Looking for the best deals on Car Insurance

If you own and drive a car in the UK, you must have insurance – it is a legal requirement. There are many different types of cover available and there are many factors that affect how much you may be charged. Mr Insurer has provided some clarity below with facts you should know before searching for, and selecting, the right car insurance for you. We hope this helps you get the right cover and not over pay!

Looking for the best deals on Car Insurance

WHAT INFORMATION WILL I NEED TO PROVIDE TO GET A QUOTE? 

When you start looking to insure your car or renew existing insurance it is a good idea to use comparison websites to check you are getting the best deal. You can use the comparison page on our website or any of the big comparison sites like ‘money supermarket’ or ‘compare the market’. To get an accurate quote you will need the following information:

  • The registration number or VRN.
  • The car’s make and model.
  • The car’s age.
  • The current mileage.
  • Your estimated annual mileage. 
  • What activities you use your car for (for example purely social / commuting / for business) 
  • Any modifications / upgrades / changes that have been made to the car
  • The value of the car
  • The details of all the people who will be driving the car including:
     
    • Their full name, date of birth and address
    • Their driving license number
    •  Their occupation
    •  Their driving experience 

It is important to be accurate and honest as any wrong of false information may invalidate your insurance! If your insurance is not valid you will of course not be covered should the worst happen – not good!

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CAR INSURANCE? 

Like most main automotive insurances, there are three levels of cover available and the level of protection and value of cover increases through each of the options below. 

  1. Third party only
  2. Third party fire and theft
  3. Fully comprehensive 

“Third party only” is the cheapest option and it meets the minimum UK legal requirement. However, as the name suggests, it only covers injury and/or damage to third parties involved in the incident. There is no way to claim for yourself or your car with this insurance. 

Slightly more expensive is “third-party, fire and theft” insurance. This type not only contains all the benefits of third party but also covers your own car for fire damage if it is stolen. Do be aware though that as standard, it does not cover incident damage to your car. 

The highest value type of insurance is “fully comprehensive” which includes all the cover of the first two levels but usually includes damage to your car and injury to you. Depending on the provider, breakdown cover may be included, medical care may be covered and or a courtesy car provided whilst your car is being repaired. 

While it can be tempting just to proceed with the cheapest option, Mr Insurer urges you to take all the factors of you and your car into account and select a policy that is most suited to you. 

ARE THERE INSTANCES THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE “NORMAL” CAR INSURANCE?

There are many instances that may mean you need a more flexible policy or ways that your specific requirements will help you get cheaper insurance. There are a few listed belowIf you’re learning to drive, it might be worth taking out “learner driver” insurance

  • If you’re a new driver, it might be worth taking out “new driver” insurance 
  • If you buy an electric car or a car with a smaller engine you will pay less for your insurance. Check Mr Automotive for more information.
  • If you’re over 50, your wealth of experience may mean the insurance you’re quoted is cheaper
  • If you own multiple cars, you can get multi-car insurance which can be cheaper (and less time-consuming)
  • If your car is owned by a business / used by a business, then you will need to make sure you have the right insurance to be covered. There are four classifications – return to value cover, return to invoice cover, vehicle replacement insurance, and finance gap insurance. GoCompare has a useful site which explains them in detail - 
  • If you own a classic car then you will need classic car insurance. 
  • If you only very occasionally use your car, there are policies offered that are “short term insurance” 
  • If you are happy for an insurance company to monitor your driving with a ‘black box’ this can also 

SHOULD I GO WITH RENEWAL QUOTES?

Mr Insurer recommends you definitely shop around as renewal quotes are an easy way to overpay on your insurance. Your provider will send you a renewal quote but do not settle for it because that’s the easy thing to do. Renewal quotes are usually higher than the original even if you retain your no claims bonus. It’s estimated that the best deals are available around a month before your insurance is due for its renewal. 

All the major comparison sites have very detailed articles that can help you make an informed decision about specified matters, but Mr Insurer is here to help with the bare bone facts. Take your time! Do not be afraid to call insurance companies as some are not on the comparison websites and may offer to beat your renewal quotes. Finally it is always worth checking the cashback websites before making your final decisions – some we like are TopCashback and Quidco

Good Luck! Let us know how much you saved on your renewal or on a new policy on our social media pages
 

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