How to Cut the Cost of Car Insurance

Less desirable and low-value cars are cheaper to insure

When I was 17 I wanted to have a Ferrari and live life within the fast lane. albeit I could have afforded the car, then I could not have afforded the insurance to hide it. At 17 you're fresh to the planet of driving and statistically, you're more likely to form a claim. Mixing high-powered cars with inexperienced drivers aren't something automobile insurance companies are super-keen about, the prospect of a claim shoots through the roof with the worth of the premium following it. once you are young and inexperienced, buy a low-powered, low-value car to undertake and keep your Car insurance premium to a minimum. If it's worthless then it'll cost less to fix/replace when in your youthful exuberance you crash it. an equivalent logic actually applies to everyone, the lower the worth of the vehicle and therefore the lower the Car insurance policy are going to be in most cases. Sports and premium cars will always cost more to repair in an accident therefore the insurance will reflect this. New cars now feature myriads of anti-theft and driver aids that in many cases will help to scale back the value of insurance so keep an eye fixed on the spec sheet when watching a replacement car. an honest rule of thumb is that less desirable and low-value cars are cheaper to insure.

Age may be a concern

I mentioned it above and it bears repeating. Generally the younger you're the upper your Car insurance premium. this is often right down to inexperience and therefore the youthful belief that bad things will never happen to you. The statistics say otherwise, which is usually a shock to an unsuspecting young the driving force who finishes up during a crash wondering how it happened to him...Driving experience and age are usually linked which results in a way of reducing your premium - whatever age you're you'll enjoy advanced driving courses and lots of car insurers offer discounts for these qualifications. it's going to only be a five - 10 per cent saving for the course but on a premium of £1000 it's worth having the saving and it'll remain with you for years, so it should be an honest investment, to not mention cause you to a far better driver.

Keep adding to the no-claims bonus

The more years you'll accumulate without making a claim the higher as most car insurers will offer a reduction on your insurance for this. Effectively you're proving you're good business to possess and since you haven't made any claims then you're the honest risk for them to underwrite. There's nothing you'll do here but keep your nose clean and do not make a claim. If you own a low-value vehicle and dent it parking, you would be advised to not make a claim on comprehensive insurance because it might reduce your no-claims bonus, likely to be for a little amount of cash and you'll even find yourself paying for many of it counting on the excess. therein case, provided you've got not caused damage to the other vehicles or property, shut one's mouth, fix it yourself and your saving on a no-claims bonus is going to be sweet the subsequent year - in time, once you have built up three or more years no-claims bonus, you'll actually protect your bonus, meaning albeit you create a subsequent claim you'll not lose your bonus.

Convictions aren't cool

If you're an inner-city teenager then an ASBO could also be a badge of honour. Insurers are less impressed by convictions though, so it's best to avoid them if you'll. Minor speeding offences are never within the same category as serial murderer though, so if you've got a few points it'll not be the top of the planet or have a serious influence on your premium counting on the insurer.

If you've a garage, use it

What are garages for? If you ask the typical person they'll probably say for storing all the kids' toys, the house gym, bicycles, the freezer and tumble-dryer. I even have news for you all; the garage is meant to deal with your vehicle once you aren't using it. the very fact that it puts a physical barrier between any opportunist thieves and your car may be a real good thing and Car insurance companies will recognise this and reduce your premium if you park during a garage overnight. Using your garage will prevent money; it doesn't get any easier than that.

Anti-theft devices

Most modern cars accompany immobiliser and alarms factory fitted and if you notify your insurer it'll check to form sure they're to approved standards and can apply discounts if applicable. you'll get other devices that slosh within the passenger footwell until you park then fix to generally your wheel or gear-stick. These are mechanical devices and a few do attract further discounts if used, just do your homework before buying. Thatcham is that the organisation which grades security devices and usually, an honest mechanical security device will feature its Thatcham approval very prominently alongside any premium discounts you'll expect, so choose carefully.

Use a reputable broker

Car insurance may be a very business with around 30million+ vehicles on the united kingdom roads, so there's a wealth of automobile insurance companies to settle on from. Ironically, the large names you're conversant in are probably in your head due to massive marketing campaigns on television, on-line etc. no matter the message, those marketing campaigns got to be purchased which means they'll not even have the simplest rates, although the sheer scale of a number of these businesses mean prices are going to be keen thanks to buying or underwriting power. the simplest advice is to match a few of various prices from different companies. Call the insurer then call a comparable competitor then perhaps a little Car insurance broker. all will ask you if you've got a price already and you ought to tell them what it's. Generally, if they need the business they know what to beat. the instant you get a broker saying they can not match the worth then you're probably on the brink of the simplest market value alternatively speaking with a broker that's not a specialist within the area.

A word of caution on price comparison sites

There are many price comparison sites around which promise to drive the value of your policy down - Money Supermarket, Go Compare, Confused etc. They certainly do help reduce the value of insurance as most of the main players are fighting for business on an equivalent platform. Where these price comparison sites don't perform so well is really advising you on the type of policy that's best for you or your car. Would comprehensive be cheaper and more suitable than third party fire and theft? the purpose is you can't ask the worth comparison site for any advice, that's where car specialist brokers have the sting. Compare it to purchasing a replacement house, would you purchase one without a survey? you would possibly then when it subsides into the ocean you will be praying your insurance will cover it...the point is you should not buy insurance without talking with an expert either.

Pick up the phone

The internet may be a great shopping and selling tool, you recognize my feelings thereon from previous articles...but I suggest if you speak to a true person at a brokerage then you've got a way better chance of getting. they will ask more questions, clarify your requirements and if needed they will even delegate the speed (set the worth themselves) if they actually need the business. there's no substitute for human contact, just confirm you speak to a minimum of three different brokers to urge a real comparison.

Got a pleasant postcode?

If you reside during a postcode where there are few thefts and claims then your premium is going to be less than living somewhere that's a known crime hotspot. If you'll afford it, move to a complicated area and you will enjoy lower insurance premiums. Not the simplest thanks to saving on the value of insurance needless to say ...

Mileage and use

The more miles you drive the more chance you've got of being involved during a claim. It's simple statistics. the fewer miles covered, the less your premium should cost. Don't tell lies though, if you exceed the stated mileage by a distance then it could invalidate your insurance.

Married with kids?

Insurers like selling automobile insurance to married couples mortgaged and with kids and jobs. you're very easy to credit check and usually display responsible behaviour which hints at a lower risk for the insurer. which will reduce your automobile insurance quote.

Don't modify your car

We all see the bling cars that haunt Supermarket car-parks late in the dark and whether you wish the tacky neon colours and loud exhausts are neither here nor there - the very fact is that any kind of modification is probably going to hike your automobile insurance premium. Modifications can draw attention, invalidate warranties and within the case of loud exhausts, also can be illegal (if above the noise limit). If illegal, then it could invalidate your insurance also. the very fact is that car maker spends tons of your time developing their products in order that they work well and if you modify them then it's all out the window and your insurer is going to be scratching his head wondering what he should charge - and it'll nearly always be quite a typical vehicle.