Already have a policy with us? Take a look at our insurance support pages.
Half of our customers got cover for £280 or less
What is car insurance?
Car insurance is a legal requirement to drive on UK roads. Car insurance pays out if your car is stolen, vandalised, catches on fire or if you are involved in an accident. As a minimum, it protects you against any damage you cause to other road users, the public or their property – these are called third parties. The level of protection depends on what type of policy you choose.
There are 3 levels of car insurance and the level you choose will determine how much protection you have when it comes to making a claim.
You only need to claim on your policy when an accident is your fault. If another driver is to blame, their insurance should pay instead.
The benefits of our car insurance
Panel of insurers
BISL will search a panel of carefully selected insurers to calculate your price
Cover to suit you
Cover if your car is in an accident, damaged by fire or stolen
Driving abroad
Get up to 60 days cover at the same level as your UK car insurance policy
Apply online, or if you need to speak to someone for help with your application, please call BISL on 0330 018 2621
Levels of car insurance
Compare car insurance cover
We can offer you the choice between three levels of cover. See the table below to compare the differences between them.
What it covers | Comprehensive | Third party fire and theft | Third party only |
---|---|---|---|
Cover if your car is stolen or damaged by fire or accident | |||
24 hour emergency helpline and claims service | |||
Windscreen cover (subject to excess) | |||
Courtesy Car (subject to availability and eligibility) | |||
Driving in the EU: up to 60 days EU cover | |||
Unlimited cover on manufacturer-fitted audio, sat nav and entertainment equipment | |||
Stolen keys cover – up to £500 | |||
Personal belongings cover – up to £100 | |||
Approved claims repairs guarantee for 3 years |
For full details on what’s covered, policy terms, conditions, and exclusions, please see our policy documents which is available to download when you receive a quote.
How does car insurance work?
Choose from comprehensive, third party fire and theft, and third party only cover. For full details on what’s covered, policy terms, conditions, and exclusions, please see our policy document which is available to download when you receive a quote. Compulsory excesses apply.
Find your next car
Your Red Car is a car-buying site backed by Santander where you can search 1,000s of cars online from over 2,000 sellers nationwide. All the sellers have been approved by Santander Consumer (UK) plc and you’ll even get a £75 e-gift reward when you make a purchase. (Conditions and exclusions apply, available at selected retailers only).
The policyholder is the person who takes out the car insurance policy. The main driver will earn the no claims discount and this can be different to the policyholder.
Named drivers are additional drivers nominated by the policyholder who are entitled to drive the vehicle under the policy.
Choose from fully comprehensive, third party fire and theft, and third party only cover.
Fully comprehensive cover includes as standard:
- cover if your car is stolen or damaged by fire or accident
- windscreen replacement and 24/7 repair helpline
- courtesy car while yours is being repaired by an approved repairer (subject to availability and eligibility)
- driving in the EU: up to 60 days in any period of insurance (your cover will be the same as it is in the UK)
- unlimited cover on manufacturer-fitted audio, sat nav and entertainment equipment
- stolen keys cover – up to £500
- personal belongings cover – up to £100
- repair work cover – 3 year guarantee on all approved claims repairs.
For full details on what’s covered, policy terms, conditions, and exclusions, please see our policy document which is available to download when you receive a quote.
Tailor your Santander Car Insurance with these optional extras for an additional cost:
- motor legal protection
- breakdown cover
- guaranteed replacement car
- no claims discount protection.
Full details on these optional extras are available when you get a quote. For full details on what’s covered, policy terms, conditions, and exclusions, please see our policy document which is available to download when you receive a quote.
When you get a quote, you’ll be able to download our policy document. This has full details of the cover, optional extras, policy terms, conditions and exclusions.
For information on how your data will be used you can look at our data protection statement (1.50 MB)
Santander Car Insurance is subject to standard underwriting and acceptance criteria. Quotations are valid for 30 days. Cover is subject to terms, conditions, restrictions and exclusions. Compulsory excesses apply. Full details are available in the policy document, available to download when you receive a quote. Please read the policy document before purchasing the policy.
You no longer need a green card if you're planning on driving a vehicle and towed caravans or trailers in the EU and EEA. However, you may still need a green card if you're planning on visiting certain countries.
Countries you don't need a green card for
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Countries you may need a green card for
Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Israel, Moldova, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Your insurance cover in these countries will depend on what your policy states. An additional premium may also apply under the terms of your policy.
How to get a green card
Please contact BISL's customer service team on 0344 854 9822 at least 21 days before you're due to travel. Opening hours are:
- Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm
- Saturday, 8am-6pm
- Sunday, 10am-4pm
See our call charges page for more information
If they agree to the cover and you've paid any additional premiums, they'll arrange for a green card to be sent to you if required.
What you'll need to take when travelling
You'll need to take a copy of your Certificate of Insurance, your driving licence, and your V5C logbook. You'll also need to display a UK sticker on your vehicle.
To drive in some EU/EEA countries, you may also need an International Driving Permit.
Trailer registration
If you intend to tow a trailer with your vehicle, depending on the type of trailer you have, you may also need to register your trailer before you travel. Please visit the government’s trailer registration page for more details.
If you took out or renewed a policy with us after May 2021
Please check 'Section 9 Driving Abroad' in your policy's terms and conditions. It will still contain information about the previous EU ruling, which advised that Green Cards were required in all circumstances. BISL will not be reissuing policy documents in the short term. However, if you choose to renew your policy at your next renewal, this section will be updated.
For more information on driving abroad and any required documentation, please take a look at the websites listed below.
- The government's driving abroad page covers the basics you need to know before travelling.
- They also have a dedicated page on vehicle insurance when driving abroad
- Depending on which country you're travelling to, you may need an international driving permit and how long you're planning to stay.
If you’re an existing Santander Car Insurance customer and want to see your documents or make changes to your policy, you can log on to My account
Other types of insurance we offer

Life insurance
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Travel insurance
Relax and enjoy your holiday, with a 30% discount for Santander customers.

Home insurance
A flexible policy to protect your home and its belongings