5 Steps to Cheaper Car Insurance

With the UK in recession, it seems things for car owners are likely to get worse as car insurance premiums are set to rise. There are various reasons for this; increased numbers of used car sales compared to new cars (on which there is generally a higher premium), and lack of capital in the economy, putting pressure on insurers to increase rates. According to the AA the average quoted premium for fully comprehensive car insurance cover has risen by 2.9% to £741. So what can you do to combat these ever-increasing insurance costs. Check out the list below to see how you can save money.

1) Use comparison websites. From this you should get a good idea of who’s got the best current deals on the market and who’s got horrendously high premiums. Try to be as accurate as possible when filling in the requirements – an overestimation of your annual fuel consumption will only give you an over-inflated quote for car insurance premiums.

2) Don’t be loyal. Once you’ve got a few quotes on the web from some dedicated providers (try Kwik Fit Insurance for online car insurance quotes) go back to your original provider and see if they’ll match these. It varies from provider to provider but most companies will do what they can to ensure they retain your custom. If they won’t budge, leave.

3) If you’re about to buy a car, think about how the make and model will affect the premiums. Metallic cars are more expensive to insure because the paint costs more, so you’ll be forking out in premiums if there’s any damage to the body. The same goes for soft-tops – they’re more expensive because they’re seen as being easier to break into.

4) The more secure you can make your car seem, the cheaper insurance premiums will be. So newer cars (which are generally harder to break into) should be cheaper, also the type of parking space you use will affect premiums. If you have a covered garage space available then great. However if there’s only on-the-street parking available, your premiums will be higher.

5) The more inexperienced you are as a driver, the higher-risk you’re seen to be. Young males have the highest premiums in general, because they are more likely to get into accidents. So it may be worth taking an additional qualification such as the Pass Plus – it can give discounts on insurance of up to 35%.