Are you’re struggling under the weight of an expensive car insurance plan, or if you’re looking to insure a new car?
Here are three tips that will help you save money whichever plan you choose.
Set the right excess
Sometimes it’s worth considering a higher excess if you’re starting a new price plan, as this will result in lower premiums. However, you need to make sure you can afford the premium if you ever need to claim. Some insurance companies will reduce premiums substantially for a £1,000 excess, so it might be worth asking a few companies if they do this before you decide which one to go with.
However, if you do ever have to make a big claim, you will have to dig deeper into your pockets, so be sure that you can afford the premium. Another similar tip is to let go of the assumption that because the third-party cover is the cheapest, it’s the best. With some insurance companies, the fact that you choose a comprehensive cover means that you’ll be assessed as a lower risk. This can outweigh the fact you’ve chosen a comprehensive plan and instead make it a lot cheaper on the whole. In the car insurance game, it’s all about trial and error.
Add a responsible driver to your plan
This may seem counterintuitive, but adding a second and third driver onto your insurance plan could dramatically reduce the amount you’ll be paying, sometimes by as much as a few thousand. Bear in mind that car insurance is all about risk, therefore adding someone onto your plan who is considered a responsible driver can bring down the policy’s average cost. This is particularly useful for young drivers who are generally seen as a higher risk on the roads.
Car insurance companies are no longer able to discriminate against gender, but factors such as age and driving experience can make a difference when it comes to the cost of insurance. Always make sure the second driver that you choose to add is someone who will be responsible while driving your car, and never add someone as the main driver if they’re not, this is considered ‘fronting’.
If you’re considering a one-off journey, or you’d like to be insured under a vehicle for a limited period, then you may want to consider the short term car insurance policies where cover starts from as little as £10 for a day of cover.
Only opt for add-ons once you know their value
Naturally, car insurance companies will always try to advertise and sell insurance add-ons such as windscreen cover, courtesy cars and legal expenses that can exponentially bump up the price of your plan. Always check the cost of the plan without add-ons first; this way, you’ll know exactly how much each addition would cost, and you can opt to add them on later. Another thing to watch out for is that some add-ons that are advertised as extras may already be included within your standard policy, so read the terms and conditions carefully.
Tips to avoid paying for add-ons include switching insurers every year, checking what’s on offer to you via price comparison websites and trying to haggle with your current insurer to see if they will give you a better deal than others you’ve probably found.
