As mentioned previously before you commit to buying a car it’s a good idea to know how much the insurance will be so that when you’ve bought the car it won’t be a shock. The car Insurance industry works on a rating from 1 to 20. The cheapest rating starts at 1 rising to 20 the most expensive. Find out the category of your prospective car using the following links Find yours on either the
Insurance Group Ratings for Private Cars or
UK WEB Start then start comparing car insurance quotes, this way at least you will know what the insurance will cost you before you buy.
2) Off Road Parking
Where you live can have a big influence on your car insurance premium. Living in the countryside compared to living in the inner city could cut your premium by 50%. Also, if you can park your car overnight in the garage this will definitely help to reduce your premium, If you haven’t got a garage then by parking it at home on the drive will also help reduce your insurance as this is considered to be a lower risk than leaving it on the road.
3) Limit the Number of Drivers
Why not limit the number of drivers, if you have the policy in your name as the only driver on the policy allowed to drive your car this will help to really reduce the premium, however,this is not always practical so try to add just one other named driver. The costs will rise quite dramatically the more drivers you add to your policy, so keep it to the minimum.
4) Buy The Correct Insurance Cover
There are
three levels of insurance cover that you can get for your car. The first and the best is comprehensive insurance, this insures you for almost everything even down to damage to your car even if it was your fault. But this comes at a cost. Unfortunately many drivers can’t afford to pay for this level of cover. The second is third party, fire and theft. This provides cover for damage to others and only theft and fire for your own car. So if you had an accident with another car and it was proven to be your fault you would have to pay for the repairs to your own car and your insurance would pay for the repairs to the other car.
5) Minimise the number of Optional Extras on Your Insurance Cover
The less your motor insurance company has to provide you in the event of an accident, the lower your costs. For example: only select to have a courtesy car or legal expenses if you really need them, as they may increase your premium.
6) Change your Excess
Why not check the amount of excess on your policy. The more the excess (or the amount you agree to pay in the event of an accident) the lower the premium will be. But be aware if you say had three accidents in a year you would be liable to pay the excess three times and this could work out much more than you are saving.
7) Protect Your No-Claims Discount
When you have driven accident free for a number of years usually 3-4 you can protect those years for a small charge –known as No Claims Discount - which helps reduce your insurance premiums. So even if you have an accident you should not lose your No Claims Discount. If you have a number of accidents however you can lose your No Claims this will depend on your individual insurance companies policy.
8) Extra Security to Your CarTo affect your insurance premiums you need to fit an approved alarm and immobiliser that is to
Thatcham category 1 the highest level of security or Thatcham category 2 these will help reduce your premium. For those of you who own an expensive vehicle it might also be worth considering having a tracking devise fitted, in fact if your car is extremely valuable then some insureres may insist you have one fitted.
9) Provide correct Mileage
Don’t pay for more miles than you are driving - try and work out how many miles you genuinely cover in your car annually, as the person who only does 5,000 miles a year compared to someone doing 15,000 will have a lower premium. If your circumstances change such as you change jobs and have a shorter commute to work you could be saving money. Be aware that an inaccuracy in this could jeopardise your claim.
10) Free Insurance On New Cars
It may seem the wrong way to go about getting cheap car insurance by buying a new car but if you consider that a new small car at £8,500 could cost a 21-year-old £1,800 a year.
11) Take an Advanced Driving Test or Pass Plus Test
Consider taking an advanced driving test and you will save money on your premiums try the following for more information:
Drivers Instructors Association or
Driver Skills or the
Institute of advanced motoring. Or if you have you just passed your driving test why not consider taking The
Pass Plus Test to help reduce those massive premiums. You might even be eligible for help with discounts on offer up to 50% off the full tuition costs, check their website for more information.
12) Shop Around
Exploring all the different options that are now available can seem daunting at the time but considering the money you can save, it is certainly worth it. Why not check out
Womens Everything Car Insurance ideas or have a search on the Internet, High Street or Brokers, the list is endless but worth it and remember always compare like for like.
