James / Published on October 29, 2013
Did you know that one in three people now overpay for their car insurance, according to the RAC?
Shocking!
And with the new EU rules, this number is likely to rise due to insurers being banned from offering lower rates based on gender.
‘How do I reduce my car insurance?’
To ensure you keep your car insurance costs down, we have collected the best tips on the web;
1. Protect your no-claims bonus
The best way to keep your car insurance down is to protect your no-claims bonus. You may initially think, well that means the premium will cost more, but this is irrelevant when you factor in the potential loss of a 90% discount on a premium of several hundred pounds.
The definitions of a no claims bonus can vary between insurers so make sure you check the policy carefully before committing to anything.
2. Accept a higher excess
You may be reluctant to do this but if you increase your voluntary excess, it will bring down your premiums. If you aren’t at fault in an accident, then you will get the excess back so just make sure you drive carefully!
3. Pay annually
You will likely baulk at this one, but paying by direct debit in monthly instalments usually means you will be paying higher interest rates.
Borrow a credit card with a 0 per cent purchase rate and use that to pay for your car insurance up front and clear it within one year.
4. Sign up to a blackbox policy
If you agree to have your car installed with a tracking system, you can get cheaper car insurance. Known as blackbox policies, you get rewarded for being a good and safe driver where insurers will cut premiums significantly once you prove you are a good driver. The people whose premiums are high will benefit the most from this, i.e young drivers.
5. Haggle, haggle, haggle
Car insurance is one of the easiest things to bargain down because the market is so competitive. The best way to go about haggling is to use an online comparison site like Go Compare or Confused.com and find your cheapest price. Then, call a few companies up and tell them you want them to do you a better deal and don’t back down until you get what you want!
With these useful tips, you are sure to get a good deal for your car insurance.
Good luck!
