Summary

Car insurance can be very expensive, so motorists need all the help they can get to keep premiums down - this article provides a selection of top money saving tips.

Car Insurance - top tips to keep costs down

Author: Anna Richardson

Thanks to the stiff competition in the car insurance industry, premiums have on average stayed at the same level in recent years. With over 100 car insurers vying for your custom, competition is hot and motorists can take advantage of some good bargains. If you shop around, you will almost certainly beat the renewal quote offered by your current insurer, but 23% of motorists ignore that fact, and happily renew their motor insurance with the same company year on year.

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Life Insurance News

Until recently, getting a car insurance quote meant ringing up and going through the lengthy process of providing all your personal details, not to mention the many minutes spent trying to get through to them in the first place. Now, getting a quote has been made so much easier with the advent of the internet. Some websites allow you to input your details once, and can then give you quotes from 40 or more car insurers.

However, price is not the only consideration when choosing with whom to insure your car. Make sure that you're not going to be faced with a large excess in case of an accident, and ensure that if your car needs to be repaired, you will be given a courtesy car. You also need to consider legal insurance cover and automatic windscreen replacement, and if you do have ( cheap loans ) an accident, you may find an accident helpline extremely useful! To be sure of what is and isn't included in your cover, it's best to ring the insurer to go through the small print.

Our Top Tips to save you money on car insurance

Go through a car insurance broker's website so you can get access to quotes from 40 or more car insurers, by simply inputting your details once. When you've received a quotation, call them to discuss the details of the policy, and maybe even request a further discount.
Keep your car in the garage overnight. You will pay more in insurance ( bad credit loans ) for keeping your car on the road because there is more chance of your car being broken into or damaged. As a second best option, put your car on a driveway.
Keep on top of how many miles you do each year, if you travel less then you will save on premiums.
Even your choice of occupation can affect your premiums - crazy as it sounds, if you're a landlord, journalist or professional footballer (chance would be a fine thing) you ( medical insurance ) will pay more. More run of the mill occupations like accountancy and government pay less.

If you're married, male and under 30, you will probably pay less than your unmarried counterparts.
If you're under 25, you'll save money on your premiums by adding someone over 25 (and under 60) with a good driving record as a named driver.
If you want to save on the initial costs, you could choose to have a higher excess (usually about £100). It means you'll pay more if you have an accident and need some repairs, but it's a risk that you could take.
If your car isn't worth much, why not just get third party cover. Compare quotes for third party and fully comprehensive insurance and see the difference.
If you're aged between 18 and 21 then you've got the option of pay as you go insurance. Norwich Union has pioneered the idea especially for younger people who find it hard to afford car insurance. You're charged for the miles you drive, and it gets more expensive per mile between 11pm and 6am. For a one off fee of £199, your car is fitted with a Global Positioning System which communicates details of your mileage direct to Norwich Union, they then send you a monthly bill.

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