When you get a quote on Confused.com, we’ll ask about your car, how you’ll use it and who’s driving. If it’s your first time, or you just like to be prepared, this guide shows you what to expect.
1. Before you start: what to have ready
It’s handy to gather a few details before you begin. In a nutshell, here’s what you’ll need to get your quote sorted:
- Car registration or make and model
- Driving licence info and history
- Job title or student details
- Any claims or convictions from the last 5 years
- Proof of your no-claims bonus
- Whether you want to pay monthly or annually
Here’s more detail on what you’ll be asked and why it matters.
2. Your car
Let’s start with the basics - details about the car you’re insuring.
We’ll ask:
- Car registration, or make and model
- Any modifications
- Whether a dashcam is fitted
Modifications are any changes made after the car left the factory – even things like upgraded alloys or spoilers. You’ll need to declare them all, even if they seem small. Leaving them out can make your cover invalid.
You’ll also be asked if your car has a dashcam. Some insurers offer a discount if it does. It might also help prove who was at fault if you ever need to make a claim.
3. The cover you need
Next, you’ll choose what cover you want and how you want your insurance to work.
We’ll ask:
- When you want your policy to start (within 30 days)
- What level of cover you’d like
- Your voluntary excess
- Whether you’ll pay monthly or annually
- If you'd like renewal reminders
You can choose fully comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, or third-party. Don’t assume fully comp is always the most expensive, it’s often cheaper than third party.
Voluntary excess is the amount you agree to pay on top of the compulsory excess if you make a claim. Choose what you’re happy to cover, but don’t set it higher than you could actually afford.
Paying monthly can help spread the cost, but insurers usually charge interest – so annual payment often works out cheaper overall. And if you opt into renewal reminders, we’ll email you when it’s time to compare again.
4. Who’s driving?
We’ll ask:
- Name, date of birth, marital status
- Whether you’ve lived in the UK since birth
- Employment status or student details
- Licence type and how long you’ve had it
- Driving licence number (optional)
- If you own or use another vehicle
If you’re employed, self-employed or a volunteer, we’ll ask for your main job and the industry it’s in. If you’ve got two jobs, go with the one you spend most time on. If you’re a student, we’ll ask what kind, such as mature, postgrad, or medical, where you live, and what course you’re on.
You can add your driving licence number, but it’s optional. Some insurers give a better price if you include it – it helps them get a clearer picture of your driving history.
If you own or use another car, including a company car or one insured by someone else, make sure to mention it. Some insurers factor this in when calculating your quote.
5. Named drivers (optional)
How to add additional drivers to your car insurance.
You’ll be asked for the same details as the main driver – name, DOB, licence info, job details, and whether they’ve lived in the UK since birth. You’ll also need to say how they’re related to the main driver and who the policyholder will be.
Adding an experienced named driver with a clean record can sometimes lower how much you'll pay – especially for younger or newer drivers. But don’t add someone as the main driver if they’re not. That’s called fronting, and it could invalidate your policy.
6. Where the car lives
Tell us where the car is kept for insurance purposes.
We’ll ask:
- Contact details (email and phone)
- Full address
- Whether you’re a homeowner
- Where the car is kept in the day and at night
- How many cars are kept at your address
- Whether children under 16 will be living at the address when the policy starts
Insurers use your parking info to help calculate risk. If you park in a garage or driveway, it’s usually cheaper than street parking or a public car park.
You’ll also be asked if you own your home and how many cars are kept there – including the one you’re getting a quote for.
7. No-claims bonus
How your no-claims bonus (NCB) affects your car insurance quote.
We’ll ask:
- How many years of NCB do you have ?
- Whether it’s protected
- If you’d like to protect it now
If you’ve never had your own insurance policy, we’ll ask whether you’ve been driving someone else’s car regularly or if you’ve held insurance in your name in the last two years. Most insurers will want proof of your NCB – you can usually get this from your last insurer.
Protecting your bonus means you can make a claim without losing those years. It doesn’t stop the overall price of your policy from going up, though – even if the claim wasn’t your fault.
8. Driving history
What driving history and convictions you’ll need to share.
We’ll ask:
- If you’ve had any claims or accidents in the last five years
- If you’ve had any motoring convictions, penalty points or driving bans
- If you have any medical conditions the DVLA needs to know about
- If you’ve ever had insurance cancelled, declined or had special terms added
For claims, you’ll need to include all incidents involving a car – even windscreen damage or theft. Some insurers only need the last 3 years of history, so if something lapses by the time your policy starts, we’ll remove it automatically.
For motoring convictions, you’ll be asked for the date, DVLA offence code, points or fines given, and whether it was accident-related or involved alcohol. You can check your driving record on the gov.uk website if you’re not sure.
If you have a medical condition or disability that could affect your driving, you’ll need to say whether the DVLA is aware and whether any restrictions have been placed on your licence. You can view the full list of reportable conditions on the DVLA’s site.
9. How the car’s used
How you’ll use your car and who owns it.
We’ll ask:
- Whether you’ve bought the car yet
- Who owns and registers the car
- What the car is used for (social, commuting, business)
- Estimated annual mileage (if applicable). We have a mileage calculator on the quote form that can help you with this.
You can still get a quote if you haven’t bought the car yet – just confirm you’ll have it by the time cover starts. Make sure you’re clear on who owns the car and who it’s registered to, as this affects your quote.
10. What you’ll see in your quote
Once you’ve filled everything in, you’ll get a list of policies showing:
- Price
- Total excess (voluntary + compulsory)
- What’s included (legal cover, courtesy car, breakdown, windscreen, personal accident)
- Optional extras, with prices if you want to add them
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