Winter has arrived with a bang. With temperatures dropping around the country, cold winds and snow have swept many parts of the UK and made driving a miserable experience of late. As winter sets in it’s time to stock up on the anti-freeze and check the weather forecast before you travel. With the chance of an accident also increased it’s also time to think about the implications for your car insurance.
Frosty reception
According to the AA, winter is likely to spark a significant rise in the number of cars stolen from our driveways. They’ve noted that many of us open up our cars in the morning to defrost them and leave the keys in the ignition and that there are sophisticated criminals out there looking to take advantage of our abandoned cars.
If you were unlucky enough to be a victim of these opportunistic criminals then you’ll have to expect the cold shoulder from your insurer. Leaving keys abandoned in the ignition normally rules insurance void.
Master the road
While you’d have to be pretty unlucky to fall victim to one of these thieves there’s no doubt that winter represents a challenging time for drivers and their insurance premiums. With icy roads a feature of cold nights we’re all far more likely to lose control of the car. If you can prove to your insurer that you’re one of the better drivers out there, able to control an event such as a skid over ice then they’ll lower your premium.
The only way of proving this is to sign up for an Advanced Driving Course. There will be a cost upfront but in the long run you could make a significant saving.
Miles under your belt
It’s an unfortunate fact, that if you’re driving a large number of miles then you’ll have to pay extra for your car insurance. The more you’re out on the road driving in potentially wet or icy conditions the more your insurer will worry that you’ll end up having an accident.
There’s not a great deal you can do about this but bear in mind that if you were to start using public transport or walking short distance you could save money on your insurance.
But it’s cold out...
There is one advantage to our impending winter; we’re far less likely to venture out in the evenings and this means you’ll have time on your hands to sort out your next insurance quote. From the warmth of your own home the web allows you to compare hundreds of different insurance providers and there’s the added benefit that going online normally costs around ten per cent less while insurers reward you for doing the ground work yourself. At present MoneyExpert is offering £20 cashback for all those who use their comparison service to arrange their car insurance.