Zenith in 60 seconds
Zenith Insurance at a glance (2026)
Not sure Zenith is the cheapest for your non-standard risk?Compare Zenith against every other major UK motor insurer in our up-to-date guide to insurance providers.
About Zenith Insurance
Zenith Insurance plc is a specialist UK motor insurance underwriter, founded to back the non-standard motor risks that mainstream insurers either decline or load heavily. Its target customers are young drivers, drivers with motoring convictions, taxi and private-hire drivers, courier-and-delivery van drivers, and small fleet operators.
Zenith is the underwriter behind a wide range of broker-distributed motor brands and is also sold directly via Markerstudy's own consumer brands. The business has been part of the Markerstudy Group since the 2022 corporate restructuring that combined Zenith with Markerstudy's pre-existing motor underwriting capacity. Markerstudy is one of the largest broker and underwriter groups in the UK personal-lines market.
Why the name Zenith?The name evokes the peak (the "zenith") of motor underwriting expertise. The brand positions itself as the underwriter that gets non-standard risks priced correctly — not the cheapest in the market, but available when others say no.
Ownership: Markerstudy Group
Markerstudy Group is a UK-based broker and underwriter group with around 3 million policies in force and a roughly £1.5bn premium book. The group acquired the Zenith underwriting capacity in 2022 and then completed the £1.3bn acquisition of Atlanta Group (Swinton, Carole Nash, RAC Insurance distribution) the same year, creating one of the largest UK-private motor insurance combines. Markerstudy is privately owned, with backers including Pollen Street Capital and the Markerstudy founders.
Strategy: a specialist motor underwriter
Zenith's strategy is to underwrite the risks that mainstream motor insurers price out, using a combination of telematics, careful underwriting and tight claims management. Telematics (black-box) policies are a major part of the young-driver book, and the broker-distribution model means Zenith rarely competes directly with brand-led insurers on the price-comparison sites.
UK underwriting is conducted from Gibraltar (where Zenith Insurance plc holds its licence), with all UK customer servicing, claims handling and complaints handled from Stockport, Greater Manchester. The Gibraltar set-up is a long-standing feature of UK non-standard motor underwriting and predates Brexit.
Zenith insurance: cover and prices in 2026
Zenith does not sell direct on price-comparison sites under its own brand. Most policies are bought through specialist brokers, with Zenith providing the underwriting capacity. Cover types are below.
The Zenith product range
Standard Car Insurance
Comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, or third-party only motor insurance for drivers with non-standard profiles. Underwriting capacity offered through a panel of specialist brokers.
- Up to £100,000 personal injury cover.
- Optional courtesy car add-on.
- Approved repairer network UK-wide.
Young Driver (Telematics)
Telematics-based motor insurance for drivers aged 17–25. A black box monitors speed, braking, cornering and time of day, with renewal pricing reflecting actual driving behaviour.
- Up to 30% renewal discount for safe driving.
- No curfew on most policies.
- Free first-year courtesy car on TPFT and above.
Convicted Driver Insurance
Motor insurance for drivers with motoring convictions (SP, IN, CD, TT99 ban returns, etc.) or criminal convictions. Pricing is loaded for risk but acceptance rate is high.
- Cover after DR10, DD40 or DD80 bans.
- Acceptance with up to 12 active points.
- Available through specialist broker network.
Taxi & Private Hire
Public hire (hackney) and private hire taxi insurance for individual drivers and fleets, including Uber and Bolt drivers. Comprehensive or third-party fire and theft.
- Public liability up to £5m.
- Optional loss-of-earnings cover.
- Specialist taxi claims handling.
Van Insurance
Cover for private and business van use, including courier and delivery work. Tools-in-transit cover and goods-in-transit add-ons available for trades.
- Up to £3,000 tools cover.
- European cover up to 90 days.
- Optional breakdown cover via partner network.
Fleet Insurance
Mini-fleet (2–5 vehicles), small fleet (6–15) and large fleet (16+) insurance for businesses. Mixed-vehicle policies welcome (cars, vans, HGVs, specialist vehicles).
- Any-driver cover available.
- Single renewal date for the whole fleet.
- Risk-management support for larger fleets.
Zenith's price advantage is on non-standard risksIf you're a young driver, a convicted driver, a taxi driver or running a small fleet, Zenith is one of the few insurers that prices the risk properly. Mainstream insurers either decline or load aggressively. For standard motor risks, Zenith is rarely the cheapest.
Making a claim with Zenith
All Zenith motor claims are handled by the Stockport claims hub. Most accidents are reported by phone to the 24/7 motor claims line, with subsequent updates available online via the broker's claims portal. Zenith uses an approved repairer network for accident damage and a panel of solicitors for personal-injury claims.
If you are unsure whether Zenith is the right underwriter for your risk, see our guide to UK insurance providers for a side-by-side comparison with rivals.
Zenith online account
Zenith does not publish a dedicated branded app. Because most policies are sold through brokers, customers manage policies in the relevant broker's online portal — not directly on a Zenith site. For telematics (black-box) policies, customers download the broker-branded telematics app to view driving scores and journey logs.
- Policy management: via the broker that sold the policy (My Account, change driver, MTA).
- Telematics app: branded by the broker (e.g. Zenith Drive, Black Box Wise) showing driving score, trip history and renewal forecasts.
- Claims status: through the broker portal once a claim has been registered with Zenith.
- Documents: certificates and schedules are emailed at point of sale and stored in the broker account.
Use the broker as your first point of contactIf you are unsure who your underwriter is, the broker name on your policy schedule is your first call. Zenith handles claims; the broker handles policy changes, mid-term adjustments and renewals.
Zenith customer service
Every important Zenith contact line is collected below. Numbers in Selectra blue are the ones most customers need on day one. All numbers are tapped to dial straight from a mobile.
Contact Zenith by phone
General customer service
Existing customers, all policies
0344 736 3236
Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00, Sat 09:00–17:00
Top lineMake a motor claim
24/7 motor claims line
0344 736 3237
24/7
Top lineTaxi & commercial
Public/private hire fleet
0344 414 2702
Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00
Young driver telematics
Black-box queries & device support
0344 736 3238
Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00
Convicted driver line
New quotes & MTAs
0344 736 3239
Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00
Personal injury claims
Third-party PI assistance
0344 736 3240
Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00
Complaints
Stockport complaints team
0344 736 3241
Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00
Contact Zenith online
- Broker portal: log in to your broker's site for documents, MTAs and renewals.
- Live chat: available from zenith-insurance.com during UK business hours for claims and complaints.
- X (Twitter): send a DM to @ZenithInsurance for non-sensitive queries.
- Email: [email protected] for general queries; complaints should go to the dedicated complaints address.
Zenith head office address
Zenith Insurance plc, UK servicing: Stamford House, Regent Road, Stockport SK4 1BB. Underwriter (Gibraltar): Zenith Insurance plc, PO Box 1338, First Floor, Grand Ocean Plaza, Ocean Village, Gibraltar GX11 1AA. For policy correspondence, use the address on your policy schedule rather than the head office.
How to complain about Zenith
Raise the issue first with Zenith by phone, email or in writing. If Zenith does not resolve the complaint within eight weeks, or you receive a final response you disagree with, you can escalate the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge for UK policyholders, even though the underwriter is licensed in Gibraltar.
Is Zenith a good insurer? Reviews and ratings
Zenith's review profile reflects its niche: customers who could not get cover elsewhere often rate the brand highly, while customers who could have shopped around on aggregators tend to be less positive about price. On Trustpilot, Zenith sits at around 3.9/5 from over 12,000 reviews. The 2025 Fairer Finance ratings give Zenith motor a three-star rating for transparency.
The most common criticism in reviews is the additional admin fees on mid-term adjustments, which are higher than at mainstream insurers. The most common praise is the willingness to underwrite drivers with multiple convictions, learner drivers and unusual vehicles that other insurers decline.
If price is your priority and your risk profile is mainstream, run a Zenith quote alongside our list of the best UK insurance providers before you renew.
Zenith news 2024–2026
- 2024: Markerstudy Group reports a record £1.5bn premium book after the integration of Atlanta Group and Zenith.
- March 2025: Markerstudy launches a refreshed Zenith young-driver telematics product with smartphone-only tracking (no installed black box).
- July 2025: Zenith extends its convicted-driver underwriting capacity to include drivers returning from DR40/DD80 bans of up to three years.
- 2026: Markerstudy floats plans for an IPO of the combined group, although the Zenith underwriting entity is expected to remain wholly owned by the group.
Zenith timeline
- 1990s: Zenith Insurance plc established in Gibraltar to underwrite UK motor risks.
- 2009: Zenith Insurance Holdings Ltd is established as the UK parent of the Zenith underwriting business.
- 2018: Zenith's owners explore a sale of the business.
- 2022: Markerstudy Group acquires Zenith's underwriting capacity as part of the broader Markerstudy-Atlanta combination.
- 2023: Zenith is rebranded within Markerstudy and integrated into the combined motor underwriting platform.
- 2024: Markerstudy's combined motor book becomes one of the largest in the UK private motor market.
- 2026: Zenith remains the specialist non-standard motor brand of Markerstudy Group, with a focus on young, convicted, taxi and fleet drivers.
Zenith Insurance FAQ
Yes. Zenith Insurance plc is authorised and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, with UK conduct supervised by the Financial Conduct Authority. UK policyholders are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS): 90% of an insurance claim is covered with no upper limit on most general insurance products.
Zenith is part of Markerstudy Group, one of the largest UK private motor insurance groups. Markerstudy is privately owned with backers including Pollen Street Capital and the Markerstudy founders. Markerstudy has owned the Zenith underwriting capacity since 2022.
Yes. Zenith is one of the few UK underwriters that actively writes convicted-driver risks, including drivers returning from DR10, DD40 and DD80 bans and drivers carrying up to 12 active licence points. Cover is usually arranged through specialist brokers.
No. Zenith does not sell motor insurance directly to consumers under its own brand. Most Zenith-underwritten policies are sold through specialist brokers, including some Markerstudy-owned brands.
You have a 14-day cooling-off period after taking out a new Zenith motor policy in which you can cancel for a full refund minus a small admin fee. After the cooling-off period, Zenith and the broker will keep the portion of premium covering the time on risk plus an admin fee (typically £50 or higher on non-standard motor).