Car Insurance

Other topics which may affect the cost of your insurance

Where do you keep your car over night?

You will usually be asked where you keep your car overnight. It is important that you do not mislead your insurers as to where your vehicle is kept overnight as, if something was to happen to the vehicle whilst it was parked elsewhere, any claims could be invalidated. It’s also good to remember that in some instances, parking your vehicle on the road could be cheaper than parking it on your drive way so honesty, is usually the best policy.

Your cars mileage

How many miles do you drive every year? If you drive 5000 miles, don’t tell your insurer you drive 10,000 as this will greatly increase your premiums. By telling you insurer that you are driving more miles than you actually make in your car you are making yourself look like a higher risk. Equally, if you tell the insurer that you are going to drive 5000 miles when you will actually drive 10000 then you could land yourself in trouble. You could check your MOT certificates from one year to the next to see how many miles you have driven in the past year, and if you intend to drive in a similar style then use this as a guide.

Named drivers

Naming additional drivers on your policy can increase the costs of your insurances but provide any other drivers a greater level of cover. It is often thought that if you have comprehensive insurance, you can drive other vehicles third party however this varies per policy so always check your wording before jumping into another person’s vehicle. Even so, third party cover would not cover any damage to your own vehicle

Spreading your car insurance costs

Many people look for policies that spread the costs over the year to lessen the impact on their cash flow. Most insurance providers offer flexible payment options these days but may charge an additional fee for doing so. Be sure to check with your provider if they are going to charge any additional fee’s.

Home owner?

Ever wondered why you are asked if you are a homeowner or not? Put simply, home owners are viewed by some insurance providers as being a lower risk as they may be in a more stable time of their life and less likely to drive erratically.

Married?

Much like being a homeowner, some insurers will view a married person as being less of a risk on the road than someone who is single.

Gender differences in costs

Since December 2012 it has been illegal for any European insurer to view males or females as less risky drivers. Because of this, there should be no difference in the prices of your insurance due to your gender.