Insider Car Insurance Tips You Cannot Afford To Ignore

The costs of running a car are increasing all the time so it is more important than ever to start cutting back on your insurance premiums. Insider Tips Insurance is a competitive market. Providers are in the business to make money and deals are not always as great as they first look. Understanding the rules of the game can help you to make a more informed choice about your car insurance. Before you start looking for a policy here are some important insider tips that could save you a lot of money: • Credit Records – many people don’t realise that their credit record could make a difference to their car insurance premiums. However industry studies have shown there is a direct link between consumer credit scores and car insurance premiums. If you have a poor credit score your premiums will typically be higher. This is because statistically you are more likely to make a claim against your insurance or fall behind with your payments. Having a poor credit score can increase your car insurance ‘risk factor’. This means it is important for your overall financial health to keep up with your credit accounts and try to maintain a good credit score. • Car Type – the model of car you own affects your car insurance premiums. Insurance companies have a rating system for each make and model of car. This is based on data gathered from national safety, accident and theft reports. It is worth checking how much it costs to insure a car before you buy. You could make a significant saving on your car insurance premiums by simply opting for a car in one of the lower ratings bracket. • Pay Upfront – one important insider tip that can save a lot of people money on their car insurance is to pay upfront. Insurers can charge you a lot more for the privilege of spreading your costs out across the year in monthly or quarterly payments. Another benefit of paying upfront for the whole year is that you will not have to worry about any missed payments. This is a good idea if you have a lot of credit product repayments to manage every month. • Minor Claims – try to avoid making too many small claims on your car insurance if you can. Minor incidences costing under £1,000 can soon add up on your insurance record and send your premiums soaring. You will save money overall if you pay out for small claims yourself and save your insurance for when it is really needed. • Modifications – you must inform your insurance company of any modifications to your car. This can include something as simple as fitting alloy wheels. If you fail to report modifications to your insurer this could invalidate any claims later on. Modifications can push premiums up so think twice whether they are really necessary before you start upgrading your vehicle.