Cheap Car Insurance: Guide and FAQ

Original post by james1211

£4k minimum quote on a 1.0L hatchback, third party only, voluntary £500.

Help??

Original post by dd3v

Just browsed this forum. People be getting insurance for like £1.2k etc.

Why the hell am I getting it for £7k? I've got a 1998 Ford Escort which is worth about £250. I don't live in a rough area either...

I checked with all price comparison websites, and I got it cheapest for £7k...

Original post by dd3v

I'm 18, got my test on 3rd of May (so I'm doing insurance as I have passed in April).

For some reason, Admirial or Elephant won't let me get a quote on my car.

Insurance group 15 -_-. Even then, 7k is way too much

Despite being female, I had the exact same problem as you guys. I lived in a nice area in Liverpool, and was getting quotes for £5000-13,000 depending on the car. One thing that I decided to do was give up my ability to drive at night (11pm onwards) and I think it was with the company below, but apparently, they reduce your quotes by a HUGE amount if you don't drive from 11pm-5am. It may be worth checking it out, otherwise, I found that personally, the best comparison site is CONFUSED.COM and you are actually best getting a KA or something for a year. I passed a year ago, and didn't get a car, but am getting one this week, and my insurance quotes have gone down so much, despite having no driving experience. Also, I'd advise trying to call directline etc, as they may help, and I hear Endsleigh are also good for younger drivers (although for me, Admiral were the best, so I may call them up and haggle for a bit, and if that fails, just call again with my online quote).

I've heard that playing companies off on eachother is the best way, so pick up the phone and give it a go. A few companies like Diamond refused to give me any reductions, so try Elephant and any companies you know that may direct their quotes at younger drivers. But seriously, stick to a cheap car, it makes the world of difference.

When I moved to Sheffield for university, my quotes went down drastically too, so if you're going to university soon, that may be worth thinking about.

Good luck. :smile:

Reply 1131

Original post by lizolove

Despite being female, I had the exact same problem as you guys. I lived in a nice area in Liverpool, and was getting quotes for £5000-13,000 depending on the car. One thing that I decided to do was give up my ability to drive at night (11pm onwards) and I think it was with the company below, but apparently, they reduce your quotes by a HUGE amount if you don't drive from 11pm-5am. It may be worth checking it out, otherwise, I found that personally, the best comparison site is CONFUSED.COM and you are actually best getting a KA or something for a year. I passed a year ago, and didn't get a car, but am getting one this week, and my insurance quotes have gone down so much, despite having no driving experience. Also, I'd advise trying to call directline etc, as they may help, and I hear Endsleigh are also good for younger drivers (although for me, Admiral were the best, so I may call them up and haggle for a bit, and if that fails, just call again with my online quote).

I've heard that playing companies off on eachother is the best way, so pick up the phone and give it a go. A few companies like Diamond refused to give me any reductions, so try Elephant and any companies you know that may direct their quotes at younger drivers. But seriously, stick to a cheap car, it makes the world of difference.

When I moved to Sheffield for university, my quotes went down drastically too, so if you're going to university soon, that may be worth thinking about.

Good luck. :smile:

There is really no need to limit your cover to daytime. What if you need to use the car within those hours? you risk not being covered. There is also no need to stick to a small underpowered car like a KA or some other eurobox.

For the cheapest quote get a classic or something unusual or quirky that will have an owners club you can insure with. Anything quite rare will have cheaper insurance as it will have been involved in less claims. Same goes with something that typically 17-23 year olds don't drive, as less young drivers (and therefore less drivers overall) would have been involved in an accident that led to a claim in it.

Just to prove this point, it would have been cheaper for me to get insured on a 3.0 litre 230 horsepower lexus than a something like a 1.4 fiesta or polo. Buy yourself a classic sports car if you can. Even an older mx-5 can be put on classic car insurance with some insurers.

Reply 1132

Original post by persov

There is really no need to limit your cover to daytime. What if you need to use the car within those hours? you risk not being covered. There is also no need to stick to a small underpowered car like a KA or some other eurobox.

For the cheapest quote get a classic or something unusual or quirky that will have an owners club you can insure with. Anything quite rare will have cheaper insurance as it will have been involved in less claims. Same goes with something that typically 17-23 year olds don't drive, as less young drivers (and therefore less drivers overall) would have been involved in an accident that led to a claim in it.

Just to prove this point, it would have been cheaper for me to get insured on a 3.0 litre 230 horsepower lexus than a something like a 1.4 fiesta or polo. Buy yourself a classic sports car if you can. Even an older mx-5 can be put on classic car insurance with some insurers.

I agree to some extent, limiting time is not necessary, however, as I discovered, it was that or pay £1000 more for full-time car insurance, so I thought I'd post it. It's an added bonus for people who may get extra discounts from their insurance if they don't usually drive at that time. :smile:

Reply 1133

Original post by 1992LP

Hi, I actually owned 2 Mondeos.

At 18, I bought a 2002 1.8 LX which I insured for around £1600 with no NCD. This is because I was stupid, and went on my Mum's policy (with me declared as main driver) for me first car. No NCD = expensive premiums.

At 19, I bought a 1998 ST24 (2.5 V6) which I paid £1000 to insure with 1 years NCD.

I am still 19, sold the ST24 to a mate and pay around £800 to insure a 1998 E46 328i. This is still with 1 years NCD, but licence for over 2 years this time.

All prices fully comp, in my own name, with parents on as named drivers.

I have no idea about the security features, it does seem a bit strange! Yes, if it comes with an alarm you should tell them, but if it doesn't work / wasn't specced then you can tell them it doesn't. Who knows!

The funny thing is I still can't get insured on my Mum's 2004 1.2 Corsa Life for under £2k!

Certainly is nice, I love my cars! What do you drive? :smile:

Got a 2002 Ghia TCDI 130 estate lol. complete with tow-bar. Costs me 1500 with 2 years no claims, but then I live in London in quite a high risk postcode. Do you reckon the diesel mondys are more expensive or less to insure than the petrols? Thinking about perhaps getting a petrol one as its got that problem with cutting out that a lot of the TDCI's seem to get, nothing's coming up on the diagnostics, tried a few things already but no luck finding the course of the problem.

Also when someone gets in or out the back the rear suspension sometimes makes a squeaking noise, makes a similar noise on bumpy roads too. Any idea what the problem could be?

That is bloody cheap for the E46, is it a 2 or 4 door?

Reply 1134

Original post by lizolove

I agree to some extent, limiting time is not necessary, however, as I discovered, it was that or pay £1000 more for full-time car insurance, so I thought I'd post it. It's an added bonus for people who may get extra discounts from their insurance if they don't usually drive at that time. :smile:

The funny thing is that it is actually safer to drive in those hours with less morons on the road trying to kill you. Whether you're more likely to be tired or drunk is another matter.

If it makes that huge a difference then you should really be trying other insurers, unless it brings it in below a grand. Paying more than 2000 a year for insurance, whatever the car is just crazy.

Reply 1135

username451311

12

Insurance is soo high, it's ridiculous! :frown:

Especially if you're a boy. Putting my brother on my hypothetical insurance as a proivisional driver is not too much more, but when he's passed his test it goes up £6,000 or something stupid like that! How are they expecting people to get their no claims and experience when they cannot afford the insurance. It's no wonder people are driving without insurance - in many cases the insurance is higher than what the car is actually worth.

Reply 1136

Original post by persov

The funny thing is that it is actually safer to drive in those hours with less morons on the road trying to kill you. Whether you're more likely to be tired or drunk is another matter.

If it makes that huge a difference then you should really be trying other insurers, unless it brings it in below a grand. Paying more than 2000 a year for insurance, whatever the car is just crazy.

I know! Maybe they do it as a precaution to prevent people driving in the dark, who knows. It is just a rip off. I'm sorry that some people may have to resort to installing boxes in their cars to monitor driving etc, but I just thought it was an option. For anyone who urgently wants to drive, it's necessary I guess, I opted to wait for a year though, and it's worked out better. :smile:

Reply 1137

NOTE: For anyone who is interested in cheaper quotes, you can try the company I stated above, but your time is limited when you drive (e.g. not within certain hours).
Also, I hear that it is apparently cheaper to get insured as a learner driver and then change it when you have passed your test, more so than it is just getting fully insured as a passed driver.

Good luck all. :smile:

Reply 1138

Original post by lizolove

NOTE: For anyone who is interested in cheaper quotes, you can try the company I stated above, but your time is limited when you drive (e.g. not within certain hours).
Also, I hear that it is apparently cheaper to get insured as a learner driver and then change it when you have passed your test, more so than it is just getting fully insured as a passed driver.

Good luck all. :smile:

what I did was get insured on my provisional and get the insurance company to agree not to change the price when I passed. Worked out much cheaper that way...still a rip off at something like 1400. This was 3 years ago though.

Driving in the dark is safer, at bends and junctions you can see headlights/tail lights giving you a warning prior to what you would be able to see in daylight.

Reply 1139