Car insurance. The Picnic way.
Get a great price for online car insurance. No fuss - just straightforward cover that's easy to manage yourself online, at home or on the go.
Get a car insurance quote on trusted price comparison websites in minutes:
Why choose Picnic?
Picnic is built for drivers who want insurance to be straightforward - simple to manage day to day and dependable when it matters most.
Quality you can count on
We offer car insurance products that are rated 5‑star by Defaqto - you can feel confident you’re getting trusted cover.
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Experience that matters
Picnic is powered by 1st Central, with systems and processes shaped by more than 15 years of experience delivering insurance trusted by 1.4 million customers.
In partnership with RAC
We partner with RAC to help get you moving again if your car lets you down. Choose the level of cover that suits you, and we’ll help you get back on the road as quickly as possible.
Great value, without the fuss
We work hard to give you comprehensive insurance at a low price. With Picnic, you’re not just saving money by getting an online car insurance policy, you’re getting reliable service that you can trust.
Support when it matters
If something goes wrong, you’re not on your own. Our 24/7 claims team are here to help from the moment you need to make a claim - whether you’d rather sort it online or talk things through.
How our online car insurance works
Keeping down costs
Because Picnic is online and you manage your policy yourself, there's no need to call - that’s how we keep your insurance low-cost.
Easy to manage, wherever you are
Make changes, check documents and update your cover anytime, without calling us - at home or on the go.
Get help when you need us
If you do need to speak to us, phone support's still available for things like claims or payments.
Want the ability to call? If you want phone support, policies from 1st Central could be a better fit.
Car insurance built for you
Picnic gives you flexible low‑cost, self‑serve car insurance that you manage online through Your Account.
Filter our car insurance products by cover type:Picnic Essentials - Picnic Essentials
Picnic Essentials
All the essentials at a lower price.
Here's what's covered
-
Includes: All standard benefits
-
Does not include: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Includes: Vandalism Cover
-
Includes: Courtesy Car
-
Includes: Medical Expenses
-
Does not include: Uninsured Driver Promise
-
Includes: Hotel Expenses
-
Includes: Accidental Damage
-
Does not include: Windscreen Cover
-
Does not include: Personal Belongings
-
Does not include: Personal Accident Cover
-
Optional: RAC Breakdown Cover
-
Optional: Legal Expenses
Comprehensive policies include:
- Free Courtesy Car
- Lost or Stolen Key Cover
- 5-Year Repair Guarantee
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Accessory Cover
- Accidental Damage
Third-party, Fire & Theft policies include:
- Lost of Stolen Key Cover
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Third-Party, Fire & Theft
If your car is deliberately damaged, also known as malicious damage, we’ll cover things like scratches, broken windows and slashed tyres.
If your car is being repaired by one of our approved repairers after a claim, you’ll usually get a small courtesy car to keep you moving while the work’s done.
You're covered for up to £100 of medical expenses for each person injured in your car if it’s involved in an accident.
You're covered for up to £500 if you require a hotel stay when your car is involved in an accident.
We’ll repair or replace your car, parts or accessories if they’re damaged, lost or stolen.
Any repairs carried out by our approved repairers come with a 5‑year guarantee, so you can feel confident the job’s been done properly.
We cover accessories and spare parts that are in or on your car, like breakdown kits or removable extras.
Heading overseas? You’re covered for up to 90 days a year when driving in EU countries, plus places like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.
You’re covered for legal responsibility if someone is injured, passes away, or their property is damaged because of an accident involving your car.
With our Key Assist Cover, you'll be covered for any of the below:
- Replacement of keys when lost, stolen or accidentally damaged (including immobiliser, infra-red handset or alarm if it can’t be reprogrammed)
- All your car, home and office keys on your keyring
- Locksmith charges
- New locks if it's determined that your key claim represents a security risk
- If your car is unusable, up to 3 days' of reasonable travel expenses at £50 per day while your keys are being replaced
- Multiple claims across the policy term, totalling £1,500 per period of insurance
- Claims up to £100 where the keys are locked inside a property or vehicle or broken in the lock or ignition
- If you’re stranded due to keys being lost, accidentally damaged or stolen, up to £300 towards onward transportation costs to your destination
Don't worry, a key claim won't show as a claim and won't impact your No Claims Discount on your main motor policy Please note Key Assist Cover doesn’t provide cover for keys damaged over time by wear and tear, non-accidental damage and general maintenance of insured cars keys or locks
Your car is covered if it’s damaged or lost because of fire, explosion, theft or attempted theft.
Picnic - Picnic
Picnic
Our standard insurance cover, which includes the likes of Key Cover.
Here's what's covered
-
Includes: All standard benefits
-
Includes: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Includes: Vandalism Cover
-
Includes: Courtesy Car
-
Does not include: Medical Expenses
-
Includes: Uninsured Driver Promise
-
Includes: Hotel Expenses
-
Includes: Accidental Damage
-
Includes: Windscreen Cover
-
Includes: Personal Belongings
-
Includes: Personal Accident Cover
-
Optional: RAC Breakdown Cover
-
Optional: Legal Expenses
Comprehensive policies include:
- Free Courtesy Car
- Lost or Stolen Key Cover
- 5-Year Repair Guarantee
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Accessory Cover
- Accidental Damage
Third-party, Fire & Theft policies include:
- Lost of Stolen Key Cover
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Third-Party, Fire & Theft
We’ll cover all your navigational equipment which is permanently fitted to your car. Your radio and any other audio and visual equipment will be covered for up to £1000.
If your car is deliberately damaged, also known as malicious damage, we’ll cover things like scratches, broken windows and slashed tyres.
If your car is being repaired by one of our approved repairers after a claim, you’ll usually get a small courtesy car to keep you moving while the work’s done.
If you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver and it wasn’t your fault, you won't lose your No Claims Discount and you will not have to pay your policy excess. We might need to reduce your no‑claims discount and ask you to pay the excess while we look into what happened. Once we’ve confirmed the accident wasn’t your fault and the other driver was uninsured, we’ll put your no‑claims discount back and refund any excess you paid.
To do this, we’ll need:
- The make, model and registration number of the other car
- The name and address of the other driver
You're covered for up to £200 if you require a hotel stay when your car is involved in an accident.
We’ll repair or replace your car, parts or accessories if they’re damaged, lost or stolen.
We'll replace or repair a damaged windscreen or window (including scratched paintwork caused by broken glass) and this won’t affect your No Claims Discount.
We'll pay up to £200 for loss of, or damage to, personal belongings in or on your car caused by accidental damage, fire or theft.
We’ll pay out up to £7,500 if an accident in your car results in your death, permanent loss of sight or loss of one or more limbs.
Any repairs carried out by our approved repairers come with a 5‑year guarantee, so you can feel confident the job’s been done properly.
We cover accessories and spare parts that are in or on your car, like breakdown kits or removable extras.
Heading overseas? You’re covered for up to 90 days a year when driving in EU countries, plus places like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.
You’re covered for legal responsibility if someone is injured, passes away, or their property is damaged because of an accident involving your car.
With our Key Assist Cover, you'll be covered for any of the below:
- Replacement of keys when lost, stolen or accidentally damaged (including immobiliser, infra-red handset or alarm if it can’t be reprogrammed)
- All your car, home and office keys on your keyring
- Locksmith charges
- New locks if it's determined that your key claim represents a security risk
- If your car is unusable, up to 3 days' of reasonable travel expenses at £50 per day while your keys are being replaced
- Multiple claims across the policy term, totalling £1,500 per period of insurance
- Claims up to £100 where the keys are locked inside a property or vehicle or broken in the lock or ignition
- If you’re stranded due to keys being lost, accidentally damaged or stolen, up to £300 towards onward transportation costs to your destination
Don't worry, a key claim won't show as a claim and won't impact your No Claims Discount on your main motor policy Please note Key Assist Cover doesn’t provide cover for keys damaged over time by wear and tear, non-accidental damage and general maintenance of insured cars keys or locks
Your car is covered if it’s damaged or lost because of fire, explosion, theft or attempted theft.
Picnic - Picnic
Picnic
Our standard insurance cover, which includes the likes of Key Cover.
Here's what's covered
-
Includes: All standard benefits
-
Includes: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Does not include: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Does not include: Vandalism Cover
-
Does not include: Courtesy Car
-
Does not include: Medical Expenses
-
Does not include: Uninsured Driver Promise
-
Does not include: Hotel Expenses
-
Does not include: Accidental Damage
-
Does not include: Windscreen Cover
-
Does not include: Personal Belongings
-
Does not include: Personal Accident Cover
-
Optional: RAC Breakdown Cover
-
Optional: Legal Expenses
Comprehensive policies include:
- Free Courtesy Car
- Lost or Stolen Key Cover
- 5-Year Repair Guarantee
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Accessory Cover
- Accidental Damage
Third-party, Fire & Theft policies include:
- Lost of Stolen Key Cover
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Third-Party, Fire & Theft
We’ll cover all your navigational equipment which is permanently fitted to your car. Your radio and any other audio and visual equipment will be covered for up to £1000.
Heading overseas? You’re covered for up to 90 days a year when driving in EU countries, plus places like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.
You’re covered for legal responsibility if someone is injured, passes away, or their property is damaged because of an accident involving your car.
With our Key Assist Cover, you'll be covered for any of the below:
- Replacement of keys when lost, stolen or accidentally damaged (including immobiliser, infra-red handset or alarm if it can’t be reprogrammed)
- All your car, home and office keys on your keyring
- Locksmith charges
- New locks if it's determined that your key claim represents a security risk
- If your car is unusable, up to 3 days' of reasonable travel expenses at £50 per day while your keys are being replaced
- Multiple claims across the policy term, totalling £1,500 per period of insurance
- Claims up to £100 where the keys are locked inside a property or vehicle or broken in the lock or ignition
- If you’re stranded due to keys being lost, accidentally damaged or stolen, up to £300 towards onward transportation costs to your destination
Don't worry, a key claim won't show as a claim and won't impact your No Claims Discount on your main motor policy Please note Key Assist Cover doesn’t provide cover for keys damaged over time by wear and tear, non-accidental damage and general maintenance of insured cars keys or locks
Your car is covered if it’s damaged or lost because of fire, explosion, theft or attempted theft.
Picnic Premier - Picnic Premier
Picnic Premier
Everything in our standard insurance, plus Legal Cover and RAC Breakdown Cover.
Here's what's covered
-
Includes: All standard benefits
-
Includes: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Includes: Vandalism Cover
-
Includes: Courtesy Car
-
Does not include: Medical Expenses
-
Includes: Uninsured Driver Promise
-
Includes: Hotel Expenses
-
Includes: Accidental Damage
-
Includes: Windscreen Cover
-
Includes: Personal Belongings
-
Includes: Personal Accident Cover
-
Includes: RAC Breakdown Cover
-
Includes: Legal Expenses
Comprehensive policies include:
- Free Courtesy Car
- Lost or Stolen Key Cover
- 5-Year Repair Guarantee
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Accessory Cover
- Accidental Damage
Third-party, Fire & Theft policies include:
- Lost of Stolen Key Cover
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Third-Party, Fire & Theft
We’ll cover all your navigational equipment which is permanently fitted to your car. Your radio and any other audio and visual equipment will be covered for up to £1000.
If your car is deliberately damaged, also known as malicious damage, we’ll cover things like scratches, broken windows and slashed tyres.
If your car is being repaired by one of our approved repairers after a claim, you’ll usually get a small courtesy car to keep you moving while the work’s done.
If you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver and it wasn’t your fault, you won't lose your No Claims Discount and you will not have to pay your policy excess. We might need to reduce your no‑claims discount and ask you to pay the excess while we look into what happened. Once we’ve confirmed the accident wasn’t your fault and the other driver was uninsured, we’ll put your no‑claims discount back and refund any excess you paid.
To do this, we’ll need:
- The make, model and registration number of the other car
- The name and address of the other driver
You're covered for up to £200 if you require a hotel stay when your car is involved in an accident.
We’ll repair or replace your car, parts or accessories if they’re damaged, lost or stolen.
We'll replace or repair a damaged windscreen or window (including scratched paintwork caused by broken glass) and this won’t affect your No Claims Discount.
We'll pay up to £200 for loss of, or damage to, personal belongings in or on your car caused by accidental damage, fire or theft.
We’ll pay out up to £7,500 if an accident in your car results in your death, permanent loss of sight or loss of one or more limbs.
If you rely on your car for work, the school run or day-to-day needs, the last thing you need is a breakdown to upset your routine. We offer multiple levels of RAC Breakdown Cover to help you get back up and running.
With Legal Cover, you can get up to £100,000 to help recover losses and costs if you're in an accident that wasn't your fault.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you can claim back your losses from the other driver’s insurance. With Legal Expenses Cover, our legal team will help claim these losses for you.
If another driver takes you to court, we’ve got you covered. We’ll provide up to £5,000,000 to help you defend yourself.
Legal Cover also helps with other expenses not covered by standard car insurance if an accident wasn’t your fault. For example, if you can't work because of the accident, uninsured loss recovery can help you get back up to £100,000 of your lost income.
Any repairs carried out by our approved repairers come with a 5‑year guarantee, so you can feel confident the job’s been done properly.
We cover accessories and spare parts that are in or on your car, like breakdown kits or removable extras.
Heading overseas? You’re covered for up to 90 days a year when driving in EU countries, plus places like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.
You’re covered for legal responsibility if someone is injured, passes away, or their property is damaged because of an accident involving your car.
With our Key Assist Cover, you'll be covered for any of the below:
- Replacement of keys when lost, stolen or accidentally damaged (including immobiliser, infra-red handset or alarm if it can’t be reprogrammed)
- All your car, home and office keys on your keyring
- Locksmith charges
- New locks if it's determined that your key claim represents a security risk
- If your car is unusable, up to 3 days' of reasonable travel expenses at £50 per day while your keys are being replaced
- Multiple claims across the policy term, totalling £1,500 per period of insurance
- Claims up to £100 where the keys are locked inside a property or vehicle or broken in the lock or ignition
- If you’re stranded due to keys being lost, accidentally damaged or stolen, up to £300 towards onward transportation costs to your destination
Don't worry, a key claim won't show as a claim and won't impact your No Claims Discount on your main motor policy Please note Key Assist Cover doesn’t provide cover for keys damaged over time by wear and tear, non-accidental damage and general maintenance of insured cars keys or locks
Your car is covered if it’s damaged or lost because of fire, explosion, theft or attempted theft.
Picnic Premier - Picnic Premier
Picnic Premier
Everything in our standard insurance, plus Legal Cover and RAC Breakdown Cover.
Here's what's covered
-
Includes: All standard benefits
-
Includes: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Does not include: Sound Equipment Cover
-
Does not include: Vandalism Cover
-
Does not include: Courtesy Car
-
Does not include: Medical Expenses
-
Does not include: Uninsured Driver Promise
-
Does not include: Hotel Expenses
-
Does not include: Accidental Damage
-
Does not include: Windscreen Cover
-
Does not include: Personal Belongings
-
Does not include: Personal Accident Cover
-
Includes: RAC Breakdown Cover
-
Includes: Legal Expenses
Comprehensive policies include:
- Free Courtesy Car
- Lost or Stolen Key Cover
- 5-Year Repair Guarantee
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Accessory Cover
- Accidental Damage
Third-party, Fire & Theft policies include:
- Lost of Stolen Key Cover
- Liability to Others
- Driving Abroad
- Third-Party, Fire & Theft
We’ll cover all your navigational equipment which is permanently fitted to your car. Your radio and any other audio and visual equipment will be covered for up to £1000.
If you rely on your car for work, the school run or day-to-day needs, the last thing you need is a breakdown to upset your routine. We offer multiple levels of RAC Breakdown Cover to help you get back up and running.
With Legal Cover, you can get up to £100,000 to help recover losses and costs if you're in an accident that wasn't your fault.
If the accident wasn’t your fault, you can claim back your losses from the other driver’s insurance. With Legal Expenses Cover, our legal team will help claim these losses for you.
If another driver takes you to court, we’ve got you covered. We’ll provide up to £5,000,000 to help you defend yourself.
Legal Cover also helps with other expenses not covered by standard car insurance if an accident wasn’t your fault. For example, if you can't work because of the accident, uninsured loss recovery can help you get back up to £100,000 of your lost income.
Heading overseas? You’re covered for up to 90 days a year when driving in EU countries, plus places like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.
You’re covered for legal responsibility if someone is injured, passes away, or their property is damaged because of an accident involving your car.
With our Key Assist Cover, you'll be covered for any of the below:
- Replacement of keys when lost, stolen or accidentally damaged (including immobiliser, infra-red handset or alarm if it can’t be reprogrammed)
- All your car, home and office keys on your keyring
- Locksmith charges
- New locks if it's determined that your key claim represents a security risk
- If your car is unusable, up to 3 days' of reasonable travel expenses at £50 per day while your keys are being replaced
- Multiple claims across the policy term, totalling £1,500 per period of insurance
- Claims up to £100 where the keys are locked inside a property or vehicle or broken in the lock or ignition
- If you’re stranded due to keys being lost, accidentally damaged or stolen, up to £300 towards onward transportation costs to your destination
Don't worry, a key claim won't show as a claim and won't impact your No Claims Discount on your main motor policy Please note Key Assist Cover doesn’t provide cover for keys damaged over time by wear and tear, non-accidental damage and general maintenance of insured cars keys or locks
Your car is covered if it’s damaged or lost because of fire, explosion, theft or attempted theft.
Do it all online in Your Account
Manage all your insurance online, in one place, whenever it suits you.
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Update your car insurance 24/7, wherever you are
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Start a claim and track existing ones
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See all your insurance documents in one place, anytime
-
Check and manage your payments with ease
Questions? We’ve got answers.
Got a question? Here are clear answers about Picnic, our cover and how things work.
Who are Picnic?
Picnic offers straightforward, online car insurance for people who are happy to manage their policy digitally.
Picnic is part of the same family as 1st Central, who’ve insured UK drivers since 2008 and now look after around 1.4 million people each year.
You buy your policy through a price comparison site, then manage everything through Your Account - all in one place, at a time that suits you.
Can I call Picnic?
Picnic is designed to be managed online via Your Account, as that’s usually the quickest way to get things done.
You can still call for things, like:
- Making or talking about a claim
- Payment questions
- If you need extra support
For everything else, you'll be able to manage your policy online via Your Account.
What does an online insurance policy mean?
An online insurance policy means you manage your insurance yourself using your online account, Your Account.
Through Your Account, you can:
- Check and change your cover
- View your documents
- Make payments
- Make a claim
Because everything is online, managing your insurance is quicker and helps keep costs down. Most everyday changes are made online via Your Account, making it easy to manage your policy at a time that suits you.
You can still call us if you need help with:
- Making or talking about a claim
- Payment questions
- If you need extra support
What does powered by 1st Central mean?
Picnic is an online insurance brand, powered by 1st Central.
That means you get Picnic’s simple, online experience, backed by 1st Central, an experienced UK insurance provider who’ve insured drivers since 2008 and now support up to 1.4 million people each year.
1st Central helps look after your policy behind the scenes, including setting it up, managing changes and renewals, and handling claims, while you manage everything day to day through Picnic.
Why do some of my documents/emails have a 1st Central logo?
You may see both Picnic and 1st Central branding during your journey. That’s completely normal.
Picnic is who your car insurance is with, and it’s the brand you’ll use to manage your policy day to day.
You might also see 1st Central’s name or logo for things like claims or payments. That’s because Picnic is powered by 1st Central, who help look after your policy behind the scenes.
There’s nothing you need to do - 1st Central is part of the team supporting you and your Picnic policy.