Car insurance is a necessity in order to drive legally on UK roads. However, there's no need to pay more for it than you have to and making savings is possible if you know where to look. The internet is equivalent to a huge high street, but the beauty of shopping online for car insurance is that instead of having one or two insurance companies with which to compare prices and policy features, you can have access to literally dozens. Choosing your insurance online can be one of the best ways to secure low cost car insurance, especially if you use a car insurance comparison website.
For example, some services allow you to evaluate several policies at the same time, allowing you not only to compare premiums but some of the major policy benefits too.
You see, there's more to buying the right insurance than just considering the cost of it. You also should give some thought to the actual details and features of the cover. It's no good taking out low cost car insurance only to find that you don't have adequate cover in the event of making a claim.
Another consideration is whether you would benefit from all the features in the policy. In some cases you could find there are features that you would not use yet still have to pay for. If this is the case, a particular policy might not be suitable and you could save money by choosing a different one. As an example, the policy might include European breakdown cover and if you do not travel outside of the UK then you could be paying for something you wouldn't need.
One of the features to check when considering low cost car insurance is the amount of excess the provider asks you to pay. The excess is the sum of money you would have to find out of your own pocket towards any claim. All insurance providers state a minimum (or standard) excess but you can offer to pay more (which is called a voluntary excess) and should enjoy discounted premiums as a result. One point to remember though is that you would have to find this excess amount if you were to make a claim - so do make sure you can afford it.
The type of cover you need for your pride and joy will also determine how much you pay for your car insurance. While a new car would probably require fully comprehensive insurance, third party, fire and theft cover is cheaper and could be adequate for an older, second hand car. If you want to keep insurance costs to a minimum then third party only insurance offers the bare bones of cover for the third party only and nothing for you.
Finally, the more secure your car, the better your chances of getting low cost car insurance. Some insurers will reward motorists who increase the security of their vehicle with lower premiums. While initially you will have some financial outlay in buying security devices, they could pay for themselves in the long run. For instance, you could fit a car alarm, tracking device, immobiliser or steering lock. If you can park your car in a locked garage rather than leaving it on the street then this may also be seen as less of a risk to the insurer and they may offer you a discount on the cost.
Liz Willder is from Tescocompare.com, the insurance comparison site where you can compare car insurance policy features and prices.
