Important Details To Remember When Insuring Your Car

When it comes to insuring your car there is a lot to consider and it can sometimes be quite overwhelming. If you get it wrong, you risk not being covered for something important, or you might end up paying twice as much as someone else with the same cover. There is a lot you need to consider when buying a car insurance policy and this article can help break it down for you.

Here are 5 of the important details you need to remember when insuring your car. 

Make Sure You Are Getting The Best Price

Usually, the first thing you are likely to look into is price. It is so important that you take the time to look around, research, and consider all your options. The best way to start this is to look at comparison websites, for instance, if you wanted van insurance specifically then you can check out a comparison website that will narrow down all the options solely for vans. This saves you time scrolling through irrelevant policies and information that is not helpful to you. 

A common trick that car insurance companies do is that they try to entice you with free add-ons or special extras to make it appear as though you are getting a better deal. Start your research by seeing what is included and what is not so you can get a better understanding of what you are paying for. It is no good having all these extra add ons if none of what you actually need is included in the price. It is worth noting that car insurers will work out how much you pay based on all sorts of information. So if you know someone who got a great deal on their car insurance, it does not mean that same insurer will give you a great deal too – even if your cars are similar. There are lots of websites and resources online that can help you to save money on your car insurance. 

Type Of Cover

It is key to remember that there are different levels of cover and the main ones include comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, and third-party. Let’s go through each of these and break them down into their simplest form. 

• Third-party: This means if you get into an accident which you are at fault for, then your car insurance company will pay the other person’s car to be repaired. However, it will not cover damage to your car since you were at fault. Additionally, this insurance covers injuries to passengers and pedestrians.
• Third-party fire and theft: This insurance is similar to third-party insurance, however, this is the next level up and it covers you if your car is stolen or damaged in a fire. 
• Comprehensive: This type of cover pretty much does what it says on the tin and it is fully comprehensive car insurance that protects you and your car. For example, if you caused a car accident and your car was damaged, then they would cover the costs to get your car repaired despite it being your fault. 

Not many comprehensive policies will cover you to drive other cars, so if you want to insure a car that is not yours, then you will have to consider other options. Take the time to research each policy so that you can get the cover that is best for you. 

Special Policies

Some insurance companies offer special policies to attract specific types of drivers. A good example of this is that some companies offer a Black Box policy which is a device that is fitted into your car and it can track how safely and how fast you are driving. The safer you drive, the lower the price that they offer you. Other examples of special policies include multi-driver policies and over 25 policies (these are policies that only people aged 25 and over can have access to). Car insurance tends to be more expensive for younger drivers because they are deemed to have less experience and so are more likely to make a claim. 

Hidden Costs

Be careful with hidden costs as sometimes you might think you are getting a killer deal and then you can get slammed with heavy admin fees. Also, if you need to update any information on your policy or if you want to cancel your car insurance, you will have to pay admin fees. So before getting into anything, make sure you find out exactly how much these admin fees can cost. They can vary significantly so always double-check with the car insurance company.

Customer Service

How good or bad a companies’ customer service is, is a big deal. Which? conducted a survey specifically on customer service in car insurance and found that one of the main reasons why people wanted to switch insurance companies was due to customer service.  Nobody wants to get put on hold for hours on end just to get through to a service that is rude or unhelpful. Imagine you have just had a big accident, the last thing you need is to struggle to get through to your car insurance company after something so upsetting. So make sure to check out reviews online and see what you are getting yourself into before committing. Try to invest time into this part of the process and cross-reference reviews so that you do not fall for fake reviews. 

Driving Abroad

With the UK deciding to leave the European Union the rules for driving abroad have changed. As of January 1st, 2021, UK drivers need to attain a Green Card to drive in European countries. To get one of these you have to apply for it via your insurance company. All you need are the dates of when you are going and where you are going just to make sure your Green Card is valid in those countries. 

While getting your car insured can be a lengthy process, it doesn’t have to be complicated. There are plenty of websites online that can help you work out what company is best for you depending on your priorities, whether that is price, special policies, or customer service.