Car insurance can be more one of the most expensive household costs but is unavoidable if you’re a car owner. Having comprehensive insurance will stand you in the best stead should you have to make a claim but there are ways to avoid a huge bill.
We’ve put together 10 top tips to help bring your car insurance price down…
1. Switch In Advance
If you leave renewing your car insurance until a day or two before your current cover runs out, you could find yourself paying a lot more than if done weeks in advance. In fact, on average you could save £280 when you sort your new insurance out early. Your current provider is likely to contact you with a renewal quote before your existing policy ends but it’s worth shopping around to ensure you get the best deal. There are many online comparison sites you can use to get the best deal – don’t forget to haggle too!
2. Check Your Job Title
You might not think it matters too much, but some job titles will make you pay more for insurance than others. For example, if you state you are a “music teacher” you’ll pay more than just stating that you are a “teacher” – it’s worth playing around when getting an online quote to see how you can spend less!
3. Adding drivers
It is always worth checking for quotes with different additional drivers to see whether you can reduce your insurance costs. If your additional driver has a no-claims record and a clean licence, you should be able to easily reduce your insurance costs. You could even try adding brand new and younger drivers to your policy – it’s easy to change on online comparison sites and sometimes can surprisingly bring your quote down!
4. Cut Extras
It is always worth reviewing whether you really need the extras offered by insurers. Consider whether you really need cover for driving abroad and legal expenses included – if not removing them is likely to keep more than a few pennies in your pocket!
5. Increase Your Excess
The excess sum is what you agree to pay should you need to make an insurance claim. The compulsory excess is what you will automatically have to pay, however you can choose to pay an extra voluntary excess which will decrease your insurance premium. You must bear in mind however, that if you are unlucky enough to make a claim you will be liable to pay the higher amount and so it could cost you more money in the long run – it’s up to you to decide whether to take the chance.
6. Reduce Your Mileage
Don’t overestimate how many annual miles you will travel when you sort your car insurance as the higher the mileage, the more you can expect to pay. You may want to consider how far you will need to travel and whether you will always travel in the car you’re insuring, as if you can cut around 10,000 miles you could save you more than £100!
7. Secure Your Car
Ensuring your vehicle is fitted with an alarm system or tracking device can bring your insurance fee down drastically. In modern cars, these features are often already fitted, so make sure you check whether a provider takes this into account in your quote.
8. Check The Safest Place To Leave Your Car
Whether you leave your car on your road, on your drive, or far from your house, it can affect the cost of your insurance. So maybe consider whether you can clear some room in your garage and utilise it as a parking spot!
9. Pay All At Once
If you can afford to, pay for your insurance in once go. Whilst it may look cheaper to pay in monthly instalments, it is more expensive as insurers add on interest on top of your premium. On average paying monthly equates to £62 more than paying all at once.
10. Get A Blackbox
The final option you can opt for is selecting an insurance cover whereby you have a blackbox fitted. These devices are fitted to encourage you to be a safer driver by checking your speed, acceleration, brake usage, and whether you drive at more ‘dangerous’ times of the day. If you are a good driver, the provider will then discount your policy, however it can be limiting as your premium will be affected if you drive later in the evening.