- Use the right job title
If you describe yourself as a “chef” when filling in your car insurance application your average quote is higher than if you write “kitchen staff” – and it’s not just cooks that have this problem.
“Music teachers” pay more than “teachers”, “office managers” pay more than “office administrators”, and “construction workers” pay more than “builders” who – in turn – pay more than “bricklayers”.
Basically, if your job fits in more than one category, check car insurance quotes for all of them before applying.
But be careful, while you can often legitimately choose more than one job, if you knowingly misrepresent yourself that could invalidate your cover.
And if you’re a full time parent or retired make absolutely sure you check that box and not “unemployed” – it could save you.
- Add another more experienced driver to the policy
Not all drivers get you a discount
It’s a crime to say someone who isn’t the main driver of a car is, but adding a secondary driver is perfectly legal – and more than that, it can save you money.
Get their permission first, then add an experienced driver with a clean driving license and decent no-claims history to your insurance.
- Never leave it till the last minute.
Searching around and switching car insurance three weeks before your renewal date, rather than on the day, saves you with even bigger savings available for younger drivers.
Oh, and make absolutely sure you do compare and switch – almost 6 million drivers just accept their auto-renewal quote
- Get some cash back
Comparison sites make money because when you switch products with them they get a referral fee from the insurer. But if you’re clever, you can get that money yourself.
Once you’ve compared prices and found which deal is cheapest, head over to one of them and see if you can get an even better deal by switching through the cashback site.
- Pay up front
Sometimes spreading isn’t clever
Did you know that many insurers charge interest on your payments if you spread the cost over the year? Well, they do.
So if at all possible, pay up front.
- Cut your extras and boost your excess
What’s included in your car insurance quote? Breakdown cover? Windscreen cover? Theft from the car? Driving abroad? Personal accident cover? A courtesy car? Every extra adds to the premium.
More than that, a lot of them might already be covered by things like your travel insurance, AA membership, home insurance or even your bank account.
Double check you’re not double paying and then look to see if you really need these extras. Oh, and you need to check how much excess there is on your policy.
This is how much you have to pay yourself when making a claim. The lower the excess the higher the car insurance, so work out how what you can afford to pay in the case of an accident and set your excess to that – even R50 can make a difference.
And of course….
These will all lower your quote, but to pay less make sure you’ve compared car insurance providers too.