Scotland gets the best deal for car insurance

Scottish motorists pay the least for their motor insurance premiums in the UK, according to research from moneysupermarket.com¹, which reveals the UK’s hotspots for the cheapest and most expensive car cover.

• Scotland dominates top ten but Truro in Cornwall takes the top spot for UK’s cheapest car insurance
• Manchester and Birmingham pay £500 more for car insurance

The price comparison site analysed one million motor insurance quotes over 12 months, to reveal that Scotland dominates the top ten with seven of the cheapest areas in the UK for car insurance. Truro in Cornwall however takes the top spot, with Penzance in Cornwall and Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk also featuring within the top ten.

The research reveals Birmingham and Manchester as the most expensive postcodes in the UK for motor insurance, featuring six times in the top ten. This includes areas such as Small Heath, Spark Hill and Washwood Heath in Birmingham, and Ardwick and Crumpsall in Manchester. Overall, motorists in Manchester could find their premiums around £500 more expensive than those in Scotland – an increase of 126 per cent. Postcodes in Edge Hill in Liverpool, Girlington in Bradford, Falls in Belfast, and Manor Park in London also feature within the top ten most expensive UK postcodes for car insurance2.

Steve Sweeney, head of motor insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: “It is great to see motorists living in areas in Scotland, Cornwall and Suffolk getting such competitive deals on their premiums. At a time when most motorists are looking to save pounds, car insurance is yet another added, but necessary, expense – so the more cost effective the car insurance the better. Of course it’s no surprise to see urban hotspots such as Manchester and Birmingham topping the chart for the most expensive postcodes, where motorists could see the cost of their cover double.

“An array of factors can determine the price you will pay for car insurance, from crime and population levels in your area, to where you park your vehicle. If your area is classified as ‘high risk’, insurers who don’t assess motor insurance on an individual basis may adopt a blanket approach and many motorists could find their insurance is quite high to compensate for this. If premium costs were evaluated on a case by case basis, many motorists would receive quotes at a better price to match their individual circumstances.”

Top tips for reducing the cost of car insurance:

• Shop around – This is one of the easiest ways to save money. Don’t assume that your current provider is giving you the best renewal quote; look at other insurers using the moneysupermarket.com car insurance comparison tool and see if you can save.
• Buy online – Many car insurers offer discounts to customers that buy online.
• Reduce your mileage – When applying for insurance, you estimate the number of miles you’ll do each year. If you aren’t travelling much then you’ll usually pay less. That means that if you car share with a colleague or decide to take the train a couple of times a week, you can bring down the price.
• Keep it safe – Insurers look at the risk every driver presents, so you’ll get a better deal if you can reduce that risk. By keeping the car off the road at night in a garage or on a drive you make it safer, meaning your premiums will come down.
• Car security – Make sure you have an alarm and immobiliser.
• Drive a car with a smaller engine – If you’re struggling to pay your insurance then give some thought to the car you’re driving. The bigger and faster the vehicle, the more it will cost to insure.
• Up the excess – Agreeing to pay a higher excess, such as £500 instead of £100, can reduce your premiums. Don’t forget that this is what you will need to pay in the event of a claim, so be sure you can afford it.
• Add an older driver – If you have a partner or parent who is more experienced behind the wheel, adding them to the policy can sometimes reduce what you pay. Whatever you do, don’t make them the named driver, though. This is called fronting and could invalidate your insurance.
• Ensure it’s adequate – As you look for the lowest price, don’t be tempted to scrap things you really need. It might cost more to have a courtesy car or legal fees paid, but if you need it then include it. Skipping extras that you can’t do without will be a false economy if you do need to claim.

Notes to Editors:

¹ The 10 cheapest areas in UK for car insurance

Quotes based on a total sample size of 988,742, taken between September 2008 and August 2009.

² Top 10 most expensive areas in UK for car insurance

Quotes based on a total sample size of 988,742, taken between September 2008 and August 2009.

Comments

comments