Knowing how to get cheap car insurance can be essential for price-aware customers like young drivers and those on a budget, keeping the costs of keeping a car operational down.
You can use several options to reduce the cost of your car insurance. Some of them require more preparation than others. They include:
- Owning the right car.
- Specialist young drivers’ insurance.
- Telematics / ’Black Box’ insurance.
- Lower levels of cover.
- Insurance quote comparison.
1. Owning the Right Car
Often, different cars will receive very different quotes for the same insurance cover. There are many possible reasons for this, from the age of the car (older cars are more likely to experience failure, and much older cars may be more expensive to service) to the cost (more costly vehicles cost more to repair if they’re damaged) to the type (with some fast cars considered a more significant risk).
An inexpensive recent-model car known for its reliability is ideal for cheaper insurance premiums. In 2018, many insurers recommended recent Nissan Micra, Kia Rio, and Volkswagen Polo models as three of the most affordable cars to insure.
2. Specialist Young Drivers’ Insurance
Young car drivers’ insurance is offered specifically for younger, newer drivers. Some policies in this range are designed to reduce the costs many young drivers face due to their perceived experience, the higher likelihood of taking risks on the road, and the lack of time they’ve had to collect a ‘no claims bonus’.
By carefully comparing policies within this range, young drivers can often find a better deal than expected.
3. Telematics / Black Box Insurance
Black box insurance, also known as telematics insurance, is a car insurance policy that requires you to attach a ‘black box’ to your car. The box wirelessly broadcasts GPS data, allowing your location, speed, and direction to be tracked. This means that if you experience an accident, you can show whose fault it was. That reduces the risk to the insurance company, which passes that benefit on in reduced costs.
Black box insurance has also been shown to encourage drivers who might have had high-risk premiums to drive more safely. This reduces premiums and makes you safer, which is a considerable benefit.
4. Lower Levels of Cover
While it isn’t advisable to reduce your cover below what you need, there are some ways to reduce your cover—and thus your costs —which may be appropriate for some circumstances.
For example, students who use their car only while living away from home may be able to take advantage of limited-mileage car insurance (available if you travel less than 5,000 miles in a year) or short-term insurance policies —insured only for those parts of the year the driver will be active.
Be careful not to exceed and void your protection!
5. Insurance Quote Comparison
Even if your current policy was the best available to you when you last signed up, it may not be any longer by the time you need to renew your car insurance. It’s rarely true that renewing your current policy is the cheapest way to get the car insurance coverage you want.
Instead, take the time to compare car insurance quotes each time. This technique is probably the most effective of the options we’ve considered, and best of all, it works alongside them.