Modern life has no shortage of ongoing costs looking to sap your bank account, so you need to look for ways to save money wherever you can. One of the most frustrating is the cost of car insurance – something that you’re legally required to pay (no matter the safety of your driving) but can vary massively, and often for unclear reasons.
If you are unfamiliar with insurance quotes and how much they can vary, then you might want to learn about insurance plans. You don’t need to settle for the first quote that you’re given, though. If you go about things in the right way, you can come away with a much better deal.
Make your life easier and keep some money in the bank by using these 7 tips for getting cheaper car quotes:
1. Cut Back on the Miles
The fewer miles you drive each year, the more likely insurers will be to offer you a favorable rate. This is because your car will suffer less wear and tear, making breakdowns and other safety issues less likely, and simply because fewer journeys mean fewer opportunities for things to go wrong. When dealing with insurers, be sure to let them know your mileage as accurately as you can – if you can offer proof of your low mileage, it will certainly help.
2. Keep Your Car Under a Roof
Leaving your car outside might be more convenient much of the time, but it doesn’t look good to insurers. Not only will the weather conditions gradually wear on the exterior, but the exposure will also make the car much more vulnerable to thieves (those who steal cars themselves, and those who steal items from cars). If you make sure to keep your car under a roof whenever you park it – and ideally in the garage – then you’ll be in a better position to negotiate with insurers.
Also Read: Third-Party Vs Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy
3. Play Insurers Against One Another
When you get a first quote from a car insurer, that isn’t as low as they can go the opposite is the case. They’ll give you a high price in the hope that you’ll accept it right away, knowing that they have room to negotiate if you reject it. Accordingly, you should get as many comparable quotes as possible, and then use them to get the insurers to compete to give you the best offer. In the end, you’ll have an offer much better than the first you were offered.
4. Raise Your Voluntary Excess
Your voluntary excess is simply the amount you’re willing to pay if you need your insurance. Essentially, raising your voluntary excess is placing a bet on your ability to drive without having any incidents or accidents — if you never have to use your insurance for anything, and you only need it to be legally covered, you’ll pay less this way.
5. Get Better Car Security
The more secure you make your car, the less insurers will expect it to be involved in accidents or targeted by criminals, and getting better car security can be reasonably cheap. Look into anti-theft devices such as steering-wheel locks and high-intensity alarms. The costs are reasonably low these days, and it should be worth it.
6. Drive Responsibly
Your no-claims bonus is a huge part of getting a good quote, so build it up by driving responsibly. Moderate your speed, park carefully (consider using a parking backup sensor to help you reverse into spots when needed, but find an expert installer and vet them with insurers before you act — they’re wary of aftermarket systems), and keep your cool in traffic.
7. Take a Driving Course
The better your driving skills, the more confident insurers will be in your ability to stay away from incidents, but you can’t just tell them that you’re skilled: you have to prove it by passing a recognized driving course. The best thing to do is look around your area for advanced driving courses and contact some insurers to ask them which course they’d recognize — once you’ve found a match, get the course done to see your quote go down.
Conclusion
These 7 simple tactics should help you get a much better quote for your car insurance. Remember, though: don’t misrepresent your situation to get a better quote, because if the insurer finds out, you’ll be in a difficult situation. Instead, actively seek to make your car safer. You’ll be suitably rewarded.
