As the price of insuring a car is now at the highest level since records began, a growing number of motorists are looking for clever ways to cut their costs.
A typical driver will now spend £511 a year insuring their vehicle, the highest cost since records began in 2012, according to the Association of British Insurers.
Our inbox has been innundated with letters from readers who have seen their premiums skyrocket, with one quoted an increase of 155 pc if she renewed with the same insurer.
Another was quoted an annual bill of more than £1,200, despite having 50 years of driving under her belt.
Meanwhile, last week we revealed that drivers over the age of 70 are being targeted by insurance companies, with many facing price hikes of more than 50 pc when they renew their policies.
Get a dashcam, go on a driving course — and apply for a discount if you only drive short distances (Stock Image)
There are, however, many clever ways to keep costs down. Here are 15 tips to keep your car insurance under control:
HOW TO CUT YOUR CAR INSURANCE
1 Get a car tracker. A car tracker is a small device that is fitted to the interior and uses satellites to identify your vehicle’s location.
As well as giving you extra security, trackers can also help you save money on your car insurance as they reduce the chance of your car being stolen, damaged or written off, according to comparison website Confused.com. Prices start from £40.
2 Buy cover before your renewal is due. The closer you are to your renewal date the more insurers will charge you for a new premium. You can take out a new policy up to 29 days before your insurance expires and lock in the price you’re quoted on that day.
Comparison site Go.Compare says that its customers saved 44 pc on average by buying their car insurance 27 days before their renewal date. You can compare policies at thisismoney.co.uk/car-insurance.
3 Use the right job title. Insurers consider some jobs to be riskier than others. For example, calling yourself a tree surgeon could cost you more than saying you are a gardener. Try typing in different job titles when shopping around for quotes on comparison websites to save money.
4 Update your mileage. You may be eligible for low mileage car insurance. This is specialist cover for drivers who do not spend much time on the road each year.
If you are retired, own multiple cars or have a classic car then you could save money with a specialist policy. People who drove 6,000 miles a year pay around 8 pc less for their car insurance than those who drove 10,000 miles a year, according to a Go.Compare survey released last year.
But be careful. Underestimating your mileage can invalidate your insurance as you are only covered for the estimate you gave. Any journeys outside of this are not insured.
5 Take an advanced driving course. Advanced driving courses such as IAM RoadSmart or Pass Plus can reduce your premiums, suggests consumer expert Martyn James.
Taking advanced driving classes could make your car insurance premium up to 15 pc cheaper, according to Confused.com. They will also help you avoid accidents, which protects your no claims discount. A typical day course costs between £150 and £200.
6 Use your clubcard. Sainsbury’s and Tesco offer a discount of up to 10 pc on their car insurance to customers who have a clubcard.
Just enter your clubcard number on the website when prompted, or if you renew via telephone then mention that you have a clubcard during the call. You should always check the premium against the best prices you can get on comparison websites . . .
7 …and earn reward points. Sainsbury’s customers can earn 4,000 Nectar points when they buy car insurance directly from Sainsbury’s Bank using the code MOTOR20.
Every Nectar point is worth 0.5p and the credit will be added to your Nectar account within 60 days of your policy start date.
8 Enter your driving licence number. Most insurance companies will ask for your driving licence number when you apply for insurance in order to verify the information you have provided. Sharing this information can reduce the risk of mistakes, which means you will receive a more accurate quote.
9 Hide your valuables. Cluttered cars attract thieves, says consumer rights expert Scott Dixon.
‘Keep your car clean and tidy,’ he suggests. ‘Phone leads, briefcases, handbags, sat-nav holders and paperwork are the most common items drivers leave visible.’
A car theft can raise your premiums by hundreds of pounds when you come to renew.
10 Try a dashcam. A dashboard camera attaches to your windscreen and records what is happening on the road while you drive. Prices start from £25 but a dashcam could save you hundreds of pounds if you use it to prove an accident was not your fault.
Some insurers will also give you a discount on your policy if you install one. For example, Adrian Flux customers can save 15 pc with a dashcam.
11 Buy classic car insurance. If your car is more than 15 years old and is worth at least £15,000 then you could save money with classic car insurance.
Heritage vehicles are often also cheaper to insure than new cars as they are driven less frequently and owners usually take better care of them.
For example, it costs an average of £776 a year to insure a modern car but £428 to insure a VW Beetle, according to Confused.com.
12 Add a younger driver. If you are an older driver — usually considered to be 70 years old or above — then adding a younger driver to your policy can bring down your premiums, Mr James says.
Only add someone who will actually be driving the car, though. However, those aged 21 and below are often more expensive to insure, so adding them to your policy is unlikely to save you money.
13 Don’t modify your car. Modifications mean that your vehicle no longer meets the manufacturer’s standards, which makes it more expensive to insure. Upgrading your car’s suspension or wheels can increase your premiums by up to 83 pc, adding approximately £624 to your insurance costs each year, according to comparison website Uswitch.
14 Check your vehicle’s value. Car and motorcycle insurance complaints are at a five-year high, according to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Disputes about the value of claims is one of the main reasons, says Mr Dixon.
‘Claims are being denied as motorists are incorrectly valuing their cars either below or above their actual value,’ he says.
Let your provider know if your car’s value has changed, for example if the make and model of your vehicle is discontinued, to avoid being underinsured.
15 Opt for short-term insurance. Adding certain additional drivers to your policy can be expensive if they use your car infrequently. Temporary insurance allows you to insure another person for up to 30 days, which could be cheaper than adding them as a named driver.
