Guide to third party, fire and theft car insurance
Key points
- A third party, fire and theft policy will cover you for injury to others (including passengers), damage to third party property, liability whilst towing, fire damage and theft, but NOT for loss or damage to your vehicle
- All TPFT policies will differ, so read the terms and conditions with care
- Choosing a TPFT option isn't always cheaper than buying a comprehensive one
Third party, fire and theft (TPFT) is one of the more basic types of car insurance.
By law, drivers are required to have at least third party cover, and third party, fire and theft options are a sort of middle ground, offering a few additional benefits to a third party only policy but less features than a comprehensive one.
With a TPFT policy you'll be covered if you injure another person, including passengers, whilst driving or if you cause damage to another car or property.
Your vehicle will also be covered if it's stolen or damaged by fire.
But if damage is caused as a result of your driving, or if you're injured, this type of policy will not pay out for repairs to your vehicle, nor for your medical expenses - you'll have to meet these costs yourself.
Your policy won't cover the cost of things such as flood damage, so make sure you read your policy documents carefully to see what is and isn't insured.
Remember also that all policies - and the features they offer - will differ. In Gocompare.com's quote process you'll be offered the choice of comparing third party only, TPFT or comprehensive policies, and on your results page you'll also see telematics policies. 
Gocompare.com was built on the principle of helping you review policy features as well as price and we use Defaqto star ratings to further distinguish the options you see in the results.
Cost of third party, fire and theft policies
The cost of your policy will depend on a variety of factors including where you live, the make and model of your vehicle and whether a security device such as an alarm or immobiliser is fitted.
Need more information?
Although many believe that a third party, fire and theft policy will be cheaper than fully comprehensive cover every time, this isn't necessarily the case.
Because third party policies tend to attract higher-risk drivers, the statistics that insurers see indicate that there may be more chance of having to pay out on them than on comprehensive policies.
Consequently, the premium price for a TPFT policy may be driven up.
This means that some third party, fire and theft policyholders may be paying the same as if they'd chosen a comprehensive option, but they'll be getting fewer benefits.
If you're looking to cut the cost of your cover, read our article offering money-saving tips on car insurance to help you get the policy you need without compromising on the quality of the product.
By Rebecca Lees