I saved £400 using a Martin Lewis tool – my essential bill now costs less than last year
A WOMAN has revealed how she saved £400 on an essential bill thanks to a free Martin Lewis tool.
The handy trick entirely cancelled out a steep price hike and even meant she was paying less than before.
The case was highlighted as a "success of the week" in the latest edition of Martin's MSE newsletter.
Everyone in Britain has felt the pinch of the cost of living crisis, fuelled by supercharged inflation.
The past few years have seen everything from supermarket basics to energy bills shoot up in price.
One of the worst-hit sectors, though, has been car insurance, with premiums hitting an all-time high in 2023.
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Some motorists have complained of quotes as high as £5,000 just to be legally allowed on the road.
But there was relief for MSE fans Ashley, who used the site's Compare+ Tool to make major savings on her bills.
She told the team: "My car is due for renewal this November.
"My quoted premium increased from £500 to £900, even though I've never claimed in over 50 years of driving.
"Using MSE's Compare+ tool, I have secured fully comprehensive cover for £470 (saving £430), which is less than last year… without losing any benefits.
"Thank you Martin for your valued guidance."
You can then simply fill in the questionnaire, which is powered by the comparison site MoneySupermarket.
Make sure to use Martin's top tips on things like which job title to use (find out with the tool) or the best time to buy cover.
The software will then generate the best quotes from a range of insurers, as well as letting you know if Direct Line is likely to give you a better price.
It will also list other comparison sites which might be able to secure cheaper rates.
And if you're still not happy, the tool will also advise which changes you can make to your application to cut costs while remaining honest.
How to get cheap car insurance
CAR insurance is an essential cost that you hope to never use but will need to cover the costs of theft or damage to your vehicle.
It's a legal requirement to have car insurance, and going without it could land you with a £300 fine, six penalty points on your licence and even a criminal conviction.
But there are several ways to slash your premiums.
Pay upfront
Insurers give you the choice of paying for insurance monthly or upfront.
Paying monthly spreads the cost of your cover but the insurer adds interest charges which means the average motorist pays around ten per cent more overall.
If you pay for your car insurance annually you don’t pay any interest.
A typical motorist can save up to £225 a year by paying in one go, according to comparison site MoneySuperMarket.
Increase your excess
The excess is what you agree to pay each time you need to make a claim on your policy.
You can usually choose your own excess when setting up a policy and it can be as low as £100 and as high as £500 or more.
The higher your excess, the lower your premium and vice versa.
This means you could bring the cost of your insurance down by agreeing to pay more if you do need to make a claim.
But before you hike your excess, make sure you would be able to pay in the event that you do need to make a claim.
Tweak your job
Certain jobs are seen as more risky than others for insurance purposes.
Making small but accurate changes to your job title can save you money.
For example, swapping your role from "chef" to "caterer" can save you £20, comparison site GoCompare found.
And changing your role from "fast food delivery driver" to "delivery driver" could save you £40.
But lying about your job could invalidate your policy so make sure any changes are legitimate and accurate.
Shop around
Not all comparison sites have the same range of insurers so to get the best price it’s a good idea to check two or three from Go Compare, Comparethemarket, MoneySupermarket and Confused.com.
Insurer Direct Line is also not on comparison sites so check its prices directly.
You can also get a free cash bonus by going via a cashback site such as Topcashback or Quidco.
Save the date
Renewing your car insurance sooner rather than later could save you some cash.
New cover becomes more expensive the closer you get to the renewal date.
But you can buy your car insurance up to 29 days before the policy start date and 'lock in' the price you're quoted on that day.
A typical driver can save up to £265 buying new cover at least 27 days before their current policy ends, according to Go Compare.