Finding cheap car insurance can be more difficult for some UK motorists than for others, due to the way in which insurance companies calculate premiums. Young drivers, older drivers and drivers of particularly valuable cars, for example, may all find that they are paying higher than average car insurance premiums because of the criteria used by many UK insurance companies when assessing how much drivers should pay for their cover.
If you fall into what insurers deem to be a ‘high risk' group, however, you may still be able to cut the cost of your car insurance simply by switching to another provider or another plan with the same provider. Many UK companies now offer specialist car insurance policies which are specifically designed for certain groups of motorists, and it's worth taking a look at some of these and comparing them with other policies to see if you could save money by switching to one.
Here are details of just five of the many types of specialist car insurance available to UK motorists.
Young Driver Insurance
Motorists aged under 25 often find it difficult to get cheap car insurance, as insurers consider young drivers to be particularly at risk of having accidents. This is partly because younger drivers tend to have less driving experience than older drivers but also because, according to statistics produced by the Association of British Insurers, they are much more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident than older drivers.
Some insurance companies, however, offer car insurance policies designed for young drivers and it's worth getting quotes for these policies when you're trying to insure your car. You may also be able to save more money if you share your car with a more experienced driver, such as a parent, and include them on the policy. However, the person you're adding must drive your car at least some of the time and, if you drive the car most of the time, don't list anyone else as the main driver, as this will be considered to be fraudulent.
Older Driver Insurance
Whilst statistics show that young drivers are most likely to have an accident, older drivers are often considered to be a high risk group too, and the cost of car insurance can increase for drivers aged 50 or over. Some insurance companies even have upper age limits for people applying for cover, so if you are aged 80 or over, you may find it difficult to get insurance for your car.
Although it's illegal in the UK to discriminate against people purely because of their age, insurers can charge individual customers higher premiums or refuse to cover them if they can prove that they have good reasons for doing so.
However, some insurance companies consider older drivers to be less likely to have accidents due to their experience and offer car insurance policies specifically designed for them. These can sometimes be cheaper options than standard car insurance policies, so are worth considering.
Performance Car Insurance
For many people, buying a high performance car or sports car is a dream come true. However, trying to find car insurance that won't break the bank can be a nightmare. UK car insurance companies consider providing cover for high performance cars to be a risky business, as these vehicles are designed for speed, making their drivers more likely to be involved in accidents. Not only that, a high performance car is likely to be more expensive to repair than the average vehicle if something goes wrong.
Owners of high performance cars needn't despair though-a number of British insurance providers offer specialist performance car insurance policies, so if you're finding it difficult to find affordable cover for your vehicle, it's worth getting quotes for some of these plans to see if you could make savings.
Classic Car Insurance
Whilst some insurers consider classic cars to be more likely to be stolen or vandalised than modern vehicles and more costly to repair if something happens to them, others consider them to be lower risk, because classic car owners are likely to drive their vehicles less often and look after them more carefully than owners of standard cars.
Therefore, if you're trying to ensure a classic car, it's vital to shop around and compare quotes from different providers to make sure you're getting a good deal. You'll find a number of specialist classic car insurance policies on the market, so take a look at these when comparing plans. You may find that they offer benefits not included on standard car insurance plans, such as cover when you take your car to rallies and other classic car events.
Modified Car Insurance
Altering your car by adding spoilers or expensive alloys, or upgrading the engine or exhaust, may be a great way of creating your dream vehicle, but it's also likely to make your car more expensive to insure. Modified vehicles can be more appealing to thieves and, if your car has been altered in order to improve its performance, you may drive faster and therefore be more likely to be involved in an accident.
If any modifications have been made to your car, it's important to declare these to your current insurer and any insurer that you're considering in future. If you find that your insurance cover becomes more expensive as a result, however, it might be worth getting a quote for a specialist modified car insurance policy. A number of UK insurers offer modified car insurance plans and, depending on the type of modifications that you have made to your car, you could save money by switching to one of these.
Whilst specialist car insurance policies are not always cheaper than standard insurance policies, it's certainly worth finding out how much they will cost and what benefits they offer while shopping around. You may be able to save money just by doing your research and choosing the most appropriate car insurance for your car and personal circumstances.
Whether you are looking for classic car insurance UK or young drivers insurance, Laura Ginn recommends visiting uSwitch.com to find the best prices.
