Cheap Car Insurance

Car insurance is just one of those expenses we can't live without.  Despite this fact, figures suggest that nearly a million drivers in the UK drive without insurance.  The cost to the insurance industry is estimated at over £500 million a year and this cost is, unsurprisingly, passed to those who do insure themselves properly.  The government has however recently introduced rules to allow the DVLA and insurance companies to do a little comparison of their own.  Driving without insurance can now cost you dearly.  A new system of fines is just the start of it with the new regulations leading to repeat offenders being faced with the confiscation and crushing of their run-around.

Lower premiums?

The good news for those of us who already have insurance is that the regulations are in part designed to lower the costs of insurance.  Insurers may to be able to reduce their quotes by an average of £30 per year if uninsured driving becomes a thing of the past.  For those who have been taking a few risks now may well be the time to compare car insurance quotes.  A number of factors affect the cost of driving insurance, some of them you can do very little about – your age for example – while other factors give you some control in reducing your costs. 

Health and safety

When you start to compare car insurance quotes consider the savings you can make by adding an immobiliser and/or tracking device to your car.  These devices may well pay for themselves in terms of the cost savings on insurance; they also make your car far less attractive to thieves in the first place, saving you both money and inconvenience.  Taking commuting out of the equation on your policy may make a difference.  If you can find alternative methods of getting to work, car sharing or even a healthy alternative like cycling, you may be surprised at the cost saving on the policy.  Where possible keep the car on a driveway or better still a garage, which again will reduce the cost. 

Compare benefits

When you compare car insurance quotes, don't take things at face value.  Consider the additional benefits some policies offer.  Fully comprehensive policies may seem more expensive than third party, or third party fire and theft.  But they may include windscreen cover, breakdown cover, courtesy cars and legal and personal possession cover.  If you rely on access to your car, these elements of the insurance policy may be very cost effective.  Even if you choose the basic level of cover, third party, it is always worth comparing the cost of adding some of these features to your policy.  By taking out additional elements such as breakdown cover you may be able to save money.

Competitive times

The insurance market is very competitive, with a vast number of brokers and insurance companies offering good deals.  Eager to keep your business once they have it, you may find there is even some room for negotiation with existing providers, should you be able to source cheaper insurance elsewhere.  Whatever you do, before making a decision, make sure you compare cheap car insurance quotes from as many providers as you can.  

Finding cheap car insurance for young drivers seems to become more complicated and more expensive each year. Insurance for young drivers has traditionally been the most expensive car insurance – and with a recent ruling from the European Courts of Justice even car insurance for young women will become more costly. Young female drivers are statistically less risky drivers than young men, but the cost difference has been ruled as unfair under equality legislation, meaning that the cost of car insurance for young drivers will rise for women and may even fall a little for men. Either way, finding the most competitive deal is essential.

Which type?

Car insurance for young drivers can vary widely from insurer to insurer. There are some firms that specialise in this type of insurance but comparing car insurance quotes is always wise. The basic level of cover is 'Third Party', which covers you in the case of damage to other individuals and their property. Third Party, Fire and Theft, is the next level up. This is similar to the basic level but does cover you if your car is stolen or burnt – either in an accident or because of vandalism. Fully comprehensive is the final level of cover, which will protect you in the case of damage to your own and others’ property in the event of an accident.

Hidden benefits

While the difference in the cost of each type of policy can be significant for experienced drivers, the difference between the three types in terms of cost may not be so exaggerated for new drivers. By comparing car insurance quotes for each level of cover you may be surprised to find that in the case of car insurance for young drivers it's quite possible to find a fully comprehensive policy that can at least match a quote for one of the other levels. There is another significant advantage to taking fully comprehensive cover if you can find the right deal. Generally insurance companies will include a number of other benefits in these policies. These may include breakdown assistance, windscreen cover and courtesy cars. This can make fully comprehensive the most competitive cover of the three and can lead to considerable cost savings elsewhere.

Stay safe

The final way to lower your insurance costs is also the most important: drive safely. By avoiding accidents, claims and driving penalties, your premium will reduce for your second year of driving. Penalties for speeding or running lights will stay on your licence for up to five years, and will keep your insurance costs high. Financially it makes sense to be a safe, penalty free driver. Some people may like to boast about their convictions – most prefer to boast about their no claims bonus. Compare cheap car insurance quotes for young drivers; consider fully comprehensive and its additional benefits but, above all, drive safely.

The last couple of years have seen the UK experiencing colder winters than usual with prolonged periods of snow and icy temperatures. For drivers this has created numerous problems, not just during the bad weather, with the AA reporting a 23% rise in insurance claims. Britain’s roads have suffered too, with an increased number of potholes. Considering the cuts council are facing these new road features are likely to remain unrepaired for some time. The effect on the number of claims is considerable and the rise in our car insurance premiums is significant. Even if you have not considered it before, now may be the time for some car insurance comparison shopping. Whilst the cost of fuel is largely beyond our control, we do have at least some control over the cost of our car insurance. There are several effective ways that you can reduce the cost of your premiums.

Finance options

Paying for your insurance in one go may seem daunting and it is very easy to ignore the fact that paying monthly can cost up to 20% more – when the payments themselves seem relatively small. But 20% is 20% however you look at it and you can cut this by paying a lump sum premium. The simplest way is, of course, to put a little aside each month and have the money to hand when renewal time comes round. One alternative is to take advantage of 0% credit card offers. By taking out a deal on a card and using it to pay your insurance you can save the 20% cost of paying monthly. As long as you pay off the card before the end of the 0% period this can be an effective way to save on car insurance.

Duplicate cover

Consolidating your insurance arrangement – making sure that all of the households’ cars, motorbikes etc are with one insurer can reduce the overall cost. This method can be surprisingly cost effective. At the same time check out what cover you have elsewhere – most home insurance policies cover personal effects away from the home. Try to ensure that you are not paying for this sort of additional cover twice over. If you are covered on your household insurance, compare the benefits and cost on your car insurance and cut out the most expensive.

Additional cost savings

Other simple methods to decrease the cost of your car insurance are to ensure that you estimate your mileage accurately – and cut this wherever possible. Added security features such as immobilisers and tracking devices will be attractive to insurers and make your car less attractive to thieves. Often adding a second named driver to your policy can also make a big difference. For insurers this ‘spreads the risk’ and will usually reduce the cost of your premium. With a little time and a few practical changes it is still possible to source highly competitive car insurance quotes.

Author Bio: Finding cheap car insurance is not a thing of the past. There are a number of factors that affect the cost of your policy which you can control. Some simple changes can save you money when searching for car insurance quotes.