Insurance

45 Great Car Insurance Resources

2009-11-22T14:51:00.001-08:00

The world of car insurance can be a complicated one. So I thought I’d share the best resources I’ve found to help you navigate the car insurance maze.

Whether you want to find a cheaper/better policy or simply want to better understand how your car insurance works these sites and tools can help.

Price Comparison Websites

Extremely useful for searching hundreds of car insurance quotes quickly and easily:

1. confused.com - Searches 97% of car insurance companies to find you quotes

2. moneysupermarket.com - Compares motor insurance quotes from 50 insurance providers

3. uswitch.com - Finds quotes from more than 40 insurers

4. tescocompare.com - Provides quotes from a pane of over 30 insurance companies

5. gocompare.com - Access quotes from over 50 leading insurance providers

6. comparethemarket.com - Searches over 400 policies from big name insurance companies

Female Drivers

These sites specialise in tailoring policies to meet the needs of female drivers:

7. sheilaswheels.com - Find cheap online insurance for female drivers, including handbag cover

8. diamond.co.uk - A girl's best friend with cheaper insurance for women drivers

9. girlmotor.com - Cheaper car insurance for women in three simple steps

Young Drivers

Quotes for young drivers are usually much higher than average, these sites understand that:

10. 4youngdrivers.co.uk - Excellent for drivers over 19 with one years no claims discount

11. 17to40.co.uk - Focuses on individual circumstances to help young drivers get cheaper cover

12. hootcarinsurance.co.uk - Provides young driver quotes from more than 30 insurance companies

Classic Cars

If ever a specialist motor insurance policy was required it is for a classic car and these insurers are experts in this particular field:

13. lancasterinsurance.co.uk - Get classic car insurance quotes from a panel of leading UK insurers

14. footmanjames.co.uk - Quotes for classic and vitange vehicles at competitive prices

15. peterbestinsurance.co.uk - Offers policies specifically designed for classic car owners

Performance Cars

For those who enjoy sports cars and modifications check out these sites that can help you lower your premium:

16. adrianflux.co.uk - Searches 40 insurance companies to find great quotes for modified cars

17. performancedirect.co.uk - Helping to bring down sports car insurance for more than 35 years

18. peart.co.uk - Specialise in offering competitive quotes on performance vehicles

Tips & Guides

Knowledge is power and these helpful sources offer some great ideas for lowering the cost of your insurance:

19. carinsuranceguide.org.uk - Detailed and impartial car insurance guides

20. moneysupermarket.com - Indepth 12 page guide covering a range of car insurance topics

21. uswitch.com - Four page car insurance guide from quote to claim

22. carinsurancemanual.co.uk - A useful list of car insurance providers and articles

23. msn.com - Covers the basics of car insurance

24. theaa.com - A guide to car insurance groups

25. moneysavingexpert.com - Great car insurance money saving guide

26. motorinsurance.co.uk - Useful guide to choosing the right type of policy

27. yahoo.com - Car insurance Q&A with Yahoo.com

28. find.co.uk - All-round car insurance guides with insightful tips

29. gocompare.com - A buyers guide to cheaper car insurance

Forums

Where better to discuss insurance providers and claims experiences, the information picked up can be of great use in selecting an insurer or making a claim:

30. moneysavingexpert.com - One of the busiest car insurance forums around

31. moneysupermarket.com - Hundreds of threads discussing quotes, claims and companies

32. usedcarmart.co.uk - Discussions including cheap quotes, young drivers and making claims

33. ukinsuranceforum.co.uk - A forum dedicated to discussing UK insurance

34. rac.co.uk - Nice forum from the RAC offering advice on accidents and claims

Reviews

Find out how other customers rate their insurance provider and share your opinion with others:

35. reviewcentre.com - Read hundreds of reviews on UK car insurance providers

36. ciao.co.uk - Detailed reviews of car insurance companies complete with ratings

37. uk-insurance-index.co.uk- Read dozens of online reviews and write your own

Glossaries

Confused by terminology? Check out these great A-Z car insurance glossaries:

38. abi.org.uk - Detailed car insurance glossary from The Association of British Insurers

39. gocompare.com - Useful jargon buster to help understand car insurance terminology

40. 17to40.co.uk - A great A-Z designed to help younger drivers

News

Keep up to date with all the latest car insurance developments with these great news services:

41. google.co.uk - Search Google for up-to-date car insurance news

42. yahoo.com - Read car insurance news articles on Yahoo

43. bbc.co.uk - Keep up to date with motor insurance news on the BBC

Last But Not Least

Two other free online tools that everyone should be using:

44. abi.org.uk - Find out the insurance group of any vehicle

45. mileagecalculator.co.uk - Calculate your mileage online

So there you go, 45 free online resources to help in your quest for cheaper and better car insurance, happy surfing!

Lose The Mods For Cheaper Car Insurance

2009-11-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for ways to make savings on the cost of your motor insurance, modifications (or “mods”) can be a great place to start.

Adding these extras to your vehicle can result in your car insurance premium increasing by hundreds of pounds.

While many motoring enthusiasts are willing to accept this added expense in order to indulge their passion it is always worth considering whether or not it is really necessary for you.

Many of the car insurance comparison sites now factor modifications into their quoting process. So if you are considering adding mods to your car why not play about with a few comparisons and see the difference they can make to your quote.

You may find that adding mods will make your car insurance unaffordable or that removing them could result in a nice saving. Either way it only costs ten minutes of your time to find out.

Finally don’t forget to keep your insurance provider informed. If you remove modifications let them know as it could lower your premium. Most importantly, if you add mods after taking out a policy tell your insurer immediately. Failure to do so could result in your policy being invalid in the event of making a claim.

So, rethink those mods and see what savings you could make!
And you will find yourself having cheaper car insurance.

Motorists are Finding the Best Car Insurance Deals Online

2009-11-19T17:09:00.000-08:00

More than half of all road users have purchased online car insurance in recent years, an unsurprising trend considering the competitive nature of the internet.

The Internet is a great tool for helping find cheap car insurance, especially for those who lead a busy life – making it easier to save money and deliver lower rates in seconds.

77% of drivers currently shop around before deciding on a car insurance policy, with 45% reviewing up to three insurance quotes and 16% reviewing seven or more.

Only 23% of drivers plan to remain with their current insurance provider - down from 31% choosing to stay with their provider eight years ago. The drop in figures comes as consumers search for better rates online for car insurance policies.

Comparison websites and brokers like Be Wiser are generally the best way to get quick car insurance rates. From the details that you type in, they can then search those companies to find the ones most suitable for you.

It is important however to consider only visiting trusted car insurance websites when buying online car insurance since as they require sensitive personal information.

There are dozens of websites that offer comparison services for hundreds of car insurance companies but drivers should only deal with those you believe you can really trust. These particular websites allow drivers to compare different insurance policies and decide on a suitable coverage based on their needs.

Over 11% of respondents who shopped for their car insurance online saved £150 on their policies between the months of December 2008 to May 2009 – savvy insurance customers are now only working with trustworthy insurance companies.

Buying car insurance online will ensure drivers find the best car insurance at the best prices hassle free.

Tips To Help Save You Money On Car Insurance!

2009-11-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

Now that we have talked about walking to work, the next tip to save a heck of a lot of money on your car insurance is do not use your car for business purposes. Yes, I repeat, DO NOT use your car for business purposes.

Some insurance companies will actually add in a business use surcharge or increase your car insurance premium if your annual mileage increases – which is not what you want to deal with.

If you have to use your car for business purposes, make sure that your company or your agent knows so that way your daily business travel will be covered.

Creating a Checklist for Your Car Insurance Needs

2009-11-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

A lot of people still do not realize exactly what information they will need when shopping for car insurance, so we are going to clear that up as well.

For one thing, you will need the birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and the dates of any violations and accidents in the last three to five years for all the drivers on the policy. You need to be honest here, because the company will find out all the information if you lie.

You will, of course, need the make and model of all vehicles, as well as any additional equipment on the vehicles. The name of your present car insurance company is necessary, along with the renewal date in your policy.

You will have to also think long and hard about what your coverage limits need to be and the deductible you want to pay.

Autumn crime warning for car insurance customers

2009-11-10T07:23:00.001-08:00

Car insurance customers are reminded to be vigilant during November, when a sharp hike in crime-induced claims often occurs.

In a poll of 1,000 motorists, car insurance provider Swinton found that 28 per cent admit being most worried about theft during the autumn months. However, only seven per cent take extra precautions against such crime.

The car insurance specialist attributes the autumn crime spike to the clocks going back, since longer nights mean increased criminal activity after dark.

"Motorists must take extra precautions during the long nights of the autumn months," confirms Steve Chelton, development manager at Swinton car insurance. "Being a victim of car crime can be very distressing and by following simple precautions it may deter thieves from identifying your car as their next target."

His advice is to avoid leaving valuables on display in a car when it is unattended, to store your car in a secure garage whenever possible and to consider installing security lights outside your home to deter thieves.

Fitting your car with an immobiliser is a further suggestion for concerned car insurance customers, as is leaving cars locked in well-lit areas if a secure garage or drive is not an option.

Rise in car insurance fronting and other fraud

2009-11-10T07:21:00.001-08:00

Individuals named as second drivers on their parents' car insurance policies now have an average age of 31, according to research.

Car insurance specialists at comparison site uSwitch.com also discovered a 30 per cent rise in reported cases of "fronting" – where a young person buys and registers a car in their own name, but tells their insurer a parent is the main driver – and other forms of fraud in the last two years.

Mark Monteiro, uSwitch's insurance expert, points out that fronting is "a serious fraud" and holds potentially severe penalties for anyone who is caught.

"If detected, insurers can refuse to pay out for any claims or can settle a third-party claim and recover the cost from the parent as the policyholder," he notes. "If the insurer declines a claim, the young driver could be treated as uninsured and could be fined heavily and receive six penalty points".

As well as setting drivers up for higher car insurance costs, this could result in an automatic ban.

For anyone finding car insurance affordability an issue, he recommends looking at increasing your excess, downgrading your cover or trading your car in for one in a cheaper insurance class.

Swinton van insurance researchers uncover risky seatbelt trend

2009-11-10T07:18:00.001-08:00

A new study of van insurance customers, carried out by Swinton, suggests nearly 80 per cent have trouble getting their passengers to "belt up".

The car and van insurance provider points out that drivers or passengers found not to be wearing a seatbelt in the event of an accident risk hampering a potential insurance claim.

Out of 2,000 van insurance customers questioned by Swinton, 68 per cent admitted having to ask passengers to belt up, with females accounting for 16 per cent of the so-called "un-beltables".

Just three per cent of van drivers said they don't wear a seatbelt on long journeys, the most common reason given being "discomfort".

"Driving or being a passenger in a vehicle and not wearing a seatbelt is strictly illegal," warns Phil Moss, commercial vehicle manager at Swinton. "Furthermore, if [you're] involved in an accident and it's discovered that you weren't wearing a seatbelt, [it] could seriously hamper any insurance claims."

In a separate study carried out by Swinton this month, seven out of ten van insurance customers admitted they use their vehicle as a "mobile office", spending an average of one hour and 23 minutes talking on their mobile phones every week.

Car insurance costs

2009-10-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I tried to get myself car insurance like 4 years ago I was just 19 years old and had actually got my drivers license at 18. As a birthday gift, my mum bought me a car and what do you know, not many people get a new car for their Birthday as a gift so believe you me I was so excited.
Before then, I just drove around in my mum's or dads car and did not worry about car insurance whatsoever. It was at this time that my mum brought to my attention that I needed to get myself car insurance.

So I started caling around and looking up online for cheaper car Insurance quotes. It tok me some time and the quotes that I got were not encouraging. I had been pre-warned by my dad that as a young driver, incurance costs would be quite dearer than as an adult. I was getting insurance quotes for about a little over $1,000. Man, that was more than I was getting from my part time job. I started debating on whether I really needed to have a car to myself and face these crippling insurance. Well the good thing i that insurance companies would accept payments in installments which would go down to an averae of $100 per month for one of the quotes that I got.

Even though you know that's just another chunk out of pocket considering having to pay for fuel, insurance and car maintenance. Now on a part time job that does not leave you much left to spare. At the time I had a girlfriend and dude it was a god thing that with now a car we could go anywhere we wanted at any-time but the sad thing was I did not have much money to spend on movies' or other social activities.

So in the end I decided to have my dad as the registerd owner of the car coz he drove the car at times as well. Having him as the first driver drove down my insurance quotes by 30% so I had my insurance quotes down to $700. So maybe you might want to do the same but only if you are geting your first car insurance quote.