CAR insurance may have revved up since 2022, but there are still lots of ways to drive down costs.
Premiums now average £622 a year, up from £419 in 2022, says the Association of British Insurers.
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It is young drivers and those over-80 being hit hardest.
Under-25s hand over £1,786 on average, according to comparison site Compare The Market, while older drivers fork out £637.
Trade body the ABI blames the rising costs on expensive claims and the fact vehicle repair costs have been increasing with inflation.
It also points the finger at high tax rates.
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The organisation is now calling on the Government to reduce the tax rate and crack down on fraud and uninsured driving, which it says will reduce costs.
There is evidence that price pressures are beginning to moderate, with the most recent figures showing a £12 drop from their peak.
But insurance experts say the Government needs to act on tax to bring it down further.
ALA Insurance founder Simon England believes insurance prices are “over-inflated” by tax.
He says: “For those living outside of major cities and towns, where transport infrastructure is inefficient or unreliable, driving is a necessity, not a luxury.
From haggling over your renewal quote to installing a black box in your car, Sun Money shares ten ways to bring down your premiums . . .
1. Time it right
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WHEN it comes to renewing, timing is everything – with around three weeks before your policy ends being the best time.
“The price increases nearer to the renewal date,” says Helen Dewdney, a consumer expert who writes under the blog name The Complaining Cow.
According to comparison site Confused.com, those who take out a policy 18 days before their renewal date pay nearly half the price of those who buy on the day their renewal is due.
So don’t hang around.
2. Compare prices
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NEVER accept the first renewal price offered by your insurer.
Julie Daniels, motor insurance expert at Compare The Market, says that using a comparison site can save you up to £461 on your insurance premiums.
When “Complaining Cow” Helen renewed her policy, she made a little extra cash by going directly through cashback site Topcashback after first checking out the prices on a comparison site. She says: “It shows the importance of using all the different sites and going direct.”
3. Haggle
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CONSUMER champion Scott Dixon says that haggling with your existing insurer can pay dividends.
“I saved £51 last year by doing so,” he adds. “Be polite, play on the loyalty factor, say how delighted you have been with the service over the years and how reluctant you would be to leave.”
He also says that if your insurer adds an “admin fee” to your renewal, you should ask to cancel that as well.
“It doesn’t cost £25 to push a button to set up a policy,” he adds.
4. Change jobs
CHANGE the way you describe your occupation if you think you might be penalised for doing something that is considered too “risky”.
There are usually many ways to describe the job you do, and some will push your premiums up.
Try MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis’s “Job Picker tool” (moneysavingexpert.com) which shows you tweaks you can make.
One user saved £100 by saying he worked in “software design” as opposed to “computer games development”.
5. Cut extras
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SHAVE off more from your insurance costs by cutting out unnecessary extras, says consumer champion Scott.
These include breakdown cover if you already have it with your bank account, or legal cover, which you may have with your home insurance.
Amending your excess – the amount you pay in event of a claim – can also cut the price.
“The difference between £50 and £100 excess can reduce the amount significantly,” advises blogger Helen.
6. Get a black box
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INSTALLING telematics or a “black box” can bring premiums down.
The technology monitors your driving and gives you a policy that is cheaper if you drive safely and/or for fewer miles a year.
While they are mainly aimed at younger drivers, Helen, 55, got a black box policy with Ticker, taking down her renewal quote from £1,050 to £625.
She says: “Black box was offered because I am deemed a safe driver and this apparently means a lower renewal cost next year if measurements go right.”
7. Extra driver
ADDING a named driver to your policy can be a winning strategy if they are more experienced behind the wheel than you.
Figures from Confused.com show that those who add another driver to their policy save £125 on average, with those who put a spouse on their policy saving £363.
In some cases, if you have more than one car in the family, a multi-car policy could also save you cash, so check whether this is available before taking out an extra policy.
8. Secure it
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MOVING your car to a secure location overnight can bring costs down, says Rhydian Jones, motoring expert at Confused.com.
So make sure you tell your insurer if you have a garage or driveway that you use.
Also consider adding anti theft devices and security measures, such as a steering lock, alarm or GPS tracking software, to your car.
These touches can also see insurers lower their premiums as the risk of theft is reduced.
9. No porkies
WHILE changing how you describe your job can lower your premiums, it is important that you are still telling the truth – or your insurance will not be valid.
You also risk invalidating your insurance if you say you do a small number of miles per year and then exceed this.
Another no-no is so-called “fronting”. This is where an older driver states they are the main driver on a teen’s car to take down the premium. It can also lead to insurance being invalidated – and to a possible criminal record.
10. Get your facts right
CHEAPER car insurance is great, obviously, but not if it doesn’t suit your needs.
So make sure you understand whether your cover is fully comprehensive or third party, for example.
Third party will usually be the cheaper option, but it won’t cover damage to your car in a collision where you are at fault. And it won’t let you drive other people’s cars.
You must also ensure you read the small print on the insurance, and that you have described your circumstances correctly.
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.