What else affects the price women pay for car insurance?

There are only few areas where a woman is not discriminated against in some way; car insurance is one such area. Women receive more favourable car insurance premiums than men. On a like for like basis, a woman under the age of 45, driving the same car, and living in the same area as a man will receive a cheaper insurance premium.

Statistically, insurance companies see that women drivers are cheaper to insure than men.

Predominately this is based upon two things.

Government Research

Figures produced by the Government show that women are less likely to be convicted of a serious offence. The figures show that:

• Only 7% of convictions for driving offences are Women
• Only 2% of dangerous driving convictions are Women

Insurance Histories

Further to this, the insurance companies themselves have provided interesting statistics to help them rate the risk of a woman driver against a man.

• Women tend to drive more slowly
• Women, while having a similar physical number of accidents, will have less costly claims
• Women drive less than men

Other factors

There are also other non gender related factors that affect both women and men equally.

• Where you live
• Where you park your car
• Car engine size and value
• Any previous claims or convictions

are all factors that affect an insurance premium price. On balance, women do receive lower insurance quotes than men.

Women safety when driving alone

It has been statistically proven that women feel more vulnerable when it comes to driving alone. Here are few tips to help women who are driving on their own.

It starts before you get in the car. One of the most important things, especially at night, is getting into the car. Make sure you have your keys in your hand before you approach your car. It is distracting having to fumble for your keys in your bag or your coat pocket and this period of time can make you feel quite vulnerable.

When parking your car on the street or in a car park, make sure it is in a well light area with other cars and people in the area. Avoid parking in dark, unlit streets.

When driving in towns, make sure you drive with all your doors locked and be vigilant when approaching junctions and traffic lights. Get in to the habit of locking your doors as soon as you get into the car and before starting your engine.

Another tip when at junctions is to leave enough room between you are the car in front in case someone tries to gain entry to your car while you are at a set of traffic lights. Leaving enough room to pull out will keep you safe.

Summary

• Have your keys ready before approaching your car
• Avoid parking in unlit areas
• Drive with car doors locked
• Leave room at junctions in case you need to move.

The world of home insurance

Home insurance provides compensation for damage or destruction to your home, which are caused by unforeseen disasters. Disasters take many forms and differ from country to country and what is covered differs from insurance provider to insurance provider.

Insurance should not only cover the brick and mortar aspects of your home but also anything else that goes into the construction such as piping, electrical, doors and windows. It should also offer you cover on any damage and injury caused by members of the household ad even pets and personal liability and legal matters.

This may sound confusing to you, but it isn’t really. Understanding what type of home insurance suits you best is quite easy to do. A simple telephone call to an insurance specialist should clarify and explain your options.

What are your options when you are looking for home insurance? The most important home insurance is one that covers your property in the event of damage; it also covers rebuilding costs if it is destroyed.

Apart from covering a building home insurance also covers contents. Generally you are responsible for ascertaining the value of your contents. It is not advisable to under insure so while putting together an inventory may be a lengthy process, it is well worth the effort. Remember to list absolutely everything including dates of purchase and receipts where possible.

There are also a number of add on variable insurance options available such as covering the contents of your freezer or your sports equipment. You can also cover garden equipment and include under all risks covers such items as jewellery or mobile phones and it is possible to combine building and contents under the same home insurance cover.

Most homeowners recognise the benefits of having their home insured, after all your home is probably your greatest asset, after your family that is, yet not many have a strong understanding about insurance policies. Home insurance companies write home insurance policies, and while not intentional, these polices are often very difficult to translate. In a bid to help clarify their policies, most insurance companies will add a glossary which explains most of the terms commonly placed in the text, yet there still may be times that you need to speak to your insurance specialist to get them to give your clear and concise definitions, in writing preferably.

Damage cover is almost always standard in your home insurance policy and this can save you a lot of heartache not to mention money. What this does is cover you for damages against DIY accidents, for instance you unwittingly spill a bucket of paint over your expensive lounge suite or you drop a hammer through your glass coffee table.

Online current accounts

A current account is a type of bank account designed for day to day use, such as paying bills or receiving wages, and they usually include a cheque book and card for making withdrawals from the cash machine network. Most people now have a current account, and more and more are using them online as they get the added benefits of being able to manage their accounts at any time of day or night and from any location that has a computer. There are lots to choose from, so if you are thinking of using an online current account, consider the following points before you choose a provider.

• Consider what features are important to you

  There is a lot of competition between online providers, and all offer a wide range of features in the hope of getting your business. If you keep a fairly large amount of money in your account and don’t spend it very often, then consider an account offering a higher interest rate. On the other hand, if you regularly use your overdraft look for an account that does not charge for this. There are also more specialised accounts that tie in with your personal views, from those that offer green and ethical guarantees to those that comply with religious rules.

• Don’t pay for what you don’t need

  In the UK, most current accounts are free to operate as long as you stay in credit or within your agreed overdraft limit. However, a few do have monthly charges just for having the account, and others charge for account upgrades that offer features such as ‘money off’ deals or ‘free’ travel insurance. If you don’t need these features, don’t pay for them.

• Understand the terms

  Make sure that you can meet the terms of the current account before you sign up. Some accounts can have conditions attached, such as paying in a certain amount of money every month or only giving an interest free overdraft for a short time. If you can’t deposit the required amount every month or you intend to use the overdraft for quite a while, then you may end up paying charges that you hadn’t bargained for.

• Security

  Online providers should all meet the industry standards of security for their sites. If you are concerned about the risks and you want additional security, look for a provider that offers this. Some take the approach of giving their customers devices that generate a new code every time you want to log in, while others might offer to send you an email or text message whenever there is activity on your online account. You just need to choose the one you will be most comfortable with.

• Word of mouth

  Ask friends and family who they use for their online banking, and what their experiences are. This is a good way to get honest opinions and can give you an idea of how well the account will suit your needs.