Beginner’s Tips for Lowering Car Insurance Premiums
The cost of car insurance is only going one way – and that’s up, whether you are an experienced driver or a novice. But don’t despair, because there are lots of things you can do to bring the cost of your annual premiums down.
Vehicle Security
Whatever the age of your car it pays to have as many security devices as you can to avoid it being stolen. One of the most effective things you can do is to fit a GPS Tracker. Car trackers are undoubtedly the best deterrents against car theft and the best method of having a stolen car located and brought safely back to you.
Most modern vehicles are fitted at manufacture with anti-theft alarms and usually an immobiliser as well. If yours isn’t, then consider getting one fitted. Or, if this is not possible, then at the very least use something like a steering wheel lock and a wheel clamp. Keeping your car in a locked garage will help to lower your premiums.
Shop Around
Insurers reserve the most attractive premiums for new customers and there is no ‘loyalty premium’ for staying with the same insurer so shop around to compare prices before you commit to a policy. Comparison sites offer some of the best premiums for first-time customers but it can also pay to go direct to certain insurance companies; sometimes haggling with an insurer can yield good results.
If you decide to arrange your insurance by speaking directly to someone then make sure you use an insurer rather than a broker to avoid paying extra broker’s fees.
Avoid Instalments
It is much cheaper to pay for your policy all in one go rather than by direct debit and always opt for fully comprehensive insurance rather than third-party only as this is usually cheaper nowadays.
If you are thinking of paying your insurance premiums in instalment, you need to factor in the nature of your job as well as the type of vehicle. For example, if you are using a commercial vehicle for delivery purposes than the insurance of Delivery driver will be different to that of a normal private vehicle owner. Paying attention to these important elements will come in handy when selecting the kind of policy as well as expecting pay-outs.
Limit the Add-ons
Whether on a comparison site or going direct an insurance company will more often than not try to sell you certain add-ons like European breakdown cover, windscreen cover or legal cover. Decide what you don’t need, for instance, if you’re never likely to take your car abroad you won’t need foreign breakdown cover, and decline those you don’t need. Legal protection cover may not be necessary if you have fully comprehensive insurance.
If you don’t need the car for work, then opt for a policy which covers you for ‘social, domestic and pleasure’ only and limit your estimated annual mileage.
Limit the Drivers Allowed to Drive Your Car
It can be tempting to add certain people, family members for instance, to your car insurance but the fact is that the more people you add the more it will cost you because the insurer has to calculate the risk involved with each driver. Young drivers, in particular, attract higher premiums, so try to limit any additional named drivers to those over the age of 25. For a young driver just embarking on their first insurance policy, it can sometimes be advantageous and cheaper to have an older, experienced named driver on the policy.
Consider a Black Box
For new drivers, the installation of a black box is often a necessity in order to get insurance, but any driver can benefit from black box technology if they are prepared to drive carefully by avoiding harsh acceleration and sudden braking. Restricting your driving to certain times of the day, for example avoiding peak times and late night hours, can reduce your premiums and this applies whether you have a black box or not.
Pass Advanced Tests
Having additional driving qualifications like the Advanced Driving or Pass Plus qualifications can lead to reduced premiums.