Advance Insurance is an insurance broker based in Wiltshire, working with a selected panel of insurers. We’ve been helping to source cover for people across the UK since 1929, finding policies that fit the way you live, drive and travel. That includes the cars and homes that standard insurers often struggle with.
Today we’re part of the Jensten Group, a national insurance broker. Your service still comes from our own teams in Chippenham, Swindon, Trowbridge and Westbury. You get local advisors with a larger group behind them, whether you need motorhome insurance, import cover or a policy for a listed home.
Where did it all begin?
Advance started arranging insurance in 1929. Nearly a century later, the way people buy cover has changed a great deal, but the heart of the job hasn’t. We listen properly, explain things clearly and arrange cover that does what you need it to.
Today, much of our work is with customers who need something more specialist than a standard policy. Owners of Japanese and American imports, modified cars and classics come to us because we take the time to understand their cars. So do motorhome and caravan owners. And so do people whose homes don’t fit a standard form, from thatched cottages to converted barns.
That experience shows up in small, practical ways. Our advisors know what an insurer will ask about a modified engine or a thatched roof, so they ask you first. That saves time and avoids surprises later. They also know which insurers will look at grey imports, classic cars or steel-framed homes. And they’ve helped enough people through renewals and claims to know where the sticking points usually are.
Who are Advance Insurance?
Advance Insurance is a trading name of Advance Insurance Agencies Ltd. We’re an insurance intermediary, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 300559). In short, we work for you rather than for one insurer. You tell us what you need covered, and we search the insurers we work with for a policy built around it.
That matters most when your situation isn’t straightforward. You might own a Japanese import with no UK history, take your motorhome across Europe each summer or live in a converted chapel. An online form often gives up on cases like these, but a conversation with someone who knows the market can usually get further.
What kind of cover can we arrange?
We arrange personal insurance across motor, leisure, home and travel, and most of our customers come to us for one of four reasons.
We have a dedicated team for import car insurance. They cover Japanese, American, grey and parallel imports, from family cars to American muscle cars. We also arrange modified car insurance for owners who have changed how their car looks or performs. Our classic car insurance can include agreed value, so you and the insurer settle what the car is worth up front.
Leisure vehicles raise their own questions. You might need cover for contents, breakdown, trips abroad or a self-build conversion. We arrange cover for campervans, converted campervans, touring caravans and static caravans, as well as holiday homes and residential park homes.
Every one of our branches has home insurance advisors who can arrange standard buildings and contents cover.
They also arrange non-standard home insurance for listed buildings, thatched cottages, timber and steel-framed houses, prefabs and converted properties. If you’ve been turned down because of how your home was built, it’s well worth talking to us.
Not everything we do is specialist. We’re just as happy to help with car, van and motorcycle cover or temporary car insurance. We arrange chauffeur insurance for drivers carrying paying passengers, and our travel insurance runs from single trips to family annual policies.
What can you expect from us?
Whatever you’re insuring, here’s what we aim to do for every customer:
• Put your needs first. We start by asking how you use your vehicle or home and what matters most to you. That might be European cover for a motorhome or like-for-like repairs on a listed building.
• Give impartial advice. We compare options from the insurers we work with, so you’re not limited to one company’s products.
• Explain your cover clearly. We’ll talk you through what’s covered, what isn’t, what the excess is and what affects your price. If something in a policy doesn’t suit you, we’ll say so.
• Keep you with people who know their stuff. You’ll deal with our own advisors, and import customers have an allocated team to guide them.
• Stay with you after you buy. We’re here at renewal and whenever your circumstances change, not just when you first take out a policy.
• Support you if you need to claim. Our claims team can guide you through the process and help you reach the right people.
What does being part of the Jensten Group mean for you?
Advance joined the Jensten Group in 2021. Jensten is a national insurance broker with more than 1,000 colleagues across over 50 offices. Advance sits alongside other established brands within it.
For our customers, the main thing is what stayed the same. The Advance name was kept, our Wiltshire branches stayed open and you still deal with our own advisors. What’s changed is that those local teams now have the backing of a bigger business. The service you receive stays personal and specialist.
You’ll see “part of the Jensten Group” on our logo. It’s there because we’re proud of it, and because we think you should know who stands behind your broker.
Where can you find us?
- Chippenham (new business): 01249 461665
- Swindon (existing customers): 01793 522542
- Trowbridge: 01225 433491
- Westbury: 01373 822369
What do our customers say?
We’d rather our customers did the talking, and more than 1,000 of them have rated us 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
Here are a couple of their comments:
What kind of cover can we arrange?
We arrange personal insurance across motor, leisure, home and travel, and most of our customers come to us for one of four reasons.
We’re a broker, sometimes called an insurance intermediary, so we arrange your cover with insurers on your behalf. That means we can compare options from several insurers rather than just one. Your policy documents will name the insurer who provides your cover.
Yes. Our branches in Chippenham, Swindon, Trowbridge and Westbury are still open, and our own advisors still handle your quotes, renewals and questions.
Not necessarily. Because we look across several insurers, we can sometimes help you find a more suitable premium. Value isn’t only about the premium, though. The right cover, a sensible excess and help when you claim all count too. Any fees for arranging your policy will be set out before you agree to anything.
Often, yes, although we can’t promise cover in every case. Imports, modified cars, unusual homes and older properties are the kinds of risk we deal with every day.
Ready to Talk?
Since 1929, we’ve been helping people protect the things they care about, from American imports to motorhomes and thatched cottages. Call our new business team on 01249 461665. If you’re an existing customer, you can reach us on 01793 522542. We’ll take the time to understand what you need and talk you through your options, with no pressure to decide on the spot.
*Advance Insurance is a trading name of Advance Insurance Agencies Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 300559. Part of the Jensten Group.*
For any enquiries or general queries please contact us
Advance Insurance Swindon
Suite 1.18
Newbridge Square
Swindon
Wiltshire SN1 1HN
Advance Insurance Trowbridge
16 Fore Street
Trowbridge
Wiltshire BA14 8HA