But while they're an indispensable tool for getting a sense of what insurers have to offer – and how your insurer's renewal offer compares – they don't reveal all policies. In fact, one of our three Which? Recommended Providers doesn't appear on them at all.
In November, we reviewed and rated over 70 car insurance policies. Here, we show you which of these won't be quoted on comparison websites, how they compare to those that are, and how using a comparison website could still help you track down the best deal.
The policies you have to buy direct
Click on the links in the table to read our in-depth reviews of each individual provider.Do insurers keep their 'best' products off comparison websites?
Our average policy score for policies available through comparison websites is 59%. This compares with an average score of 67% for policies that can only be bought directly, suggesting that when it comes to levels of cover, standards are higher among policies reserved for direct customers.
Policies from NFU Mutual, one of our three Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs), can only be purchased over the phone. WRP status is given to insurers that receive excellent feedback from customers who have claimed, as well as offering good levels of cover in their standard policy.
Comparison site vs direct-only policies
In December, Direct Line – which has historically not appeared on comparison websites at all – launched three new policies through the comparison site Compare the Market. However, as this development occurred after our analysis, we've not yet had a chance to compare these policies with its existing (direct-only) range.
Understanding listings on comparison sites
While we saw a better average score among direct-only policies, it doesn't follow that first-rate policies can't be found on comparison sites.
However, while they may not necessarily be as favourably positioned when ranked by price, more comprehensive policies are also available.
How to use a comparison site to get the best deal
No comparison website will feature all providers, or probably even all of its providers' policies. However, these sites remain a highly effective way of finding out what sorts of offers are available on the market.
Whether you're taking out your first policy, or coming up to renewal, it's worth taking a few minutes to run a quote on a comparison site, for an idea of how reasonable your insurer's offer is compared to those from its rivals
Doing this research can help you decide whether to accept a renewal offer, switch, or speak to your insurer about its offer in light of other deals available.
According to the market research organisation Consumer Intelligence, the average quoted premium obtained through comparison websites fell by 6% in the past three months – the biggest fall in prices since it began tracking premiums in 2013.
Find out more:Which? Money Podcast: how to stop overpaying for car insurance
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