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Frequently Asked Questions on Car Insurance

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Last updated: 01/09/2021 | Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

We've tried to answer as many of your questions as possible, if there is something missing from here which you'd like to know please do get in touch!

In This Guide:

How long is my quote valid for?

When you compare policies with us, any quotes you get offered will be valid until the date you chose for your policy to beginning at the beginning of the process.

How long will my policy last?

Policies last for a year, if you want cover for a shorter amount of time, you'll want to opt for a temporary or short term policy.

How much can I save by comparing?

Research suggests that by comparing car insurance quotes online, customers tend to save between £213 and £234 when purchasing a policy, compared to what they'd be paying if they went directly to insurers.

We are happy to report that, when compared with other comparison services, our customers find the cheapest deals on standard quotes in over half of cases.

How many providers do you compare?

We compare quotes from a panel of over 100 of the market leading providers to ensure the best deals available from our customers.

Why do I need to give you my phone number?

Your phone number is one of the details that the insurance provider will need to include in your policy document.

Don't worry; we won't share your contact details with any third parties if you choose for us not to.

Why do you need to know my address?

As well as being necessary for your policy document, your address and location will have a bearing on the cost of your policy, given that the risk of car theft varies from town to town.

Occasionally, post codes are entered into our form that our system cannot locate. If this happens to you, just enter a post code from a nearby area, we'll be able to get you an accurate quote.

Why do you need to know if I smoke?

Insurance prices will go up slightly if you are a smoker. This for a few different reasons, but is mainly down to the fact that if you smoke while driving and, as you would be, using your hands to do so, your ability to fully focus your attention on your driving is somewhat diminished.

The added risk of sudden health problems such as death or unconsciousness also plays a part in the increased price of insurance.

I'm being told I've answered a question incorrectly?

If you've made a mistake while filling in our form, we'll highlight in red the areas where the error has been made so that you can easily and quickly correct it.

What kinds of cover are available?

There are three main levels of cover available to drivers: third party only; third party, fire and theft; and fully comprehensive.

Third party only insurance will cover you for any damage you cause to any third party or their property. This could be someone else's wall you crash into, someone else's car or even any passengers in someone else's car.

Third party, fire and theft (TPFT) insurance adds to the above cover against fire damage to your vehicle, theft of your vehicle and any damage cause during an attempted theft.

Fully comprehensive insurance policies cover you against any damage to your own vehicle, as well as the above, but the specifics of what this entails will vary from provider to provider.

Why is my policy so expensive?

There are various things that can affect the cost of your policy, making it more expensive.

This could be your age; where you live; the amount of experience you have behind the wheel; any previous convictions you might have; the value of your car; etc. - the list goes on.

What are premiums and excess?

You pay for your policy in two ways: premiums and excess.

The premium is what you pay regularly (either monthly or annually) and this is basically the cost of your policy.

The excess is the amount that you, the policy holder, must come up with in the event of a claim. The total excess is made up of two parts: voluntary and compulsory excess.

Compulsory excess is the amount that you have to pay up, as set by the insurer.

Voluntary excess is set by you and while it might be hard to resist the temptation to reduce your voluntary excess to zero, bear in mind that the higher the voluntary excess, the cheaper your premium will be.

I crashed my car, what should I do?

If you've had a crash, you'll need to make a claim. You'll need to get in touch with both the police and your insurance company and inform them as fully as possible as to what happened.

Your insurance company will give you a form to fill out that you should return to them along with any photos you can take of any damage caused.

Why did my policy get more expensive when I moved house?

Some areas considered safer than others by insurers in terms of the risk of car theft.

Living in a higher risk area will increase the cost of your policy in order to reflect the increased likelihood of the insurer having to pay out.

There are also various steps you can take to reduce the cost of your policy. Have a read through our guides section to find out how you can save.

Why is my policy getting more expensive?

Providers will often increase the cost of their premiums across their range each year. This means that even if you're building up a no claims discount, you might still see your policy get more expensive when it is renewed.

The best way to avoid this is to shop around and compare car insurance quotes online when it comes to your renewal date in order to make sure you're constantly taking advantage of the best priced policies on the market.

Why is insurance more expensive for younger drivers?

Young and newly qualified drivers are considered higher risk customers by providers, and the price of the policies offered will reflect this.

Department for Transport statistics show that around 30% of all fatalities on the road in the UK are caused by drivers aged between 17 and 25. It is statistics like this that, unfortunately, drive prices up for younger drivers and cause many to opt for black box policies.

Does my choice of car affect the cost of my policy?

The car you choose to drive will have a bearing on the price of the policy offered to you.

It will depend in which of the 50 groups your car falls into. Cars in the lower numbered groups cost less to insure, and vice versa.

The groups are set out based on factors like engine size and power, and the cost of repairs.

Why is my insurance more expensive if I'm unemployed?

Unfortunately, unemployed drivers tend to find that their insurance costs more than it does for employed drivers, with a BBC study reporting up to a 30% average increase.

The reasons for this range from the fact that in looking for a job an unemployed driver might be racking up some serious mileage and leaving their car in unfamiliar locations to the fact that those without a steady income might be more inclined to make a fraudulent claim on their policy.

Is insurance cheaper for women than for men?

It used to be the case that women got a better deal when it came to insurance based on statistics that showed them to be less likely to be involved in accidents on the road.

However, in 2012, the European Court of Justice introduced legislation outlawing the basing of policy prices on gender, meaning that now women can expect to pay the same amount of men for their insurance.

Can I protect my no claims discount?

Yes, you can pay to protect your no claims discount, allowing you to make two at fault' claims during the year without your discount being affected.

Some insurers will require you to have four years of no claims built up in order for you to be allowed to protect your discount.

Will I be penalised if I cancel my insurance policy early?

If, say, you sell your car before your policy is finished, you should be able to cancel it without penalty so long as you can provide proof of the sale.

Some providers will allow you to suspend a policy for a period of time so that if you sell your car and wait six months to buy a new one, you won't have to pay during that six month period and will be able to restart the policy when you purchase your new vehicle.

Can I keep my no claims discount if I change provider?

Generally, you can keep you no claims discount if you change providers, so long as you do so at the end of the policy. If you cancel your policy before the year is up, you're unlikely to be able to benefit from not making a claim during that year.

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