Many students across the country will be off to university very soon, and about a third of students who own cars take them with them to university.
Students at the University of Winchester could be paying around £1,263 per year for car insurance – the cheapest of all those analysed – according to a new study by Independent Advisor Car Insurance.
The experts at Independent Advisor Car Insurance sourced accommodation addresses for 60 universities across the UK to find average car insurance quotes for students, to uncover which universities offer the cheapest insurance.
Top 10 cheapest universities for car insurance
| Ranking | University | Average annual quote |
| 1 | University of Winchester | £1,263 |
| 2 | Wrexham University | £1,267 |
| 3 | University of Aberystwyth | £1,430 |
| 4 | University of Stirling | £1,498 |
| 5 | University of Cumbria | £1,501 |
| 6 | Plymouth Marjon University | £1,567 |
| 7 | University of York | £1,579 |
| 8 | University of Lincoln | £1,671 |
| 9 | Bishop Grosseteste, Lincoln | £1,684 |
| 10 | University of Bath | £1,688 |
According to the study, the cheapest university for students to insure their cars is the University of Winchester at £1,263 per year. A quote for students at Winchester was almost half the average across all the universities in the study (£2,400).
Ranking in a very close second is Wrexham University in Wales. The average quote for students at this address was just £1,267 each year.
In third is another Welsh university: University of Aberystwyth. Here, the cost is £1,430 annually, almost £1000 below the average annual quote in the study.
Top 10 most expensive universities for car insurance
| Ranking | University | Average annual quote |
| 1 | University of Leeds | £4,804 |
| 2 | Aston University | £4,616 |
| 3 | University of Birmingham | £4,562 |
| 4 | Queen Mary, University of London | £4,260 |
| 5 | University of Central Lancashire | £3,529 |
| 6 | Liverpool John Moores University | £3,516 |
| 7 | Brunel University | £3,499 |
| 8 | University of Coventry | £3,170 |
| 9 | Edge Hill University | £3,154 |
| 10 | Staffordshire University | £3,076 |
The number one most expensive university for students to insure their cars is the University of Leeds, according to the study. Average quotes using the university address came to £4,804 per year, double the average across all universities in the study (£2,400).
Ranking second is Aston University in Birmingham, with an average annual quote of £4,616 for students to insure their cars. This is over £2,200 more per year than the average in the study.
In third place is another Birmingham university: University of Birmingham. The average quote using this university address came to £4,562.
Connor Campbell, expert at Independent Advisor Car Insurance, provides his insight for students and young drivers looking to save money on their car insurance.
“Many young drivers are shocked when they see the quotes for their first car insurance policy, but there are a few key tips that could bring that cost down to something more manageable.”
- Adjust the details of your policy: There are many factors that go into the cost of an insurance policy, and changing those features could bring down your quote significantly. For example, opting for a higher voluntary excess (but only one you could reasonably afford), or lowering the mileage (if you know you won’t be covering that much distance) can both reduce the cost of your cover. You should also compare the cost of comprehensive insurance against the price of third party cover – it’s surprisingly often the former that comes out the cheapest.
- Consider black box insurance: Not only is taking out black box policy – which sees your provider monitor your driving habits through a small device fitted in your car or an app on your smartphone – often cheaper up front, it allows new drivers to prove that they are safe behind the wheel. This may bring down insurance premiums long-term.
- Add a low risk driver to your policy: Adding a more experienced named driver to your policy, such as a parent, could bring down the cost, as insurance providers may view this as lowering the risk. However, this person must intend to use the car, otherwise you could risk invalidating the policy, so this may not be the best option for students living away from home.
- Choose your car wisely: The type of car you drive also plays a big role in the cost of insurance. Cars are sorted into insurance groups ranging from 1 to 50 (with 1 being the cheapest to insure); opting for a car in a lower insurance group is one of the best ways to save on your policy. You can use online tools to check the insurance group of any vehicle before purchasing.
- Don’t buy cover last minute: The closer you are to your policy start date, the more you’ll end up paying for your car insurance. We’ve found that younger drivers can save more than £100 by buying cover 28 days before they need it instead of one week prior.
- Shop around: Exploring all your options when looking for an insurance policy is absolutely key. Going with the first quote you are provided with is unlikely to be the most affordable choice; using comparison tools and looking at a variety of providers is always beneficial.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.