car insurance quotes: The 6 secrets of cheap car insurance quotes Part 2

car insurance quotes: The 6 secrets of cheap car insurance quotes Part 2:

3. 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 an average of £280, comparison site Comparethemarket found – with even bigger savings available for younger drivers.

4. 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.

Topcashback is offering up to £110.25 cashback when you switch through them. 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.

5. Pay up front

Did you know that many insurers charge interest on your payments if you spread the cost over the year? Well, they do. an average of £62 more Moneysupermarket worked out. So if at all possible, pay up front.

6. 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 £50 can make a difference.
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