Car insurance can turn out to be quite an expense, but as it is illegal not to have it, it is an expense that is required. So how to get the cheapest possible insurance deal when you come to looking for a policy? Here are five simple ones:
1. Don’t Take The First Quote
The first quote is unlikely to be the best. Until you’ve received several quotes you won’t know what constitutes a realistic price. Insurance Companies know this and will try and capitalise on it, they will also expect you to check several different prices – even though they might try to convince you that the offer they are giving you is the best that you will get.
2. Research, Research, Research
Different companies specialise in insurance for different demographics, we have all seen the adverts on television for companies who cater to specific groups. Certain Unions do car insurance especially for members of their own union and as such get particularly good deal. So if you know someone who’s got a similar car or occupation to you, or someone similar in age and gender, why not ask what deal they’ve got and then compare it to the one’s you are given. The more quotes you’ve heard, the more likely the one you end up with will be particularly good.
3. Use the Phone
Most phone operatives have the ability to negotiate on the price of their quote, and most would rather drop their prices than lose the business to a competitor. It’s easier to drive a harder bargain by phone if you really want to get the best deal. Further, car insurance brokers (3rd parties who don’t actually underwrite your policy, merely give you information about different quotes) sometimes change who supplies their policies, so it’s best to ring up and make sure that you can still get the same deal that you had before.
4. Make Thorough Notes
If you’re ringing around a number of different insurers getting a number of different quotes it’s important to keep as perfect a record of what they’re actually offering you as possible. Different quotes will offer different things, by keeping a record of what exactly you’re being offered at any one time it’s easier to decide what constitutes value for money. There’s no point finding a really cheap policy if it doesn’t cover all eventualities.
5. Be Completely Honest
Providing false information on your policy is the easiest way of invalidating it and could, accordingly, cost much more in the long term. Provide information even if you’re not sure it’s relevant, if you only drive a certain amount of miles a year let the insurance company know, as you may be able to get a cheaper deal for a low mileage insurance policy.
These are the principle ways of ensuring that the insurance deal you ultimately end up with is absolutely the best value for money. ASDA Finance offer car insurance from a panel of insurers in a similar manner to a price comparison website, so it’s well worth having a look there for a decent quote. Co-operative Insurance is also a recommended provider of car insurance online.