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esure Car Insurance Review UK 2026

esure car review: Defaqto 5-star, competitive pricing, FOS above sector average. Sheila's Wheels sister brand.

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Chandraketu Tripathi
Finance Editor, Kaeltripton
Published 15 Jun 2026
Last reviewed 24 Aug 2026
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esure Car Insurance Review UK - illustration

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esure car insurance upheld 70.2% of its insurance complaints (FCA, 2025 H2). It holds a Defaqto 5-star rating for comprehensive cover. Sheila's Wheels is a trading name of esure Insurance Limited (FCA FRN 203786), with identical claims infrastructure. Pricing may differ between brands on comparison sites. esure appears on all four major UK comparison sites. FOS uphold rate is above sector average.

KT Brand Analysis

esure Car Insurance Insurance Review

FCA FRN: 203786  |  HQ: Reigate, Surrey  |  Products: Comprehensive, TPFT, TPO

Sheila's Wheels vs esure on Comparison Sites

Both esure and Sheila's Wheels may appear in the same comparison site results for a female driver. The underlying policy is the same esure product under the same FCA registration. Pricing may differ between the two brand listings for the same driver profile, so comparing both is worthwhile when running a comparison site quote. Policyholders should check the exact policy terms for each listing to confirm cover equivalence before selecting on price.

Annual vs Monthly Payment

esure car insurance can be paid annually or monthly via a regulated credit agreement. Monthly payment attracts a credit charge at an annual percentage rate disclosed at point of sale. Annual payment eliminates the credit charge. esure's monthly payment terms are subject to FCA consumer credit rules and the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

esure vs Sheila's Wheels: Which Quote to Accept

When both esure and Sheila's Wheels appear in comparison site results for the same female driver, the practical question is which quote to accept. The underlying policy and claims infrastructure are identical. If Sheila's Wheels prices lower for the same cover level, choosing Sheila's Wheels is appropriate. If esure prices lower, the same logic applies. The brand name on the policy document does not affect the claims process or FCA authorisation, both of which run through the same esure Insurance Limited entity.

For buyers comparing esure against other Defaqto 5-star offers on comparison sites, the FOS uphold rate above sector average is the single most important quality signal to weigh against any pricing advantage esure holds for a specific driver profile.

Disclaimer: Kael Tripton Ltd is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide financial advice. This article is editorial research only, drawing on publicly available FCA register data, FOS annual data, and Defaqto ratings. All product details should be verified directly with the insurer before making any purchase decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is esure car insurance Defaqto 5-star?

Yes. esure comprehensive car insurance holds a Defaqto 5-star rating. This is the highest tier in the Defaqto independent quality assessment. Note that the FOS complaint uphold rate above sector average is a separate quality indicator that Defaqto ratings do not capture.

Does esure car insurance include a courtesy car?

Yes. esure comprehensive includes a courtesy car while the insured vehicle is being repaired through esure's approved repairer network. The entitlement does not apply if repair is carried out by a non-approved garage.

Is Sheila's Wheels the same as esure?

Sheila's Wheels is a trading name of esure Insurance Limited (FCA FRN 203786). Both brands are underwritten by the same entity with the same claims infrastructure. Pricing may differ between the two brand listings on comparison sites for the same driver profile.

Does esure appear on comparison sites?

Yes. esure appears on all four major UK comparison sites: MoneySuperMarket, GoCompare, Compare the Market and Confused.com. Sheila's Wheels also appears separately on the same platforms.

How does esure's FOS record compare to Admiral?

FOS annual data for 2022/23 shows Admiral with a 34% uphold rate, well below the sector average of 38%. esure was above the sector average. This means Admiral's complaint handling aligns more closely with FOS expectations than esure's on a proportional basis.

Sources

  • FCA Financial Services Register: register.fca.org.uk, FRN 203786
  • FOS Annual Data 2022/23: financial-ombudsman.org.uk
  • Defaqto Star Ratings: defaqto.com
  • ABI Motor Claims Data: abi.org.uk

FCA complaints data for this provider

Provider (FCA-authorised entity)esure Insurance Limited
Firm Reference Numbern/a
Insurance complaints opened (2025 H2)11,352
Complaints upheld by the firm70.2%
Median for scored UK insurers47.1%

esure Insurance upheld 70.2% of its insurance complaints in 2025 H2, above the 47.1% median across scored UK insurers.

A higher upheld rate means the firm agreed with the customer more often; on its own it can reflect customer-friendly complaint handling and is not a measure of overall quality, price or claims acceptance.

Source: FCA firm-level complaints data 2025 H2, published 15 May 2026, under the Open Government Licence. Figures are the firm's own submission. See our how we score insurance page.

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Last reviewed: 24 August 2026

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Editorial Disclaimer

The content on Kaeltripton.com is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, legal or regulatory advice. Kaeltripton.com is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is not a financial adviser, mortgage broker, insurance intermediary or investment firm. Nothing on this site should be construed as a personal recommendation. Rates, figures and product details are indicative only, subject to change without notice, and should always be verified directly with the relevant provider, HMRC, the FCA register, the Bank of England, Ofgem or other appropriate authority before any financial decision is made. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. If you require regulated financial advice, please consult a qualified adviser authorised by the FCA.

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Chandraketu Tripathi
Finance Editor · Kaeltripton.com
Chandraketu (CK) Tripathi, founder and lead editor of Kael Tripton. 22 years in finance and marketing across 23 markets. Writes on UK personal finance, tax, mortgages, insurance, energy, and investing. Sources: HMRC, FCA, Ofgem, BoE, ONS.

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