Getting cheap car insurance

The law says that you have to insure your car, but that doesn’t mean that you should a pay a fortune for it. There are a few things that can help you get cheap car insurance, and we’ve pulled them together for you in this article.

• Shop around. Get quotes from different places, and compare the features as well as the price of each provider. The easiest way to get a lot of quotes quickly is to use one of the online insurance comparison websites. Some providers will let you remove things you might not need, such as European breakdown cover or a hire car, to make the policy a little bit cheaper.
• Garage your car overnight. Parking your car in a garage can get you a decent discount off the full premium.
• Secure your car. Consider buying a Thatcham approved security device, such as a steering wheel cover or immobiliser, as this can often get you another discount. Even if your car is secure in garage when at home, it makes sense to be sure that your car is secure when parked up while you are at work or out shopping.
• Don’t automatically renew. A lot people make the mistake of assuming that their current provider will automatically be the cheapest when it comes to renewal. That isn’t always the case, especially as many providers offer additional discounts to brand new customers.
• Look out for promotions. Many providers offer incentives to take out a policy with them, such as free legal or breakdown cover. Some even offer cashback, and when you take the cashback amount or the cost of your normal breakdown cover off the price of the premium you might well find that it works out cheaper overall.
• Haggle. Don’t be afraid of making providers work to get your business. If you’ve had a cheaper quote from someone else, ask them if they can beat it.
• Check your mileage. If you don’t drive a lot of miles every year, then ask if you can have a low mileage policy. Insurance companies may see you as being a lower risk, but if you don’t tell them they’ll make assumptions and charge you accordingly.
• Speak to insurance specialists. If you aren’t a ‘typical’ driver, there are providers who specialise in certain areas and can often give you a better deal. If you are under than 21 or over 50 for example, or drive a 4×4 or a classic car, there will be a provider wanting your business and offering cheaper policies to get it. Search the internet or look at the adverts in motoring magazines to find them.