To find out how to get the best deal on your car insurance, follow our seven expert tips.
1. Drive less, pay less
The fewer miles you cover per year, the cheaper your car insurance will be. Why? Because lowering the amount of time you spend on the road naturally reduces your risk of being involved in an accident.
Using your car less isn’t just financially sensible, but it’s excellent for your health and the environment, too.
Walk, car share and use public transport when you can to keep your mileage down.
Just make sure you’re honest about your predicted mileage when searching for car insurance quotes, as lying about it can cause problems later if you come to make a claim.
2. Shop around
Understandably, we all want the best deal on our car insurance. And savvy shoppers know that shopping around helps you find the most competitive policies.
Use a reputable comparison site to enter your credentials and find out which provider can offer you the most affordable policy for your requirements.
Before you switch to a different provider, make sure you give your existing supplier a call to see if they can offer you a better deal to keep you as a customer.
3. Don’t add drivers to your policy
If you’re thinking of adding friends or family as named drivers on your car insurance policy, think again. Unless they’re going to be using the vehicle regularly, adding extra drivers can hike up your premium, especially if they’re on the younger end of the driver spectrum.
Keep it to just you unless it’s necessary – you can always add friends or family for a day or two if needed for a trip.
4. Save up to pay annually
Paying for your car insurance annually in one lump sum, rather than monthly instalments, can save you at least 20%.
If you can, put a little aside each month so you can afford to pay for it all in one go next time it’s due for renewal. Or, take out a 0% interest credit card and use that to pay for your policy.
Remember, taking out credit is only ever a smart move if you can use it sensibly. If you feel it may be a slippery slope into serious debt, paying a little more for monthly payments may be a wiser financial move for you in the long-term than the temptation of spending unnecessarily on a new credit card.
5. Never auto-renew your car insurance
Ensuring you enjoy cheap car insurance year after year means keeping on top of how much you’re paying and when your policy is coming to an end.
Insurance companies may auto-renew your existing policy if you don’t contact them to terminate it or negotiate a better deal, leaving you stuck paying more than you need to.
Keep a note in your calendar or sign up to our alerts to start looking for cheap car insurance deals a few weeks before your existing policy ends to avoid slipping into a costly auto-renewal.
6. Keep your car safe
Keeping your car safe is a great way to keep your insurance costs low. If you have a secure garage at home where you can park your car overnight, use it! It’s much safer to keep your vehicle in a garage or driveway than on the street.
Equally, it’s worth investing in additional security measures like steering wheel locks, immobilisers, car alarms and trackers if you can afford to.
After all, your car is probably your priciest possession, other than your home. Keeping it protected will give you both peace of mind and access to cheaper car insurance policies.
7. Think about a black box
A black box, or telematics software, is a GPS device that can be fitted in your vehicle to help you drive more safely and track it if it’s stolen.
Telematics, also known as “pay as you drive”, can be a cheaper option – especially for young drivers – as it’s personalised to your usage rather than being calculated based on estimations.
Your insurance provider can fit your black box, or you could be asked to download an app to your phone so that they can keep tabs on you that way. Data about your car usage is then passed on to your insurance company so that they can charge you accordingly.
Installing a black box can be a great way to access cheaper car insurance deals if you’re struggling to get the cost down any other way.
Where can I find the best car insurance deals?
YouSave is an independent comparison site designed to help you find the best deals on car insurance, utilities, finance and more.
When you search for car insurance quotes here, you can be assured we’ve scoured the web for the best deals from the most reputable insurers, saving you money and keeping you safe on the road.
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