Cheap Car Insurance Article Discussion

The_Golden_Goose

Does anyone know if being a SAHM changes your insurance premium? Is it likely to reduce it?

Nicholas-bloody-Parsons

IamJen wrote: »

Any tips for us? (I did read the article, btw). We are a Norwegian/American couple, insuring at 2002 Passat estate car. Last year, when I'd been licenced in the UK for just a couple of months, the cheapest we could find was about £1100/year. ...

I just tried for a quote on a passat for my postcode and details and it comes in at £375. The Passat is a higher insurance class than say a Ford Focus estate, so you may pay £100-200 more perhaps for the car, but I think the main difference is lack of NCB, experience and history.

You could try to get your NCB quicker. Admiral do a 10 month policy and give you a full years NCB. I had a six month policy once which gave me a full years NCB.

Increasing the excess to as much as is allowable is an easy tack-tick.

Hope that gives you some ideas.:o

IamJen

Thanks. So at the end of the year, with no claims, we should be able to push for a no claims bonus? (we're a bit unfamiliar with the terms still, heh). Our excess is at £500 now, I can check to see if that makes a difference, but then of course, we'd be on the hook for the money if in an accident, etc.

wendyjw

I found this article very helpful earlier this year when I was totally confounded trying to get the cheapest insurance on my Toyota Starlet and my existing insurer was trying to add £200 to the premium but after weeks of effort I managed to get a quote just over £300 and was happy. Now I am in the process of buying a Mazda 3 and am struggling all over again especially as being a bigger car it nets a higher premium. But what is confounding me the most the the job descriptors - and I am taking note of what the article says about this.

I am currently not working or seeking work due to medical reasons and in receipt of disability payments. There are various options open to put down on insurance. The article and links talk about avoiding 'unemplpoyed' which I do, because I am not seeking work. But many insurers and comparison sites have the option 'not employed due to disability/medical reasons'. The alternatives are House person/housewife/homemaker and retired or 'retired on medical grounds' as Direct Line uses.

Previously the difference in price between these 3 options, each of which could be theoretically used has not been that great. Now though 'unemployed due to disability/medical reasons' is getting quotes £100-120+ more than the other two. I don't know why.

I would really appreciate an opinion on use of the options 'housewife' or 'retired on medical grounds' in my current circumstances given the savings. Would that be ok? Given my health situation it is likely I will do volunteer work before I ever even begin seeking paid work in the future in which case I can update the insurer of my circumstances.

Opinions appreciate though I have to make a quick decision as I get the car in 2 days...

Thanks
Wendy

amiga1

A big thank you to Martin & Co for saving me £100 on my car insurance renewel. My insurance had risen from £207 to £266. Following Martin's tips I checked out the various comparison sites before going back to my current insurer and getting a brand new quote, and bingo! New quote = £166 :-)

crawleyrh

Hi everyone,

I have a bit of a story to tell but will try and keep it short.

I passed my driving test on Wednesday and so my sister is selling me her car at a fantastic price - it also will be the cheapest to insure compared to all other cars I've looked at.

As it stands at the moment, the insurance will be £1500. However, on December 21st it will rocket up to £2600. The problem is that my sister's car isn't ready yet. She is waiting for a lease car that may not be ready until end od Feb.

So I'm wondering what is the best thing to do. My sister has suggested insuring me as an additional driver until Feb, then when I actually have the car I change the policy so I am the main driver. I was wondering if this was possible/legal/a waste of time!?

Any advice would be gratefully received, as well as other suggestions to beat insurance price hike for females.

Thanks for reading :-)

ToG

I'm sure it's legal to do that but I would expect that they would (when they recalculated the policy with you as main driver) just charge you the new rate pro-rata for the year when you chose to switch yourself to main drive. You would pay for two months of not using the car and still get hit for the increase.
To be the main driver and to not declare it (by keeping your sister as the main driver) is infact illegal and is called 'fronting'.
It's also worth considering the cost of your insurance next year. You'll definitely get hit next year for it.



As for my own story, No-one can help me but you might feel a little better after hearing it. I used to drive a 1.25 Fiesta MK4. I'm 23, A full time university student and have 3years no claims discount.

I say used to drive because I've been priced out of the market. The cheapest quote I got when I went to renew was £950 TPFT from admiral. I got further quotes post-dated to early next year to see how the gender neutral ruling would affect me and....£930. The car just sits SORN'ed on the driveway until I graduate and can afford these absorbant fees.

So no matter how bad your quotes are, Be thankful you don't live in Northern Ireland like me.

Peter_Lanky

My insurance is normally renewed at the end of February, but this year my daughter (who has passed her test) will graduate, and one option is for her to share my car rather than clogging up the road with dozens of cars like everyone else round my area does. Her birthday is in August.

I now see two options, but can't find any evidence of being able to do either, so I'm looking for somebody who has experience (rather than speculating) of anything similar.

Option 1 - to obtain insurance for 6 months, thus being able to start a new policy at the end of August with her as a named driver on my policy.

Option 2 - to add her part way through the year after her birthday and pay a pro rata extra cost (providing there is no huge administration fee)

Option 1 is preferable.

Any takers?

Beetlegirl21

Hi,

I'm in real need of some help as pulling my hair out.

I have recently moved home and car insurance is up for renewal on Thursday.
I phoned for quote and they were quoting over £1,500 for insurance as I wanted to change husband who is named driver on policy to be main policy holder.

Husband has no no claims discount but I have 15years no claims protected and last year I was blocked in by another car and when I reversed back I caught car which I told the driver :(wish I had not so he claimed which is still running open.

Husband has a spent conviction which is cleared on his licence for driving on international licence.

Does anyone know of any companies that do cheap car insurance I have never paid this amount in the 15yrs of driving.

Can I also ask how long do you have to declare if car insurance has been cancelled as due to the conviction my insurance cancelled insurance I did not know my husband at the time of this being on his licence so was unaware when I took car insurance out.

This no longer appears on his licence as its spent and when changed address is was clear.

All help is much appreciated thanks in advance.

Quentin

You are stuck with disclosing your cancelled policy for ever more for every policy you either take out yourself or are added on to as a named driver.