's a complete scam. I've been driving for 36 years and have never had my driving monitored, or such appalling treatment received through insurance companies
29 augustus 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi David,
I’m sorry you’re unhappy with the App policy.
When we sent your quote, it described all the features and benefits of our App policy – this included sharing a little bit of data and managing your policy in our app. If you choose to continue with this policy, sharing your data is really simple and you only need to do it for 30 days.
If you’d like to switch to one of our standard policies, we’d be happy to help. You can message us 24/7 in our app or give us a call on 0333 321 9801.
Your location data is used to build a picture of your travel patterns and behaviour. It won't change the price of your current policy, but it might affect the price we quote at renewal (or whether we can offer you a policy in the future).
We'll only collect this data when we detect that you're taking a trip – which could include other transport (such as a bike, train or bus and not just your car).
Thanks,
Nicole, Social Media Team
If I could give a minus 5 definitely would…
If I could give -5 definitely would .....
The usual scenarios....
I paid for fully comp with vehicle replacement......this has been refused severely effecting my working week ...... a estimate price of my vehicle less than half I paid for it ...... says it's a write off due to only allowing to be assessed at one of their so called approved garages yet my own mechanic said it's totally repairable.......told them I have special needs on phone ,they then place me on hold for over 30mins ......steer clear of them at all costs unless you wish to be had over also
27 augustus 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi James,
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
We’ll always provide a courtesy car if it’s included in your policy, or if you purchased our additional Hire Vehicle Cover. But we won’t provide one if your vehicle’s stolen, written off (also known as a ‘total loss’), the repairs aren't carried out by an approved repairer, or if the policy is third party only (as this just covers the other driver).
Providing our customers with the best possible experience is always our top priority – especially when it comes to making a claim.
We use industry approved guides (such as Autotrader) to value vehicles based on market information. This looks at specific make, model and mileage and assumes the vehicle is in good condition and has a full service history. We then use these details to complete our assessment and provide you with a fair and accurate overall valuation.
If you’d like to discuss this further or have any questions, please call our Claims Team on 0333 321 9800.
Thanks,
Nicole, Social Media Team
In my 52 years of driving and buying…
In my 52 years of driving and buying car insurance, this firm are absolutely the worst and most untrustworthy one I've ever dealt with. Everything they did was so unprofessional, from not picking up the phone for ages to putting me on hold multiple times for ages to the failure of their payment system to accept my card (no problem with anyone else) to repeatedly changing the premium at the least excuse and so on. I was very patient with them as this process dragged on for nearly 2 days of trying, but eventually I sarcasticly thanked them for wasting all my time and went elsewhere. The other company had me insured with no drama in under half an hour. Just like I expected Hastings to do. Their loss. Awful company. Avoid them!
29 juli 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Charlie,
I'm very sorry to read about the poor experience you have when trying to purchase a policy with us. We always aim to provide great service, so it's disappointing to know we missed the mark this time and to see that so much frustration was caused when dealing with this on the phone.
We'll feed this back to the relevant department head for you in an attempt to improve calls like this going forward. Thank you for raising this and I'm glad you were able to find suitable cover for your car in the end. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Daylight robbery
First with them i changed my car after waiting 25 mins on phone got to speak to someone who was not very good with English. You talk about daylight robbery charging me 179 pound for changing my car what a shark .Robin hood would crawl in his grave. Needless to say I def will not be renewing again horrible service horrible rip of company avoid
24 juli 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Bob,
Thanks for your feedback, we're really sorry to hear about your experience and that it took to long to reach an advisor.
We regret also that we were unable to offer you a more competitive price. Your insurance policy and price are based on both your individual details and the world around you. This means any changes in your personal circumstances will usually mean your price changes as well.
When we offer a quote, we always try to give you the best price we can based on the information you give us. To make sure we're always competitive, we also constantly monitor market trends and regularly adjust our prices.
If you'd like to discuss this in more detail, visit www.hastingsdirect.com/contact-us and get in touch. ~Theo, Social Media Team
After spending time filling in my…
After spending time filling in my details you decide you cannot give a quote today,,,with no reason,,,
11 juni 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Peter,
Thanks for your review, we’re really sorry we couldn't offer you quote on this occasion. We consider all your policy details when they are provided so we can provide you with a price. It may be the case that on this occasion the quote details cannot be covered because of a change in our acceptance criteria, put in place by our underwriters. I am very sorry that this is the case and I hope that you are able to find suitable cover for your vehicle soon. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Home Insurance relocation for flood
Home Insurance claim for flood. Had to be relocated and their offers of how much to give for alternative accommodation are a joke. Despite sending them proof and 3-4 properties in the area higher than their offer they refuse to give more funding. Our home was unhabitable and we are covered for accommodation but they refuse to go into the budget more. They are a joke and want you to be in the cheapest house possible even if its dirty and infested. Stay clear of claiming with these as you will lose the will to live.
27 februari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi Dene,
Thanks for your review, we’re sorry you weren’t happy with our service on this occasion.
Providing our customers with the best possible experience is always our top priority – especially when it comes to making a claim.
If you’d like to discuss this further or have any questions, please call our Claims Team on the number in your documents.
Thanks,
Nicole, Social Media team
Worst car insurance company ever
Worst car insurance company ever. They wrote off my car, with very minimal damage. Now they won’t give me a buyback price, or tell me under what category it has been written off. They want you to sign over your car to Copart ie a scrap yard, before they will froward you this information. Then you would have to buy your own car back from Copart at a premium. Most insurance companies will provide you with this information as standard procedure, before you make any decision. So take care if you deal with this company.They have some very shady practices.Expect to wait up to an hour on the phone, two weeks for an email reply. A lifetime for a fair settlement. I’ve contacted BBC watchdog with regards to this company’s practices, they have shown a strong interest
7 april 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Michael,
Thanks for your review, we’re sorry to read about the poor experience you had during this claim and to see that you didn't get the customer service you needed. I can appreciate the frustration this would have caused you.
Providing our customers with the best possible experience is always our top priority especially when it comes to making a claim, so we regret that you didn't receive this.
If you think this has been poorly handled and you would like to make a formal complaint, please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or call us on 0333 999 8904. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You can find further information about this process here: www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Called at 11am to renew policy no…
Called at 11am to renew policy no problem with price so paid it on a different card they had on file
Checked bank payment taken of 2 separate cards very poor customer service and told 2-5 days before money will be returned to my account
Start of month bills coming out this has left myself very short
Be mindful if using a different card to what they have on file they take the payment from both cards and then pass you from department to department before you get any sort of help
Shocking
3 april 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello David,
Thanks for your feedback, we're really sorry to hear about your experience and to see that this payment was taken twice. We always aim to provide great service, so it's disappointing to know we missed the mark this time.
I hope that this has since been resolved and you got the help you needed. If you need any help going forward, please contact us on Facebook so we can help you. ~Theo, Social Media Team
My discovery got broken into but they…
My discovery got broken into but they failed to steal it and vandalised it. It got recovered and took straight to the salvage yard. I knew it would be right off. However I didn’t read the docs in full detail, in all the small print and policy booklet, your NBC loss is higher than their normal policies. I assumed it was a slimed down policy (no hire car etc, breakdown, windscreen etc) I didn’t know I had downgraded all my small print term and conditions when I changed policies to save a few pounds. I had 17 years NCB, the max they offer is 9yr discount. So mine got reduced down to 3 years. Scandalous really.
But I’ll read every detail next time on any policy. There’s no standard.
Other than that, I did the claim details on the app and on the day, spoke to someone on the phone. She was great to be honest. I got an update the morning after that the car was being assessed and got a payout offer the morning after. I was happy with it to be honest, it was market value so I took it. Got paid out the same day.
So loss of 2 stars because I feel like I’ve been conned having been a customer on their normal plans before and wasn’t told I would be amending my policy terms on important things as NCB. It’s actually a good way to upsell so maybe start telling people.
1 december 2025
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your review, we’re sorry you weren’t happy with our service on this occasion.
Providing our customers with the best possible experience is always our top priority.
We do clearly explain the maximum level of no claims we offer. I’m sorry if this wasn’t clear at the time, and we appreciate you raising it with us.
Thanks,
Nicole, Social Media Team
If zero stars were an option
If zero stars were an option, I’d choose it. Customer service was very poor — I was asked the same questions multiple times, then ignored for hours, and later blamed for not replying quickly enough. Disappointing and unprofessional. I would not recommend!
1 april 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi Marzena,
Thanks for your review, I'm very sorry to see that you had a poor experience with us.
We’d love to know more about why you gave the rating you did and if there’s anything we can do to help you.
If you want to let us know more about what’s happened or there’s something specific, you’re unhappy about, please give us a call on 0333 321 9801 so we can help you.
Thanks,
Nicole, Social Media Team
AVOID! They admit the cause, then invent ways not to pay out.
I'd give this zero stars if I could. I took out home insurance with Hastings and it has been nothing short of a nightmare. After a legitimate storm brought down a section of my garden wall, they used every excuse to avoid covering the claim—ranging from claiming the wall (that stood for 20 years) was not built to withstand normal wind levels, to "gradual deterioration" when there was no previous visible damage to the wall, to trying to tell me the wind was blowing the wrong way. All of this was decided without anyone ever visiting my property to inspect the damage. By Hastings’ logic, "storm damage" in an insurance policy doesn't exist, as any structure damaged by a storm must have been unfit to begin with so they won't cover it.
In our final dealings, their agent explicitly admitted in writing that the cause of the collapse was the wind—literally the definition of storm damage. Yet, they still refused to pay, citing exclusions that legally can't overrule a covered claim in my policy. Worse still, they issued a "final" decision without even opening the evidence link I provided.
After 3 months of arguing and a sham of an investigation into my complaint, I have now been forced to escalate my case to the Financial Ombudsman Service to get a fair hearing. A completely cold and unprofessional experience.
9 december 2025
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello,
Thank you for your review. We're very sorry to read that the claim was rejected on this occasion and to read about the damage to your home. I hope that repairs have since been made.
We appreciate the frustration that this would have caused you and we regret that the complaint you raised wasn't resolved to your frustration. I hope that progress can be made now that it is with the Ombudsman and that this can be resolved for you soon. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Terrible company to deal with we have 3…
Terrible company to deal with we have 3 cars and home Insurance with these and after my experience of trying to claim due to vandalism on 1 of the cars I will be cancelling all policies
31 januari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Joanne,
Thanks for your review, we’re sorry to read about the poor experience you had during this claim and to see that you didn't get the customer service you needed.
Providing our customers with the best possible experience is always our top priority especially when it comes to making a claim, so we regret that you didn't receive this.
If you think this has been poorly handled and you would like to make a formal complaint, please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints or call us on 0333 999 8904. When we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. You can find further information about this process here: www.hastingsdirect.com/help. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Had insurance for 2nd car which they…
Had insurance for 2nd car which they cancelled due to lack of data (telematics box). Essentially this was for a cabriolet rarely driven, and then only on the odd sunny day. they suggested it wasn't the "right" policy for me. Tried to get quote for new policy as suggested which they refused. 67 years of age, full no claims, car to be parked overnight in a locked garage. Call centre probably in India, kept on hold at least 20minutes. Will not renew 1st car policy now. Your loss.
10 februari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello David,
Thanks for your review, we’re very sorry to read about the cancellation of your policy.
A YouDrive policy is slightly different to a standard car insurance product, and we appreciate that it’s not for everyone. We make sure our terms and conditions are clearly stated before you buy a policy online. This includes the need to share your driving data with us through the app by driving the vehicle. If the vehicle is not going to driven for an extended period of time, the Telematics team will need to be informed by the policyholder before the period begins and before the policy is cancelled.
Documents and emails would have been sent days in advance of the cancellation explaining why the policy was being cancelled and when this would be done. I regret if these weren't seen and that it led to the cancellation of the policy.
I appreciate the frustration this would have caused and I hope you have since been able to find suitable cover for your vehicle. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Really bad company
Really bad company, rang up to cancel policy and was told i owe £89 for days covered. When asked to break it down it was actually a cancellation fee. Completely lied to about the reason. Adviser was SEBUENG
15 januari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi Stephen,
We’re sorry you’re unhappy with the cost of cancelling your policy.
When a policy is cancelled, we only charge for the exact numbers of days you’ve been insured for, as well as for any fees that apply. Please visit www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/our-fees for details of our fees and charges.
You can find a breakdown of the costs of your cancellation (how much you’ve been charged compared to how much you’ve paid so far for your policy) in your policy documents.
We would like to feed this back to the advisor's team leader with the intention of improving how they handle calls of this nature going forward. If you would like this to be done, please contact us and provide the policy reference number so we can arrange this or if you would like to discuss the cancellation amount further. ~Theo, Social Media Team
What a waste of time this company is
What a waste of time this company is, dishonest and fraudulent, takes the payment first and then threatens to cancel the policy or increase the price.
14 januari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi Muhammad,
We’re sorry to see that the validation checks have caused so much frustration.
Our Policy Review team checks policies to make sure everything’s above board and the policy details are correct. They do this to prevent fraud and make sure our customers are paying the correct amount for their insurance (because fraudulent claims can increase insurance premiums). I'm afraid that if changes need to be made as a result of these checks, this can impact the cost of your policy.
This is our standard business practice, and we apologise if you weren't aware of this. Also, if you need more time to send us the documents we’ve asked for, or you have a question about this process, please give the team a call on 0333 321 9757. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Very bad company and they are stealing…
Very bad company and they are stealing money from people especially for young generation.
13 januari 2026
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi,
Thanks for your review, I'm very sorry to see that you had a poor experience with us.
We’d love to know more about why you gave the rating you did and if there’s anything we can do to help you.
If you want to let us know more about what’s happened or there’s something specific, you’re unhappy about, please give us a call on 0333 321 9801 so we can help you. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Been trying to make a change to my…
Been trying to make a change to my policy for the last 4 days. Cannot get through on the telephone.
Apparently the quickest way to make a change is on the app. But it takes 24 hours plus between each message so trying to have a conversation on there is ridiculous.
Whilst trying to make a change to my policy I’ve noticed they’ve insured the same van on different number plates… so although I have 2 policies one of them is wrong! How they made this error is beyond me.
I would not recommend insuring through these and I will not be renewing. Definitely easier insurers to go through. It’s not worth the hassle. I’d rather pay £100 more per year for good customer service.
29 december 2025
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hi,
We’re sorry to hear you’ve had trouble getting in touch with us.
We’ve been busier than usual due to reduced holiday hours, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
If there’s been an error, please call our customer service team on 0333 321 9801. If the changes were made by us and caused the issue, you can request an investigation and we’ll look into it for you.
Thanks,
Nicole, Social Media Team
Beyond belief
Beyond belief. 2 days ago I got a home insurance quote for £273. 2 days latter I rang to organise insurance & got a new quote of in excess of £600 for the year. £ 400 more! Just shocking
5 december 2025
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for your review, I'm very sorry to read about this increase in price. Our quotes are impacted by live pricing and as a result, the time and date a quote is purchased can impact the cost.
I regret that it wasn't a decrease on this occasion and I hope you have since been able to find suitable cover for your home. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Beware!
My wife did a search for car insurance on Confused.com and was quoted £247.89 for a policy from this company. She spent some time filling in the form but, when she clicked on 'Pay', the price jumped to £291. Fortunately, she noticed and rang the company. They were unable to give a satisfactory explanation for this, and insisted that the higher price was correct. Needless to say, she took out a cheaper policy with a more trustworthy company.
10 september 2025
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Richard,
Thank you for your review, I'm very sorry to read about the increase in price and to see that this couldn't have been resolved. We'll pass this feedback to the relevant team for you.
I'm glad she was able to find competitive and suitable cover for her vehicle. ~Theo, Social Media Team
Avoid.
Avoid.
Hastings owe £300.00 refund for cancelled policy since September 2024.
Hastings admit they owe the money.
Hastings keep trying every technique possible not to pay £300.00 that they owe us.
Giving us a massive run around.
They acknowledge the money is ours.
Vile.
1 september 2025
Review zonder uitnodiging
Antwoord van Hastings Essential
Hello Halli,
We're very sorry to read about this experience and I hope that the refund will be with you soon following this review. I regret that it has taken so long for this situation to be resolved.
If you haven't already done so, but you believe this has been handled poorly, you can make a formal complaint by:
Calling us on 0333 321 9801, sending us a letter or filling out our online form here: https://www.hastingsdirect.com/about-us/customer-complaints/.
Once we’ve logged your complaint, we’ll get back to you within five working days. ~ Theo, Social Media Team
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