How to save on your car insurance

You won’t have much influence over some of the things that affect your car insurance premium, such as your age, gender or where you live. But there are many things you can do to bring your premiums down and save money.

The biggest discount you can obtain on your insurance is your no claims bonus (NCB). Some insurers offer up to 70% off your premium if you have been accident free for five years, but make sure you have written proof from your last company. If you were previously claim free on a company car policy, spouse’s or parent's policy try to get an introductory no claims discount.

Only add drivers to your policy who drive the car regularly. In the long run it’s cheaper to buy a weekend pass for an extra person driving on your insurance if it’s only on the odd occasion. On the other hand, men could profit from putting their spouse on their car insurance, as single men are often rated as more risky drivers. If there will definitely be more than one driver on the policy, it’s worthwhile finding quotes for each to see which driver could get the cheapest deal as the main driver.

If you have a garage, use it for your car – you’ll save on your car insurance premium. If you don’t have your own garage, find out if you can use a secured parking space near by. The parking permit could be cheaper than a high premium.

Also, most cars manufactured after 1997 are fitted with alarms and immobilisers as standard. If you have an older car you could save on your car insurance by having security fitted. Just make sure it’s Thatcham approved to benefit from car insurance discounts.

With comprehensive cover and sometimes third party fire and theft you can reduce your premium by putting your excess up. This is good if you consider yourself a safe driver and won’t cause any accidents. But keep in mind that if you have an accident that is your fault, you’ll have to pay a large excess cost up front.

For more detailed information on how to find the best deal you may want to read our guide to car insurance for young drivers or women or read more about how your location affects your policy