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Car insurance

How to get cheaper car insurance

Car insurance is an expense we'd all rather not have to pay, but if we want to get around on the roads safely and without any nasty surprises - we all have to have it. That being said, there are a few things we can bear in mind when it comes to helping keep costs down.

Here's where to start.

  1. Choose the best cover option for you

    Whether you're a learner, just passed or an experienced driver, it's important to make sure you're buying an insurance product that meets your needs.

    Shop around for the best deals, not the cheapest deals. Think of it like that too-good-to-be-true holiday offer that keeps popping up online - the one that looks like paradise but in reality the airport is 5 hours away from any sign of life and your accommodation is actually just a shed in an abandoned field.

    Check out ingenie's different car insurance options:

    1. Take out a learner policy on someone else's car (with their permission!)
    2. Get your own black box learner policy on your own car
    3. Get your own black box policy as a new or experienced driver

    Remember, the cheapest quote on a comparison site may not include vital cover that you need. Make sure you completely know what you’re paying for before you sign up and you’re also aware of any driving restrictions on the policy like curfews or mileage caps.

  2. Your car (obviously)

    So the type of car you want to insure is going to play a big part in how much your insurance costs and there’s many reasons for that. Firstly, it’s value. If you’re driving a brand new, expensive car it’s going to cost more to repair the parts or replace them than an older, less flashy one.

    If the car is rare, the parts will be harder to find, which you guessed it - means it’s more expensive to insure. How much it would cost the insurer if you had a crash or if the car was stolen is a big thing that goes into your price.

    The power under the bonnet also has a large bearing. Try and go for a car with an engine size of 1.4 litres or below. The faster the car, the higher the chances of an expensive accident. You see the theme?

    One that drivers perhaps don’t always consider as a factor is desirability. If the car is attractive, (you know the one on the glossy TV ad everyone wants?) it’s likely that it will catch the eye of Mr Car thief too. Moral of this story: go for an uglier car.

  3. Mileage

    It’s important to really think about your mileage when you give the insurer your estimate. You can increase this during the year if you need to, but it's best to try and calculate as close as you can to an accurate mileage figure, to make sure you’re not paying for miles you don’t actually need.

    Equally, selecting an estimate much lower than you know you'll be driving could end up costing you too, as you could be charged a fee every time you need to add more miles.

    Try out our handy mileage calculator when you get a quote with ingenie to make sure you're only paying for miles you need.
  4. Think carefully about named drivers

    Most new drivers opt for having a named driver on their first insurance policy (usually Mum or Dad) and while adding a named driver to the policy can sometimes bring your insurance down, it can also increase it if they have a claims history.

    If Dad got caught driving over the speed limit a few years ago or Mum reversed into someone in the supermarket car park – just remember you do have to tell your insurer about those too.

    The best thing to do to get an indicator as to whether your named driver is going to bump your insurance price up or down, is to run through 2 separate quotes, one with their details and one without - then you can compare prices.

  5. Get a black box

    Black boxes are such a simple way for you to keep your insurance costs down once you've bought your policy. In most cases, you'll be able to fit the box yourself, by just plugging it into your car. If not, an engineer will come out and install the box for you. So all you actually need to do, is drive safely.

    With ingenie, if you drive well, you could keep earning discounts all year round instead of waiting until the end of the policy year. You’ll also get driving feedback via an app, so you can improve your overall driving style and get yourself a better price when it comes to renewing.

    Remember: being covered for a crash is pretty much the whole reason behind buying car insurance. Please don't be tempted to gloss over the facts to save a few quid now - it could cost you massively later on.
  6. Since you're half way to becoming an insurance expert, here's more info on how your insurance price is worked out.


By

Katey Joined ingenie in 2014 and is in charge of all things social and content. She passed her driving test in 2015 and her first car is a Toyota Yaris T3 named Tyrone.