How to save hundreds on your car insurance with these seven simple tricks
GETTING the best value for money on your car insurance can often be a real challenge.
But, there are several simple tricks that can help you save £100s on your car insurance.
Some of these tips are as easy as making sure your job title is correct when you apply for insurance.
But, the largest savings are reserved for younger drivers as they have larger premiums to begin with and so have more to save.
There are still plenty of tips for older drivers who want to drive down the cost of their car insurance.
Here are Go Compare’s seven easy ways for you to potentially shave hundreds off your car insurance premiums.
1. Save £88 by using the right job title
Insurers look at your job title when you apply for a job to determine how much of a risk you might be.
Some job titles are viewed as more risky than others and can drive up your premiums so it is important to use the right job title.
If your job can have two separate titles like a kitchen worker or chef, picking the right occupation can make a big difference.
Go Compare found that there was an £88 difference in your premiums if you described yourself as a chef rather than a kitchen worker.
It is still important that you are as honest as possible with your job title as if you give false information your insurance could be invalidated.
MoneySuperMarket found that students could be paying as much as £677 for their insurance because they listed themselves as unemployed rather than studying full-time.
2. Save £520 by adding a more experienced driver to your policy
Young and inexperienced drivers often have to pay the highest insurance premiums.
But Go Compare found that you could save up to £520 by adding a more experienced driver like a parent to your policy.
This is because an experienced driver will lower the risk on your policy as it won’t be just the inexperienced driver driving the car.
3. Save £76 by buying your insurance early
Go Compare found that your car insurance is around £76 cheaper if you buy it one week before it is due to start.
So although buying insurance isn’t fun, showing a bit of get up and go drive could save you a fair bit of cash.
4. Save £120 by paying annually
Although it can be more convenient to pay monthly, choosing to pay your car insurance yearly can save you around £120.
Go Compare found that the savings from paying in a lump sum can be so significant that it might be worth paying your yearly bill on a 0 per cent credit card and then spreading out the payments across a longer period of time.
But as with all 0 per cent credit cards, make sure you can pay off the card before the 0 per cent period ends.
5. Save £140 by ditching the extras
With any packaged car insurance policy it is very tempting to add on extras like courtesy car cover or wind screen cover.
These extras may make you feel like you have a better level of cover, but you should really consider wheter you need these extras.
Go Compare reckon that you could save around £140 if you don’t bother with these extras.
You can also save by not using a multi-car insurance policy, one Money Saving Expert reader saved £1,400 by switching their three cars onto seperate policies.
How to compare car insurance
THE prices that are quoted by insurers can vary massively from provider to provider.
The exact same person with the same car at the same address can get hugely different qoutes from different insurers.
This is why it is important to compare prices and policies to make sure you find the best deal for you.
Top comparison sites like Go Compare, MoneySuperMarket and Confused.com are all great options if you are looking to scour through policies to find a great deal.
They allow you to check hundreds of insurance policies quickly, but they aren’t completely comprehensive.
There is no one comparison site that can cover the entire car insurance market so make sure you look at multiple sites to get a good idea of which deals are around.
It is also worth noting that several insurers such as Aviva, Direct Line and Zurich are not on comparison sites, so you will have to contact them directly to get a quote.
When looking for a quote it is important to remember that you are not just looking for the cheapest possible deal, you are looking for the right policy for what you need.
You should always try and get a good deal on your car insurance, but don’t let that get in the way of not having proper coverage or having to pay high excesses.
6. Save £280 when you shop around
The best and most reliable way to save yourself money on your car insurance is to shop around for the best deals.
Using a comparison site like Go Compare, Money Super Market or Confused.com will allow you to compare the best offers on car insurance in minutes.
You could stand to save up to £270 just by shopping around, according to Go Compare.
7. Save £370 with a black box
Black box or telemetrics insurance policies allow you to have your insurance policies based on how well you drive, Go Compare found that a black box could save a 17 year old driver as much as £370 a year.
These policies tend to be geared towards younger drivers with low mileage so make sure a black box policy is right for you before you commit to it.
A black box is a device or app which is connected to your car that sends reports back to your insurer about your driving.
If you drive well your insurance premiums can go down, but if you drive poorly the cost of your insurance may go up.
These black boxes are especially useful for younger drivers who want to bring down their insurance premiums.
Insurers say that statistically younger drivers are more likely to be involved in a crash, making them more of a risk and driving up their insurance costs.
Data from a black box can help young drivers show their insurer that they are a responsible driver and help lower their car insurance costs.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 78 24516. Don’t forget to join the for the latest bargains and money-saving advice.