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The sales of green cars are increasing year on year and it is easy to
see why when you look at the benefits of owning a green car. They are
kind to the environment because they produce fewer greenhouse gasses as
well as saving their owners a lot of money over time due to their
excellent fuel efficiency and low price road tax. With so many benefits
to owning a green car you would have thought insurance companies would
offer low insurance prices as another incentive to go green,
unfortunately this is not the case. Insuring a green car can be as
expensive as insuring a conventional car. Green car owners are thought
to be safer drivers but this is outweighed by the higher repair costs
than normal cars and therefore the cost of an insurance policy can work
out around the same price. There are ways to bring the cost of your next
car insurance policy down; here we outline a few tips to help you get
the best deal.
Join a car club
– Due to the specialist nature of green cars there are numerous car
clubs for green car owners. You can reduce your car insurance quote by
joining a car club as you are seen to be an enthusiast and someone who
takes real care of their car. Many car clubs offer insurance schemes at
very competitive rates.
Buy online
– Purchasing car insurance online is an automated process which is much
cheaper for insurance companies than their call centers. The saving is
usually passed on to the customer in the form of a 5-10% online
discount. When buying online be sure to shop around to ensure you get
the best deal, price comparison sites such as
Moneysupermarket.com are great as they compare numerous insurers to
get you the cheapest quote.
Pay in full
– If you have the funds pay your insurance policy in full as you will
get charged interest for paying monthly. The rate of interest you will
be charged varies but it can be between 15 and 30%. If paying in full is
not an option it may be worth looking into using a low interest loan or
credit card to pay the premium.
Where to keep your car
– Where you park your car over night will have an affect on the price of
your policy. The majority of car thefts occur at night so the safer your
car is the lower the cost. If you have a garage, park your car in it
over night, this way it is hard for thieves to access and far safer. The
next best thing to a garage is to park on a driveway, install some
security lights and gates if possible to make it more secure. Try to
avoid parking on a road, your car is far more likely to be
vandalised, stolen or accidentally damaged when parked on the road.
Alarm
– Upgrading your cars alarm system can save you around 5%, make sure you
fit your car with an approved alarm such as the
Thatcham 1 or Thatcham 2 alarm. Also think about having an alarm or
immobiliser fitted, the
more secure your vehicle is the less chance there is of it being
targeted by thieves.
Increase your excess
– Increase your voluntary excess to reduce your premium. If increasing
your excess does not reduce your premium by at least £100 do not
increase it as you may end up paying more of you make a claim.
Reduce your mileage
– The less you drive the less time you spend on the roads the less
likely you are to be in an accident, meaning your car insurance will
cost less. Try to work out your mileage as accurately as possible or
your insurance could be void. If you work out your mileage and it is
very low a pay as you drive insurance scheme could be right for you,
these schemes look at where you drive and when and charge you
accordingly.
Improve your driving
– Try to keep a clean licence, insurance
companies view driving convictions very seriously and will increase the
cost of your policy if you have points on your licence.
Having a clean licence
demonstrates you are a careful and safe driver. Also think about taking
an advanced driving course or the Pass Plus course, these will give you
essential driving experience and reduce the risk of you causing an
accident. Taking a driving course could save you 35% on your insurance.
Use these steps to keep the cost of insuring your green car as low as
possible; these small changes could save you hundreds.
By
Jessica Bourne at Moneysupermarket.com
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