Finding car insurance

Driving on the UK's roads can be a pleasurable activity, one that millions of people will participate in every day. Unfortunately however it is not an activity that is without risk. The Department for Transport (DfT) statistics show that approximately 233,330 people were injured on the roads of Britain during the period October 2007 - September 2008. Although this would suggest a reduction over the 12 months which preceded that it can still be seen that you face an element of risk each time you travel on the roads. All drivers are legally required to have insurance for any vehicle they wish to take onto the roads of Britain, since no matter the driver's skill level anybody could be involved in a road accident. Car insurance is possibly the best way to protect both the investment the car represents, and any third parties who may be involved in the accident.

What are the options available?

The first place to begin when considering buying car insurance involves selecting the level of cover that is most appropriate for your personal circumstances. This will basically come down to one of three options:

The lowest level of cover legally required is called third party only (TPO). This will provide cover for injuries to third parties and damage to their property but does not cover you or your vehicle.

The next level of cover up from third party only is third party fire & theft (TPFT). This will provide the same basic cover as with third party only but in addition will provide cover for accidents which occur if the car is stolen, or if the car is in some way damaged by fire.

The highest level of cover and generally most expensive, is a comprehensive cover policy. This will generally offer cover for most eventualities and will, unlike the others offer cover for you and for damage to the car. This type of policy will also generally offer the most optional extras though the exact features being offered will vary from insurer to insurer.

Car value is often an important consideration when choosing a level of cover for the vehicle being insured. If the car were worth just a few hundred pounds it would likely be pointless to consider a comprehensive cover policy for which the premium is far in excess of the car's value. In this instance a policy which is likely to cost far less may be best such as a basic third party only policy. On the other hand if the car cost a lot more and therefore represents a far more substantial investment it would probably be a wiser choice to choose a comprehensive policy to provide maximum cover rather than choosing to a third party policy just to save a few pounds and risk not being fully covered.

Once a level of cover which would be suitable for the vehicle has been decided upon it is worth considering the sorts of features and options which may be offered to you by an insurer, this is a good opportunity to be able to make significant savings on the price of a policy. Some common options and features which can help make savings on the policy price include:

Consider vehicle security: A security measure decreases the likelihood of you being a victim of theft and many insurers will offer a discount if you can park your car in a secure place such as a garage or fit an alarm or immobiliser. A GPS tracker is also a good consideration particularly on higher value vehicles.

Limit your mileage: The less time you spend on the road the less chance there is of being involved in an accident, considering a mileage limit could help bring your premium down but make sure you agree to a limit you can actually stay within.

Pay for your premium annually: Paying for your policy upfront in full with one payment will avoid interest charges and save you up to 20%

Increase your voluntary excess: By increasing the amount you agree to pay in the event of an accident (an excess) you will in turn lower your premium. Care should be taken when setting this level to ensure it is an amount you can afford to pay.

Some insurers also provide policies known as specialist policies which are designed to be particularly relevant to a particular classification of car. Among the types of specialist policy available are options for classic/vintage cars, high performance cars, and imported or modified cars. If your car falls into one of these categories it may be worth considering a specialist policy in order to get a policy with relevant options.
The best way to quickly find cheap car insurance  that gives the cover you need is to use an online car insurance comparison website in order to compare hundreds of policies from dozens of insurers in as short a time as possible.