Car insurance comparison websites seek to quickly and easily compare car insurance quotes for you, helping you get the best cover for your needs at the best price.
Car insurance comparison sites have really transformed the buying process for car insurance online.
They were established at a time when the number of online car insurance providers was rapidly growing but to compare quotes you had to enter all your details and answer questions on each site.
Taking many minutes per quote meant this was very time consuming and not a very satisfactory way of working.
So car insurance comparison sites were established – enter your details once and the comparison site then collates quotes from a range of different companies.
Try for yourself, compare car insurance quotes, you’ll see just how easy it is.
The numerous quotes are presented to you with differing information, from the price, to key aspects of the policy offered.
Whilst many people choose their car insurance based on price, it’s important to consider other policy requirements, such as a need for a courtesy car, the level of excess you want etc.
Our article on ‘Questions to ask as you choose your car insurance‘, might help with assessing your policy requirements.
Some comparison sites now focus more on the policy requirements and being able to show quotes based on features that are important for you, not just on the cheapest price.
Since the first site was established, some 15 years ago, many more have entered. Some of the main sites are:
beatthatQuote.com
Comparethemarket.com
Confused.com
Gocompare.com
Moneysupermarket.com
uSwitch.com
Tescocompare.com
None cover the entire car insurance market and as you would expect some are better than others.
In some ways this proliferation of comparison sites starts to negate their value in that in order to get the best car insurance you really need to visit multiple sites.
Comparison sites receive commission from the insurance company or broker you buy car insurance from. This is not generally made clear on the sites.
Not all car insurance providers participate in comparison sites, Direct Line for example don’t. This means to get a quote from these you’ll need to use their site directly.
Recognising that there hasn’t been any real control of comparison websites a Comparison Consortium has been established.
Many of the main comparison site companies are involved in this.
beatthatQuote.com this week became the first website to get accreditation for adhering to the Comparison Consortium’s Code of Practice.
This code has been established to ensure greater clarity to customers and sites adhering to it have been confirmed to operate at the highest industry standards, giving consumers clear and transparent information.
Source
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Going to university? How to get the best car insurance quotes
With over 500,000 students getting their A-level results today; many will be venturing off to college or university and probably leaving home for the first time. Many will also be looking to take their car with them, unaware that as they move into student accommodation or halls of residence their car insurance premiums could increase.
Moneyextra.com has put together a list of the top 5 tips for students to follow to help fight any increase in premiums that may arise as a result of leaving home to study:
1. Consider how many miles you will be driving. When buying your car insurance the number of miles driven per year will have a major effect on your premium, so be accurate and make sure you don’t over estimate. Although be honest, if you “lie” to your insurer you could potentially invalidate a claim.
2. Look at where it is parked overnight. If you’re lucky enough to have off road parking or even a garage at your accommodation then use it as this will help to reduce your premium. If the vehicle is kept on the road, look to add some extra security such as alarms and immobilisers (if not already fitted) and steering locks. You may have no option but to park on the road, however you can still help reduce your annual costs by adding extra security.
3. If you are the main driver or registered keeper of the car, don’t insure it in your parents name and put yourself down as a named driver. As well as being false economy as you are just delaying the building up of your no-claims discount, more importantly this is illegal and is known as “fronting” and if you were to be in an accident it could mean the claim is not paid. Worse still, if it’s proven you’re guilty of fronting you are open to prosecution which is likely to be around 3-6 points on your licence and a hefty fine.
4. If you’re a new driver or under 25 consider taking the Pass Plus test. This will consist of some additional lessons which see’s you experience motorways, night driving and towns to name a few different situations. By completing the Pass Plus test you can then get discounts with various insurers of anything from 5% of your car insurance premium upwards.
5. Shop around for your car insurance policy and consider paying a higher voluntary excess in the event of a claim. Although you pay out more if you claim, your premium can reduce quite considerably if you agree to share more of the risk with your car insurance company
Younger drivers may want to also consider the type of car they buy. The GTi badge and the spoilers may look attractive, but the insurance premiums for younger drivers of such cars aren’t quite as appealing. By quickly looking at the insurance group applicable to the vehicle type, and avoiding anything that has “Sport” or “GT” in its name.
Whether you’re going to university, or starting your first step onto the career ladder this autumn, younger drivers can make some significant savings by shopping around for their car insurance and following our tips to get cheaper premiums.
Source
Moneyextra.com has put together a list of the top 5 tips for students to follow to help fight any increase in premiums that may arise as a result of leaving home to study:
1. Consider how many miles you will be driving. When buying your car insurance the number of miles driven per year will have a major effect on your premium, so be accurate and make sure you don’t over estimate. Although be honest, if you “lie” to your insurer you could potentially invalidate a claim.
2. Look at where it is parked overnight. If you’re lucky enough to have off road parking or even a garage at your accommodation then use it as this will help to reduce your premium. If the vehicle is kept on the road, look to add some extra security such as alarms and immobilisers (if not already fitted) and steering locks. You may have no option but to park on the road, however you can still help reduce your annual costs by adding extra security.
3. If you are the main driver or registered keeper of the car, don’t insure it in your parents name and put yourself down as a named driver. As well as being false economy as you are just delaying the building up of your no-claims discount, more importantly this is illegal and is known as “fronting” and if you were to be in an accident it could mean the claim is not paid. Worse still, if it’s proven you’re guilty of fronting you are open to prosecution which is likely to be around 3-6 points on your licence and a hefty fine.
4. If you’re a new driver or under 25 consider taking the Pass Plus test. This will consist of some additional lessons which see’s you experience motorways, night driving and towns to name a few different situations. By completing the Pass Plus test you can then get discounts with various insurers of anything from 5% of your car insurance premium upwards.
5. Shop around for your car insurance policy and consider paying a higher voluntary excess in the event of a claim. Although you pay out more if you claim, your premium can reduce quite considerably if you agree to share more of the risk with your car insurance company
Younger drivers may want to also consider the type of car they buy. The GTi badge and the spoilers may look attractive, but the insurance premiums for younger drivers of such cars aren’t quite as appealing. By quickly looking at the insurance group applicable to the vehicle type, and avoiding anything that has “Sport” or “GT” in its name.
Whether you’re going to university, or starting your first step onto the career ladder this autumn, younger drivers can make some significant savings by shopping around for their car insurance and following our tips to get cheaper premiums.
Source
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