13 Top Tips for Cheaper Car Insurance

Whether it’s your first car or you’ve been on the road a while, driving can be a costly business! Those pricey insurance premiums and not to mention the petrol, road tax and MOT’s. If you’re looking for ways to cut down your expenses, start with your insurance, read our 13 top tips on cutting costs and getting cheaper car insurance.

Compare quotes

Insurance companies don’t reward loyalty, they save the best prices for new customers so don’t just accept your renewal quote. Shop around for the best deals by comparing quotes from different companies. Remember to check those insurance providers that don’t appear on comparison websites and once you have your quote, use them to haggle and try to work out a better deal.

Compare quotes with Comparethemarket.com and earn cashback. Alternatively, if you’re only looking for short term insurance, buy from Insure 4 A Day and you will also earn cashback!

Check your mileage

It’s worth working out your mileage rather than guessing as the fewer miles you drive, the lower your premium is likely to be. If you just make a rough guess, you could be guessing higher than you actually drive. But don’t put down lower miles than you drive as this could invalidate your insurance.

Third party isn’t always cheaper

That’s right, third party insurance isn’t always cheaper than fully comprehensive. When you compare quotes, check for all types of cover to get the best deal. Insurance companies take different things into an account when working out quotes. What one may consider important, another may not so that’s why it’s worth checking all levels of cover.

Increase your excess

Generally, the higher the voluntary excess the lower the premium so if you can afford to, increase your voluntary excess. Don’t set this higher than you can afford as you will be expected to pay out in the event of a claim.</>

Add a named driver

Adding a named driver to your policy could be particularly beneficial, especially if you are a young driver. Adding an older low risk driver such as a parent or spouse could dramatically reduce the cost of your insurance but don’t add them as the main driver if they are not as this is illegal and will invalidate your insurance.

Pay annually

If you can afford to, pay annually rather than monthly by direct debit. If you choose to spread the cost there will be interest charges added to this and will therefore cost you more. If you can’t afford to pay upfront, get a 0% purchase credit card and spread the costs this way without interest.

Complete a Pass Plus course

Another tip for younger newly passed drivers is to complete the Pass Plus course. Many insurers will lower the cost of your policy if you have completed this course as they deem you a safer driver.

Park in a garage

If you have a garage piled up with old junk, now is the time to have a good clear out. Parking your car in a garage rather than on the street is deemed less risk so therefore your insurance premium will be lower. You may also get a lower insurance quote if your car is parked in a secure car park during the day.

Protect your no claims bonus

Your no claims bonus has a big impact on your insurance price. The more years no claims you have the cheaper it will be. Your no claims bonus gives an indication to insurers of your driving ability and whether you’re a safe driver. You can also choose to protect your no claims bonus which may cost you more short term but protects your no claims bonus should you need to make a claim.

Change your job title

It may sound strange but your job title could affect your insurance quote. Compare quotes with different job titles to see the difference but don’t lie, it still needs to be relevant to your actual job.

Change your car

If you’re finding your insurance to expensive, you may need consider changing your car. If a car costs more to repair it is likely that your insurance will be higher. Alterations and modifications will also affect your quote as will engine size. And if your car has a smaller engine, you will also save money on tax.

If you are thinking of selling your car in favour for a car with lower insurance, sell with any of the following and you will also earn cashback on your sale.

Cancel add-ons

When purchasing your insurance, find out what is included in the price. Add-ons such as courtesy car cover and personal accident cover can significantly bump up the price so only add what you really need. For a lower quote just opt for the bare minimum although bear in mind that these things could end up costing you further down the line. You should also compare quotes and consider buying separate break down cover rather than as an insurance add-on as this generally works out cheaper.

Get cashback on breakdown cover when you purchase AA European Breakdown.

Get a telemetry box

Fitting a telemetry box and having your driving behaviour assessed could bring your insurance down but only if you’re a good driver. Also known as a black box, they can monitor the speed you drive, braking and accelerating habits, distance travelled, time of day travelled and the types of road you travel on. All of these aspects can have an effect on your insurance however beware that bad drivers could see an increase in price or even have their insurance cancelled. Telemetry boxes also act as tracking devices should your car get stolen.

If you are learning to drive in your own car, buy insurance from Insure Learner Driver and you will earn cashback on your insurance policy.