What is third party, fire and theft insurance?
It is a legal requirement to have car insurance in the UK. Third party, fire and theft insurance is the middle level of car insurance cover for UK drivers. The highest level of cover is fully comprehensive, and the minimum level of cover is third party only.
Third party, fire and theft insurance covers you in the event of causing damage or injury to another person or their property, if your car is stolen or damaged by attempted theft, or it is damaged as a result of fire.
Any damage to your vehicle is not covered, meaning that you would have to pay any expenses in fixing your vehicle.
Third party, fire and theft vs third party only
Third party only cover is the UK’s minimum legal requirement of insurance you must hold for your vehicle. It only covers you for damage or injury to another person or their property if you cause an accident. However, you and your own vehicle will not be covered, and you will not be able to claim with your insurance. Damaged caused by theft or fire is also not covered by a Third party only policy.
Third party, fire and theft vs fully comprehensive
Fully comprehensive cover is the highest level of insurance you can get for your vehicle. It covers you for damage to another person or their property, as well as damage to your own vehicle. This applies even if an accident is considered your fault. You will also be covered if your car is stolen or damaged in a fire.
Third party, fire and theft offers less than fully comprehensive, but will typically cost less as well. You or your vehicle won’t be covered if you are involved in an accident that was your fault if you have third party, fire and theft cover. However, it will be if you choose fully comprehensive cover.
If you have an expensive car then it may be better to get fully comprehensive cover, for example. If you have an inexpensive car, third party, fire and theft might be the right cover for you.
If you are still unsure of the differences between each level of car insurance cover, we go over them in more detail here.
What does third party, fire and theft cover?
- Damage caused to other motorists and their property, including repair costs of other vehicles and medical treatment for other parties.
- Attempted theft or theft of your vehicle.
- Fire damage to your vehicle.
Can I add other features to my insurance?
When searching for your car insurance quotes, you will have the option to add on other features to your policy. This will increase the cost of your policy but means you will be covered for a wider range of events and incidents.
Some features that you might be able to add to your third party, fire and theft insurance are:
- Legal expenses cover – allows you to pursue your legal right to recover uninsured losses when you are involved in a non-fault accident.
- Breakdown cover – covers you if your car breaks down. The level of coverage you have will depend on the type of cover you buy.
- No claims bonus protection – this will allow you to keep your no claims bonus intact, even after a claim. This means you will still get the same level of discount off your premium.
Find cheap third party, fire and theft insurance
Generally, third party, fire and theft cover sits in the middle of all three insurance types in terms of price. However, we’d urge you to go beyond just price and decide whether third party, fire and theft provides enough cover for you. Consider the value of your car, and, if you are involved in an accident, whether you would want to be covered for any damages to your vehicle.
Once you’ve got the right level of cover sorted, then the price should come into your decision process and that’s where mustard.co.uk can help because we help find some of the cheapest car insurance deals available, online and over the phone.
