There are many ways that you can get cheap car insurance and the internet is a great place to start. For one, you have a wider choice of providers and even better, you have access to them right from your own living room instead of having to traipse around the high street looking for the right policy.
Considerations
The type of vehicle you drive will heavily influence how much your motor insurance will cost. Therefore, even before you buy a car, thought should be given to how much it would cost to insure it. It's all well and good thinking how great it would be cruising around in that little sporty number, but the insurance for it could go through the roof.
There are also different types of cover and choosing the most suitable for your needs could ensure you get cheap car insurance. Of course, if your car is a brand new model straight out of the showroom then your choices are probably limited to fully comprehensive. However, if you buy a second hand car of a fairly low value, then your choices could be more flexible. For instance, you could choose to take out third party, fire and theft insurance which is cheaper than fully comprehensive.
How secure is your car?
Do you park your car out on the street in front of your home? If you do, then the cost of your car insurance could be more than if it is parked in a garage or on a private driveway. Another point to consider is upping the security on your vehicle. Buying and installing additional security features such as a steering wheel lock, an immobiliser or even a tracking device could knock down the cost of your motor insurance.
Excesses
Weigh up the pros and cons of offering to pay a higher excess for your car insurance. The excess is the amount that you pay in the event of a claim before your insurance company pays the rest. All insurance providers will state a minimum amount of excess they expect you to pay but you can elect to pay more. This is often known as a voluntary excess and insurers will normally discount your premiums if you offer to pay a higher excess. Do remember however that you would have to find this payment in one lump sum if you made a claim on your insurance.
Compare car insurance policies to see what policy features and benefits come as standard. Often, you may find that there are some policy features that you don't need but will still be paying for if they are included in the cost of the insurance policy. The Tesco Compare car insurance service allows you to compare the major policy features against one another, enabling you to find the policy that gives you the protection you need.
Shop around at renewal time
Another cheap car insurance tip is to never stick with the same company when it comes to renewal time without first shopping around.
It can be tempting to just keep renewing your motor insurance - it is certainly easy. However, many insurers know this and can take advantage of this Achilles heel by charging you more than they need to. While you might have got a great deal on your insurance a couple of years ago, insurance companies can often push up the amount you pay each year. By taking the time to look around to see if you can get a better and cheaper car insurance deal you could save a great deal of money.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Getting good value car insurance
Saving money is on all of our minds. The good news is, when it comes to getting value car insurance that's very possible. All you need is a little know-how. For example, you can take advantage of all the internet has to offer by using a comparison website (such as the Tesco Compare car insurance service) to shop around for the right deal, quickly and easily.
Unlike the limited range available on the high street, a service like this gives you access to many policies all at different prices and with different features. You can compare car insurance terms and prices and whittle down the policies until you find the cover that best suits your needs.
Check what the cover entails
When looking for value car insurance it is also essential that you check the details of the policy and do not just focus on the price. It is no good buying cheap cover only to find that it does not meet all your requirements or that you are paying for something you do not need. An example of this would be to buy car insurance that comes with European breakdown cover when you do not travel outside of the United Kingdom. You could be paying for this feature within the policy cost unnecessarily.
With this in mind, checking exactly what the cover includes is essential. For instance, the cover could pay out what is known as an "agreed value". This is where your vehicle is given a value at the time you take out the insurance and you would receive this amount if your car was stolen or written off. However, other policies might pay a claim with depreciation taken into account. Therefore, when evaluating cover check that you are comparing it on a "like for like" basis, otherwise you will not be getting a true picture.
Now that you know what to consider when choosing your car insurance, do note that there are other factors that you can often influence to your benefit to affect how much you pay.
• The security of your vehicle will often affect how much you pay for your premiums. With this in mind it could be worth paying out to fit additional security devices to those that already come as standard from the car manufacturer. Some insurers may offer a discount on your cover if you park your vehicle in a garage or on a private driveway rather than on the side of a street.
• Paying annually or by monthly direct debit. Often if you cannot pay the motor insurance in one lump sum and decide to pay by direct debit, then the insurer may charge you more as they see this as giving you credit.
• The excess. You could elect to pay more than the standard excess on the policy to make savings. The excess is the amount you would have to pay in the event of the claim
• Finally, another way of getting good value car insurance is to never automatically renew your cover without first shopping around. You may no longer be getting the best and cheapest deal that you once were. Instead take the time to look around and make comparisons for lower cost insurance to suit your needs.
Unlike the limited range available on the high street, a service like this gives you access to many policies all at different prices and with different features. You can compare car insurance terms and prices and whittle down the policies until you find the cover that best suits your needs.
Check what the cover entails
When looking for value car insurance it is also essential that you check the details of the policy and do not just focus on the price. It is no good buying cheap cover only to find that it does not meet all your requirements or that you are paying for something you do not need. An example of this would be to buy car insurance that comes with European breakdown cover when you do not travel outside of the United Kingdom. You could be paying for this feature within the policy cost unnecessarily.
With this in mind, checking exactly what the cover includes is essential. For instance, the cover could pay out what is known as an "agreed value". This is where your vehicle is given a value at the time you take out the insurance and you would receive this amount if your car was stolen or written off. However, other policies might pay a claim with depreciation taken into account. Therefore, when evaluating cover check that you are comparing it on a "like for like" basis, otherwise you will not be getting a true picture.
Now that you know what to consider when choosing your car insurance, do note that there are other factors that you can often influence to your benefit to affect how much you pay.
• The security of your vehicle will often affect how much you pay for your premiums. With this in mind it could be worth paying out to fit additional security devices to those that already come as standard from the car manufacturer. Some insurers may offer a discount on your cover if you park your vehicle in a garage or on a private driveway rather than on the side of a street.
• Paying annually or by monthly direct debit. Often if you cannot pay the motor insurance in one lump sum and decide to pay by direct debit, then the insurer may charge you more as they see this as giving you credit.
• The excess. You could elect to pay more than the standard excess on the policy to make savings. The excess is the amount you would have to pay in the event of the claim
• Finally, another way of getting good value car insurance is to never automatically renew your cover without first shopping around. You may no longer be getting the best and cheapest deal that you once were. Instead take the time to look around and make comparisons for lower cost insurance to suit your needs.
Getting the best car insurance quotes
Getting the best car insurance quotes is something we all aim for. However, even the best car insurance quotes can vary considerably so comparing the different products available is probably the only way to source a genuinely good deal. One of the quickest and easiest ways to make a comparison is to take a look online using a site such as the Tesco Compare car insurance comparison service.
You can sit in the comfort of your own home and compare many providers' quotes in order to find the one most suitable for your needs. You also have the ability to not only check premiums but the major policy benefits too, enabling you to choose the cover that best suits you.
Along with being able to find and compare dozens of car insurance policies, there are other advantages to shopping online for your motor cover. For example, buying online can often give you a discount (typically of around 10%) on your premiums. This is because there are fewer administration costs and overheads for the insurer, so they can pass their savings on to you.
Getting car insurance quotes online also gives you access to so many more insurers than you could ever hope to find by traipsing up and down the high street. You will have a wider selection to choose from, meaning that you can cherry pick the right deal.
So, what do you need to consider when looking for the best car insurance quotes?
The most important thing to remember is that when looking at the different policies you need to compare them on a "like for like" basis. This means that you are comparing exactly the same features. As an example, one policy may be offering free breakdown cover (which you may want) while another may be offering free handbag cover (which you may not want). If they are otherwise identical, then you should obviously go for the one that meets your needs.
Also look at whether you will be charged a fee for paying by monthly direct debit. Some car insurance providers will charge you extra if you want to pay monthly - but not all.
Making savings
Of course, while shopping around and comparing policies can help find you the best car insurance quotes, there are things that you can do too to help get cheaper car cover.
For example, if you park your car overnight in a garage then it will be safer than if it were on the side of the road. Therefore, your insurance could be cheaper. If you fit security devices such as an immobiliser or tracking device on top of the manufacturer's standard fittings, then again you could save on the cost of the cover.
Electing to pay a higher excess may attract a discount on your insurance and some providers will charge you less if you limit your mileage.
Having a limited amount of named drivers on your cover can often work out cheaper, especially for spouses.
In summary, getting the best car insurance quotes isn't as difficult as you may think and the good thing is that you can do it all online, quickly and easily.
You can sit in the comfort of your own home and compare many providers' quotes in order to find the one most suitable for your needs. You also have the ability to not only check premiums but the major policy benefits too, enabling you to choose the cover that best suits you.
Along with being able to find and compare dozens of car insurance policies, there are other advantages to shopping online for your motor cover. For example, buying online can often give you a discount (typically of around 10%) on your premiums. This is because there are fewer administration costs and overheads for the insurer, so they can pass their savings on to you.
Getting car insurance quotes online also gives you access to so many more insurers than you could ever hope to find by traipsing up and down the high street. You will have a wider selection to choose from, meaning that you can cherry pick the right deal.
So, what do you need to consider when looking for the best car insurance quotes?
The most important thing to remember is that when looking at the different policies you need to compare them on a "like for like" basis. This means that you are comparing exactly the same features. As an example, one policy may be offering free breakdown cover (which you may want) while another may be offering free handbag cover (which you may not want). If they are otherwise identical, then you should obviously go for the one that meets your needs.
Also look at whether you will be charged a fee for paying by monthly direct debit. Some car insurance providers will charge you extra if you want to pay monthly - but not all.
Making savings
Of course, while shopping around and comparing policies can help find you the best car insurance quotes, there are things that you can do too to help get cheaper car cover.
For example, if you park your car overnight in a garage then it will be safer than if it were on the side of the road. Therefore, your insurance could be cheaper. If you fit security devices such as an immobiliser or tracking device on top of the manufacturer's standard fittings, then again you could save on the cost of the cover.
Electing to pay a higher excess may attract a discount on your insurance and some providers will charge you less if you limit your mileage.
Having a limited amount of named drivers on your cover can often work out cheaper, especially for spouses.
In summary, getting the best car insurance quotes isn't as difficult as you may think and the good thing is that you can do it all online, quickly and easily.
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