What is Ticker car insurance and will it cut costs for new drivers?
Looking for cheap young or new driver car insurance? We’re here to help you navigate the ins and outs.
As a new driver, car insurance can be the biggest cost when it comes to driving (after getting your car).
If you’re a new or young driver and you’ve just started lessons, or you’re about to take the plunge with sorting your car insurance – we’re sure you already know about prohibitively high insurance premiums for new drivers.
But there are a few ways to save, including emerging insurance companies like Ticker that offer cheap insurance for young, new and/or inexperienced drivers.
In this guide:
- What is Ticker car insurance?
- How does Ticker insurance work?
- Ticker’s telematics devices
- The Ticker app
- Ticker insurance reviews
- Ticker customer service contact information
- How does Ticker use the data it collects?
- How does Ticker’s No Claims Discount (NCD) work?
- FAQs
What is Ticker car insurance?
Ticker is an insurance company that provides all sorts of insurance policies, including one for drivers who haven’t had a driving licence for more than 5 years. So, if you’re after young driver car insurance – Ticker might be worth a look.
Ticker provides what it calls ‘connected insurance’, otherwise known as telematics or black box insurance. Ticker says that it applies data science across pricing, underwriting, customer engagement and claims – which is what sets it apart from other insurers or insurtechs. For those that don’t know (we assume that’s most regular people), insurtech is technology and innovation that improves the efficiency of insurance so that costs are lowered for everyone.
How does Ticker insurance work?
Ticker’s car insurance policy for anyone who’s had their licence for less than 5 years works the same as most general telematics/black box policies – with a small device fitted into your car to track how you drive (speed, braking etc).
However, with Ticker, there’s no waiting around for a fitting appointment. Ticker will post you a device and you set it up yourself inside your car’s windscreen – which the company says takes very little time. And, unlike various other black box insurance policies for new and inexperienced drivers, there’s no curfew – so you won’t be restricted or penalised for driving late at night.
The telematics device will send data to the linked Ticker app on your phone to help you understand your driving habits and how to improve to become a better, safer driver. The less risk you present on the road, the lower your insurance premium should be – meaning you’ll be rewarded at renewal time with a lower price if you’re a good driver.
Ticker also provides cover for standard audio equipment and lost or stolen keys. You’ll also be covered if you’re hit by an uninsured driver.
Ticker’s telematics devices
There are two types of device available from Ticker insurance:
1. The plug-in Ticker device
The device you’ll receive from Ticket is a small box about as long as your index finger. You’ll get the device in the post with instructions included to plug it in to your car’s OBD (Onboard Diagnostics) port. This is generally near your car’s steering wheel. The device draws minimal power from your vehicle and sends your driving data directly to Ticker, which you can see in the app.
When you leave Ticker, you can unplug the device and send it back to be recycled.
2. The stick-on Ticker device
The stick-on option is a small, round box that fits in your hand. Much like a satnav or the like, it’ll stick to the inside of your windscreen. Download the Ticker app and pair it with your device. There’s no need to wait for a fitting appointment or an engineer’s expertise as it can be dealt with by you easily enough.
The Ticker app
When you pair your Ticker black box device to the account in their app, you’ll get weekly updates on your driving and the mileage you’re doing. You’ll also be able to find all your your insurance documents that are stored in the app and automatically updated if you make a change to your policy.
If you need help with anything, you can start a chat in the app or tap to call or email Ticker – and if you’re involved in an accident, you can hit the ‘Had a crash’ button on your app dashboard to speak to the 24/7 claims team. At renewal your quote will be in the app, too.
Ticker insurance reviews
Reviews for Ticker are generally favourable, with an average Trustpilot score of 4.4 out of 5 stars (rated Excellent) from over 5,400 reviews. 80% of the reviews at the time of writing this article are 5-star (25th Jan 2024).
Here are some of the 5-star reviews left by users on Trustpilot:
“I’ve been with ticker for a while now, all employees provide great service, extremely polite and never fail to help you out, I just spoke to Rachael about increasing my declared mileage, she was really helpful, provided me with the right information and talked me through what i need to do, excellent service.”
“I recently had to upgrade my car insurance to allow for business driving, Lauren made this super easy via live chat (and also a quick phone call to me in order to take payment details). I’ve been with Ticker for just over 3 months now, really good insurance and really helpful staff whenever I’ve had to contact them! Would recommend for any new drivers looking for car insurance. Thank you!“
“Super helpful with my request to change my vehicle but keep the same policy! Super kind and listened.”
If you’re wondering what students are saying about Ticker insurance, we scoured The Student Room forums to find what students were saying (spoiler: they were also pretty positive!). Here are some of the reviews from The Student Room:
“I use and have not had any problems with them. From what i’ve heard about others insurance I’d recommend them for a black box insurance – they’re really lenient.”
“I’ve been with Ticker insurance for 6 months now and I will admit that their car selection is limited, but the price is rlly cheap for new drivers.”
“Ticker insurance have been good to me, I am getting a renewal quote at the end of the month as I have been nearly with them for a year.”
“Bit late to this thread, but having used this company since February, I have to say they are really good.”
“I’m currently insured by ticker and would say they are the best policy providers if you decided to have a blackbox. My insurance was so much cheaper with them. £800 for a year on a 2007 Renault Clio 1.2lt dynamique. It is so easy to set up and connect to it. Honestly wouldn’t have chosen any other provider for a blackbox.”
So, there you have it. If you’re looking for car insurance that is affordable and uses a black box, Ticker insurance may be one worth considering.
Ticker customer service contact information
You can talk to the Ticker customer service team by chat from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday (except public holidays). Making changes to your policy by chat is quicker and cheaper than by phone, according to Ticker.
If you do want to reach out by phone, you can call from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays). To call Ticker about your quote or policy, the number to ring is 0200 500 5251. If your query is about payments, call 0333 3218 566.
If you need to talk about a claim or accident with Ticker, the claims team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bear in mind that they can only discuss new or existing claims, though. The number to call about insurance claims is 0330 0533 727.
How does Ticker use the data it collects?
Ticker says that the data collected by the device in your car is used to firstly verify the insurance details you give and then to work out how you drive in order to calculate your renewal quote. It also uses this data to ask seriously risky drivers to leave.
Data collected from your device during a potential accident, for example, can also be used to prevent and reduce insurance fraud (a major issue in the industry), which will ultimately make insurance cheaper for everyone as their are fewer false insurance claims causing premiums to increase across the board.
Your data wont be shared unless it’s necessary by a court order from the police. Your data also won’t be used to report you for your driving, financially penalise you or increase your insurance price mid-policy
How does Ticker’s No Claims Discount (NCD) work?
NCD stands for No Claims Discount and is sometimes referred to as a No Claims Bonus (NCB). An NCD is the discount you’ll receive for having not claimed on your policy and works towards reducing the price of your insurance policy. The longer you go without making a claim as a policyholder, the bigger the discount you’ll see on your car insurance renewal.
When you take out a policy with Ticker, it may ask you to provide proof of your NCD by getting this from your previous insurer. If you don’t have a previous insurer then you won’t have any No Claims discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ticker Insurance good for new drivers?
Ticker Insurance is a great option for new drivers who have had their license for less than five years. It offers renewal quotes based on how good your driving is and gives regular driving feedback so you can track your performance and skills. The black box will also add more security and is super easy to install yourself — no waiting for an appointment!
Does Ticker Insurance have a curfew?
Ticker Insurance does not have a curfew. They focus more on how you drive, rather than when you drive. Many insurance policies than include a black box will have a curfew of 10 or 11pm, restricting the freedom of driving, so it’s handy for students that Ticker doesn’t do this. Late night Maccies trip anyone?
What does gold mean on Ticker driver?
The dashboard on the Ticker Insurance app displays a dial that goes from gold to dark red depending on how your driving is.
If you’re in the gold zone, your driving is great and there’s probably little to do to improve it. However, if you’re towards the red zone, your driving is possibly too aggressive and you may need to review your driving. By the end of your first year of insurance, the better your score, the better the renewal quote.
TLDR; Good driving is rewarded, bad driving is not.
Does Ticker monitor phone use?
Ticker does not monitor phone use. The Ticker box you secure in your car will collect data on your driving and send it to your phone (the Ticker app on your phone) via Bluetooth.
Does Ticker Insurance work without Bluetooth?
No, Ticker Insurance won’t work without Bluetooth if you have the stick-on device.
With the stick-on device, you need to have your phone on and paired with the device in your vehicle when you drive. Your Bluetooth will need to be switched on whilst you drive and you’ll need to keep location services and mobile data on while you drive, too.
If you have the plug-in Ticker device, then you don’t need Bluetooth — the device has its own network that it will use to send data.
If you’re looking for a cheap first car, check out which cheap first cars to ensure for new drivers.
