17 Tips For Cheaper Car Insurance

Pass Plus

Designed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), the pass plus is the ideal course to enhance driving skills and road awareness. As it's done within 12 months of successfully passing the driving test the majority who follow up with this course are normally young drivers, the very ones who find car insurance so expensive. But by taking the Pass Plus, any inexperience on the road is quickly resolved with the help of professional instructors guiding the student through various assessment modules. For young drivers, the experience gained from completing the Pass Plus course will ensure they receive more favourable quotes from car insurance companies. Young drivers could be looking to save in the region of 30% on their first policy just by completing this course. However, when applying for a car insurance quote it's always wise to let the insurer know if you have completed the Pass Plus, as often they will leave declarations like this up to you. You can learn more about the Pass Plus here.

Get a Variety of Insurance Quotes

Apply for as many insurance quotes as your time will allow. Many people consider three as a satisfactory number, but it's logical that the more you get the easier it is in spotting the best deals, and getting as many as seven will give you the best chance of finding the cheapest quote. Remember to compare all insurance quotes on a like-for-like basis though, as even the most expensive one might appear considerably cheaper if all the extras are taken into account. You might find one insurance policy comes with breakdown cover as standard, while another it may have to be bought seperately, and by paying extra it could make the cheaper insurance roughly the same as the more expensive one.

Parking

Reduce the risk of theft by parking your vehicle off-road. Garages and driveways are a big deterrent to thieves, so if you are able to park your car safely in either of these then it's always advisable to do so. This alone can save you 5% on your car insurance. However, don't be tempted to say your car is garaged overnight if it isn't. Tempting as it may be to try and reduce your insurance costs it is also classed as false information, and supplying false information can invalidate your whole car insurance policy.

Choice of Car

Choose your car wisely. If you're looking to cut down on car insurance costs bear in mind that the make of car, the engine size, its age and value are all used in calculating insurance quotes. Cars with small engines and no modifications, which also have cheap and easily accessible spare parts, are an ideal choice if you want to keep insurance premiums to a minimum. But also consider the car's insurance group rating as well. All vehicles in the UK are assigned a group rating number between 1 and 20, and by choosing a car with a lower number will significantly reduce the overall cost of your car insurance. You can learn more about the car insurance rating system here.

Car Security Devices

Any extra security measures you take to deter thieves from stealing your car will further decrease the risks you pose to the insurance company. For example, just by installing a Thatcham approved alarm can often save you up to 10% on your car insurance. You will normally be expected to have them fitted by professionals though, as insurance companies might often not take DIY fitted devices into account, even if they do happen to be Thatcham approved. Immobilisers and steering locks also play a vital role in deterring the car thief, so by having these you are also lessening the overall risk that you pose to the insurance company.

Car Modifications

Try and keep car modifications to an absolute minimum. Regard all alterations as having the potential to raise car insurance costs to some degree. The only modifications that will normally reduce insurance premiums are extra security devices, this basically means alarms and immobilisers etc. However, some cars may already come with modifications as standard, but as long as these were done throughout the car's production and not by the owner, then they should have no adverse affect on the cost of the car insurance.

Build No Claims Discount

In most cases having a no claims bonus is probably the most reliable way of reducing the cost of car insurance. Therefore, try and build your no claims discount as soon as possible. This will mean you have to have your own car insurance policy before you can build your discount, and for most young drivers this will seem very expensive, but the sooner you build your discount the sooner you can start to enjoy the benefit it gives on your car insurance.

Increase Voluntary Excess

The excess is the initial sum of money that you the policy-holder will pay towards the cost of any claim on your car insurance. By raising the excess level you will be reducing your reliance on the insurance provider to cover the cost of smaller claims, therefore reducing the risk attached to you in the eyes of the insurer. Normally, the lower the risk you are the lower the insurance premium is likely to be.

Get Car Insurance Quotes Every Year

Even if you are happy with your current insurance provider it's often worth getting quotes from other companies before you renew. Quite often car insurance companies offer enticing deals to new customers in order to gain custom, and by getting several new quotes you can often find a better deal. It's good to remember that a single insurance company cannot be the cheapest option for everybody all of the time, and last years over-priced insurer might well be this years bargain. Car insurance quotes are always changing, given time your circumstances will also change, so the most reliable way of finding a better offer is by applying for a range of new quotes.

Named Drivers on Insurance Policy

Young drivers might find it worthwhile adding someone older or more experienced to their car insurance. Perhaps a parent or grandparent with a good driving record would be happy to go on the car insurance policy, too. Of course, there are no guarantees this will always work as insurance companies use their own rules for calculating premiums, but it's still worth asking in case they see you as a reduced risk under the watchful eye of a parent.

All Drivers on Insurance Policy

Car insurance that covers any driver to use the vehicle can add pounds to the insurance premium. The only time when this can work out cheaper is when a named driver policy is required for a younger driver, then having an all driver policy could well work out the better option.

Reduce Insurance Coverage

Third Party Fire and Theft is normally a lot cheaper than Fully Comp Insurance, however you do get a lot less cover for your money. But if you only have an inexpensive runaround to insure then it's often worth considering, as it does get you up and running for a much smaller outlay. For young drivers this will work out a lot cheaper, and the best part of it is, you will already have your own insurance and be entitled to start building your no claims discount.

Buy Car Insurance Online

Many companies now offer a discount for buying car insurance online. This is because Internet sales have fewer overheads and don't require a sales team to close the deal. The insurance company is then happy to pass on any savings to online buyers, which in a lot of cases can be as much as 10%. Purchasing online is virtually risk free, and all payment pages on insurance sites are normally well protected by encryption technology. Your transaction details are safe from prying eyes, and in a matter of minutes you can print off your newly purchased policy. The insurer will then normally post you an official copy of the insurance policy a few days later.

Reduce Annual Mileage

The amount of miles you travel throughout the year is another factor used by insurers to calculate the cost of car insurance. Each company might have their own rules on mileage and at what level it will affect the insurance premium, but on the whole the industry usually work with the concept that annual mileage falls into one of the following categories: 3k, 5k, 8k, 10k, 12k, 15k and 20k. If you can limit your annual mileage to less than the average 12/15k then you could start to see it reflected in the cost of your car insurance.

Introductory No Claims Discount

To gain your custom some insurance companies might offer you an introductory no claims discount, some will even go so far as to match the discount you already have on your insurance. This means you can search for a cheaper quote, change insurers if necessary, and yet still maintain that all important no claims discount. However, if for example you were awarded an introductory discount of 3 years with one company, this would naturally increase to four after the first twelve months, but if you again changed insurers this new company might only credit you as having one claim free year.

Family Cars

Females are statistically safer drivers than men, and because of this insurance companies will often offer much cheaper car insurance for women. If the family car is used equally by the husband and the wife, then it could make sense to have the female as the main driver on the insurance. But do always remember to be truthful, as it's not worth the risk of invalidating the entire car insurance for the sake of few pounds. Do ensure the driving really is equally split between the two.

Young Drivers Car Insurance

For all young drivers age is most definately against them, and they can often end up paying small fortunes for their car insurance. As you advance in years so too do your driving skills, and insurers will often use key birthdays as thresholds to cheaper insurance. So, when taking out car insurance try and arrange to buy the policy after your birthday and not before, as on paper you will always appear one year older. Over time this could save you money as you will reach important insurance thresholds earlier than if you had taken the insurance out before your birthday.

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