Top tips for keeping car insurance premiums low

Motorists are being advised to invest in vehicles that could help keep their car insurance premiums down when buying a new model.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has come up with a number of pointers for drivers to follow to help keep costs low after findings by the Office of National Statistics showed the average premium now costs £564.69, up 19.6 per cent on a year ago.

Collectively, motorists faced a bill for their cover of up to £2.1 billion over the last 12 months.

"First of all, when buying a car, you want to look for one in a lower insurance bracket," commented Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the IAM.

This sort of information should be displayed in documentation that can be read before a purchase is made.

He went on to suggest that motorists could also make the most of advanced driver training courses, which are recognised by some car and van insurance providers and can mean discounted cover.

According to the IAM, it can also pay off to use a garage and a Thatcham alarm for vehicles, as both of these factors can impact positively on insurance premiums.

Mr Greig added that consumers should take measures to ensure their cars are less easy to steal.

But he concluded: "Unfortunately most of the cost still comes down to your gender, age, type of car and where you live that are the biggest determinants - little of which we can do much about."

Contact Budget for a free quote on your car insurance cover.

The views expressed within the article are entirely those of Adfero Ltd and are not those of the BGL Group