tips for lowering your car insurance cost

[ingenieur]

hi everybody.

I'm just about to renew my car insurance and wondered what can be done to lower the cost if anything?

Only legal suggestions. I don't want to do anything like pretending I don't use the car for commuting when I will or underestimating my annual mileage or anything like that.

---

1. Get an older car = less likely to be stolen and cheaper to repair
2. Older cars are actually more expensive if you're a new driver - less security, less safe.
3. Check for most cost effective description of what you do for a living: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-in...
4. If you live with an older driver who might drive your car try adding them to your policy, not the main policy holder if this is untrue
5. Prioritise quotes from aggregators such as confused.com, compare the market, etc etc - they tend to be cheaper
6. Try multi-car policies, particularly Admiral. Also good discounts are available if you have home insurance with the same supplier
7. Drive something that is not likely to be family transport
8. Try higher voluntary excess amounts but there is a point where higher makes no difference so there's no point
9. Cheaper to arrange your next year of cover 20-26 days before it is due to start
10. Cashback sites - Use Quidco or TopCashBack

Edited by ingenieur on Thursday 24th November 14:10

[sociopath]

Get older, get a car that's less likely to be stolen and cheaper to repair.

Not guaranteed any will work though.

Just have to suck it up.

[vikingaero]

IAdding business use doesn't affect the premium too much if you are a mature driver. I add business cover and state 500 miles pa just to cover myself if I pop out anywhere, or go somewhere for training.

The key is to use a comparison site. Often the sites such as MoneySupermarket and Compare will have special offers which may not be the lowest price, but include everything - windscreen, personal accident, legal, car hire etc for only a few tens of pounds more than the lowest scraping the barrel price.

[Portofino]

Use an aggregator such as Confused.

Stating parking on driveway rather than garage usually cheaper, same for below 6000 miles, after 6k it’s just treated same as 10k average so not worth the stages in between.

[steveo3002]

try quotes with alternate parking situations , weirdly mine is cheapest for parked in street , add as many old people with clean records onto it , also have a play around with the value i think with lower end stuff some places wont quote for cars under £xx , change it a bit and you get a quote ....wont matter as you get market value if you crash

[ingenieur]

Portofino said:

Use an aggregator such as Confused.

Stating parking on driveway rather than garage usually cheaper, same for below 6000 miles, after 6k it’s just treated same as 10k average so not worth the stages in between.

We're country folk so more like 20k a year!

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

I used to put my Dad on as a named driver to lower the price a bit. You could consider doing a ROSPA or IAM advanced driving course which might lower your insurance, but it might not.

[ingenieur]

sociopath said:

Get older, get a car that's less likely to be stolen and cheaper to repair.

Not guaranteed any will work though.

Just have to suck it up.

I only buy older cars now. I've fallen out of favour with current specifications as per: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I've just bought another old Merc and quickly spent about the same price as the car on top to bring it up to scratch.

[ingenieur]

Chainsaw Rebuild said:

I used to put my Dad on as a named driver to lower the price a bit. You could consider doing a ROSPA or IAM advanced driving course which might lower your insurance, but it might not.

Good idea. I did my passplus many years ago. I started IAM and was almost ready to qualify but life got in the way so could potentially go for that again. But this car is primarily for the wife so I'd only be the named driver anyway.

[bunchofkeys]

When you're asked for the type of job, there is a bit of leeway as to what you can use.
Take a look at this. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-in...

and take a look at this
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car-insurance-co...

[ingenieur]

Those links to Money Saving Expert are good.

If they ask for the total number of cars and you have some classics in the garage do you include those or exclude them?

[ARHarh]

sociopath said:

Get older, get a car that's less likely to be stolen and cheaper to repair.

Not guaranteed any will work though.

Just have to suck it up.

just add a few

Retire, no commuting helps.
Live in a low crime area.
Drive something that is not likely to be family transport.

[8IKERDAVE]

bunchofkeys said:

When you're asked for the type of job, there is a bit of leeway as to what you can use.
Take a look at this. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-in...

and take a look at this
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/car-insurance-co...

Good find that. I always put in company director, but thinking about that statistically there must be millions of them so claim numbers will naturally be higher. A mate of mine used to put in that he was a vicar

[ScoobyChris]

ingenieur said:

Good idea. I did my passplus many years ago. I started IAM and was almost ready to qualify but life got in the way so could potentially go for that again. But this car is primarily for the wife so I'd only be the named driver anyway.

I'm a big proponent of advanced driving and further training, but if your motivation is to reduce your insurance, I think you will be disappointed.

Chris

[steveo3002]

8IKERDAVE said:

Good find that. I always put in company director, but thinking about that statistically there must be millions of them so claim numbers will naturally be higher. A mate of mine used to put in that he was a vicar

do they /can they ask for proof that youre not really a cowboy astronaut ?

[Ussrcossack]

I did my dads recently

Putting me on the policy £60 saving
Upping his annual miles from 8K to 10K £40 saving

Just work out variables and keep legal as you stated OP

[sixor8]

I often try different variables myself and my recent annual mileage reduction has reduced my premium. If your quote was for £40 cheaper for increasing the annual mileage expectation, that's bizarre.

[LuS1fer]

Obviously check a comparison site. I use the one that gives you the free £250 excess cover.

Older cars are actually more expensive if you're a new driver - less security, less safe. Also have higher VED quite often.

Check your MOT to ensure your mileage is right though it may actually make little difference.

The obvious one is increasing your voluntary excess though check at what point it doesn't make any difference as no point making a rod for your own back.

[Shabaza]

Changing your job title often help.
For example my job role can be seen as manager/brand ambassador/consultant.
All 3 are correct, but have different prices.
If you are a young driver, putting on additional drivers who are claimless and older, often also makes it cheaper.

[FamousPheasant]

Shabaza said:

Changing your job title often help.
For example my job role can be seen as manager/brand ambassador/consultant.
All 3 are correct, but have different prices.
If you are a young driver, putting on additional drivers who are claimless and older, often also makes it cheaper.

This would be my suggestion too. I'm an account/sales manager. Mention the word sales to the insurance company and the price increases significantly compared to Account Manager.