Car Insurance Tips & Tricks

MSE_Martin · 4 October 2003 at 5:14PM

My article on Car insurance - on how to cut the cost in four steps includes a list of hints and tips as well as the main system. If you have any additional tips or tricks (legal) for reducing car insurance, please write your information and experiences here, by clicking reply

Read the full Cheap Car Insurance guide

System · 4 October 2003 at 8:43PM

I am about to start shopping round again for car insurance as mine is up at the end of the month.
Last year I found that by having my dad as a named driver on the policy brought the cost down about £20.
I was a 26 yr old male with 4yrs no claims. I was also told that insuring your no claims bonus is a waste of time. Not sure why but I have never bothered since.

sukk_uk · 7 October 2003 at 1:11AM

please can you replay to my help on first time insurance.
:-/

System · 10 October 2003 at 5:40PM

i always without fail, shop around every year 1month before expiry date.
Last year i took out car insurance with a company who gave me an on par insurance for less with my last insurance company who was underwriting it!
Then the previous company, sent me a questionaire why i did not take out a policy with them again!
When i asked why i could obtain cheaper insurance with another company that they underwrite, no reply.
No wonder Winston is turning in his grave(clue).

System · 10 October 2003 at 5:42PM

If you are a young driver, take "Pass Plus" lessons, it costs about £300, but insurance companies will, most of the time give you a 30% discount.

They dont usually ask you if you have it, so you have to tell them about it.

Direct Line takes 30% off for the 1st year.

System · 10 October 2003 at 8:52PM

A particularly useful tip for those of us who live in Northern Ireland - buy a Porsche! I have a classic Porsche and when I needed insurance for my wife's normal car the premium from my specialist classic car insurer was about £300 less than a quote from a mainstream company meaning I effectively insure my Porsche for free with enough left over for servicing.

It works like this - the classic insurer assumes that since you own a classic car you must be a more careful driver than the general public, hence they are able to offer lower premiums on their "everyday" insurance policies.

It doesn't have to be a Porsche - buy a cheap MG midget and either stick it in the garage (in which case you can get even cheaper "off-road" insurance) or enjoy yourself by taking it out a few times in the summer!

Andrea · 10 October 2003 at 11:33PM

"If you are a young driver, take "Pass Plus" lessons, it costs about £300"

I completely agree with this tip but not so sure about the cost. When I did it 3 years ago it was basically six extra lessons at the same rate as my normal driving lessons, which I took with the same instructor after I'd passed my test so cost me around £120.

Andrea :)

System · 10 October 2003 at 11:40PM

After shopping around, I've found that Sainsbury's motor insurance was the cheapest. If you have a Reward Card they give you 1000 points for signing up, plus if you pay with a Sainsbury's Visa card you'll get double points. My son who is 26, single & lives at home drives a Ford Zetec Fiesta was with Tesco but Sainsnbry's beat their price by a mile!

System · 11 October 2003 at 2:39AM

If you (any age) don''t have a no claims discount then try the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS). They won't come up on all internet searches because they only quote over the phone (or so they told me) but they give an introducttory 45% NCD to new customers

gmelton · 11 October 2003 at 2:43PM

Here is some madness.

I received my NU Direct renewal at a price of £425. I decided to check this online with NU Direct, and with the same criteria the quote was £315.

I rang NU Direct to ask why, and was put through to an Indian call centre. I was asked to give all my details of insurance again (which took 27 minutes!!!!!!!) and even then the quote was over £400. Nobody could tell me why there was this huge difference between online price and renewal price (they suggested it was due to the 5% online discount ???). Nobody would even call me back to explain why. >:(

I ended up taking up the online NU Direct quotequote. :-/

Incidentally, the nearest Tesco quote was £333 and I am told by NU Direct that they underwrite the Tesco policies.

norman · 12 October 2003 at 12:16AM

Sorry Martin, but did we not go through ALL this in May or April? IE ALL cut to the bone-- no curtesy car,no foreign travel, no legal exps,car in drive, EXACT mileage declared, spouse on as second driver etc etc £150.00 excess etc AND IT COMES BACK to good ol` Ryl & Sun All. now called MoreThan WAS nr end of Yell. Pages
@ 5/01 they saved me £69.00 @5/02 they cut ANOTHER £22.00 OFF & @5/03 ANOTHER £29.00 , ALL without being asked!! AND for the last 3 yrs Tesco AND Sainsburys have been more expensive. NOW on 65% NCD GUARANTEED FOR LIFE.

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