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*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (February '23). 51% of car insurance customers could save £407.05
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What are the 3 levels of car insurance?
There are 3 main options to choose from when buying car insurance. But the lowest level of cover isn’t always the cheapest. A higher cover level, like comprehensive insurance, may offer more protection at a cheaper price.
How much does car insurance cost?
The average price of a comprehensive car insurance policy in the UK is £6292.
Here are the average costs of policies for different age groups:
| Age | Average premium2 |
|---|---|
|
18
|
£1,715
|
|
21
|
£1,381
|
|
25
|
£1,036
|
|
35
|
£726
|
|
45
|
£604
|
|
55
|
£466
|
2Confused.com Q4 2022 price index data
You can get a rough idea of how much your car insurance costs might be by using our car insurance calculator.
How are car insurance quotes calculated?
There’s a lot that goes into how much you pay for your car insurance. Insurance companies use various factors to decide how likely you are to make a claim, which is reflected in your price.
Some of the bigger factors are:
- Where you live
- Your age
- The car you own
- What you do for a living
- Your driving history
- Your annual mileage
- How secure your car is
- Your voluntary excess
- Who else drives your car
- Where you live will affect your car insurance price. If you live in a built-up area with more vehicle crime you’ll likely be paying more than someone living in a rural area where the risks are lower.
- Your age and driving experience are significant to insurers. Generally, the younger you are, the less driving experience you have. In insurers’ eyes this means you’re more likely to have an accident and make a claim.
- The car you drive has one of the largest effects on your insurance costs. Bigger, high-performance and expensive models, as well as cars with modifications, usually cost insurers more to repair after an accident. Desirable and valuable cars are also more often a target for opportunistic thieves.
- What you do for a living is important as it gives an indication to insurers of how much time you spend on the road. Long days behind the wheel or travelling to multiple sites a day might increase your risk of making a claim.
- Your driving history including previous claims or accidents help give insurance companies an idea of how you drive. If you’ve made a claim in the past 5 years, this will affect the cost of your insurance. Driving convictions also contribute to the amount you pay.
- Your annual mileage tells insurers how much you’re on the road. The more miles you rack up, the greater the risk of an accident.
- How secure your car is can have a sizable impact on your policy. Cars fitted with an alarm, immobiliser and tracker are harder to steal and easier to recover. Good security measures could help keep your costs down.
- Your voluntary excess is the amount of money you pay towards a car insurance claim. The higher this excess, the lower the price tends to be.
- Who else drives your car is important as it’s an additional risk. Depending on the named drivers’ age, experience and claims history, your costs can go up or down.
How can I get cheaper car insurance?
Unless you tell them otherwise, most insurers automatically renew your policy each year. The cost of car insurance goes up and down, so don’t just accept the renewal price you’re offered. Shop around for cheaper car insurance and compare quotes to make sure you're getting the best policy for the price.
Here are 11 things you can do that could help you pay less for your car insurance:
1. Add a named driver. But always list the person who drives the car most often as the main driver and any occasional drivers as additional. Otherwise, this is known as fronting, which is illegal.
2. Increase your voluntary excess to pay more towards any claims. Just make sure you consider any compulsory excess listed on a policy as you’ll also need to pay this if you make a claim.
3. Build up your no-claims bonus (NCB). Each year you drive without making a claim on your car insurance, you gain an extra year of no-claims bonus (NCB). Insurers offer discounts for each year you haven’t claimed. The more NCB you have, the bigger the discount as you’re less likely to claim in the future. Some insurers might ask you for proof of your NCB - you should be able to get this from your previous or current insurer.
4. Pay annually if you can. You'll always be charged more by choosing to pay monthly. This is usually in the form of interest or an admin fee. While it spreads the cost over the year it will on average end up costing you over 15% extra.3.
5. Only choose the add-ons you need. Adding unnecessary extras, like breakdown cover or legal assistance is likely to increase the cost of your quote.
6. Choosing the correct job title keeps your prices accurate as insurers use your occupation as a rating factor when calculating the price of your insurance.
7. Buy your policy early to get the cheapest price. The later you leave it, the more you pay for your insurance. We think the best time to buy your car insurance is around 3 weeks before your renewal3.
8. Compare different levels of cover - the most basic cover doesn’t necessarily make it the cheapest. In fact, comprehensive policies can often be cheaper even though you get a higher level of cover.
9. Think about how you use your car and pick the cover that matches your needs. Social use, social & commuting and business use offer different levels of cover depending on how you use your car.
10. Be accurate with your mileage so you’re only paying for miles you’re driving. The average yearly mileage is around 6,5003, but think about the types of trips you do and how often you do them. You can even check the mileage between your last MOTs to see how many miles you drove in the last 12 months.
11. Consider a driving course. Some insurance companies might offer a discount if you’ve taken a Pass Plus course or an advanced driving course. These courses bolster your driving skills, which in theory should reduce your risk of an accident and, in turn, your insurance costs. Check with the insurer whether they offer these discounts.
3Based on Confused.com data May 2022 - Oct 2022
What our car insurance expert says
With costs rising for many across the UK, making savings where you can is more important than ever. When it comes to insurance, comparing prices is the easiest way to make sure you're getting a good deal.
If you're worried about being able to pay for your insurance in one go, consider paying for it monthly. It'll cost you a little more, but it does let you spread the cost over 12 months. Just remember to make your payment each month to avoid your policy being cancelled or getting extra charges from your insurer.
Car insurance expert
What car insurance add-ons can I get?
When you get your car insurance quote, you have the option to add extra features or ‘add-ons’. Some are included as standard and others are optional. Only add what you need, as including add-ons can affect your price.
Breakdown cover will help you out if your car breaks down at the roadside. If it can’t be fixed at the roadside, depending on your cover, the breakdown company will tow you to a nearby garage or your home. Some policies include onward transport to help get you where you need to go, or European cover if you’re travelling further afield.
Motor legal protection, or legal cover as it’s also known, could help you recover certain uninsured losses. These are costs that aren’t covered by your own car insurance policy if you’re involved in a road accident that wasn’t your fault. Depending on the policy, it can include the cost of:
- A solicitor
- Medical treatment
- Overnight accommodation
- Travel costs
Courtesy car cover provides you with a replacement car if yours is in the garage following an accident.
Windscreen-cover pays for the repair or replacement of your windscreen, rear window or side windows following an accident.
Personal accident cover pays compensation if you’re injured in a road accident, even if you’re at fault. It also pays a lump sum if you die in a car accident.
No Claims Bonus (NCB) protection allows you to have a certain amount of ‘at fault’ accidents without affecting the bonus.
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What kind of cars can I insure?
Depending on the type of car you drive you might need specialist insurance. We compare quotes for:
Electric cars are still fairly new to the market. As a result, parts are less readily available so they may require specialist servicing. Insurers see this as a risk which can make them more expensive to insure.
Classic cars are often driven for leisure and tend to cover fewer miles. They also have lower speed limits, which is one of the reasons why insuring them is usually cheaper than standard car insurance.
Modified cars with updates like tinted windows, spoilers, and engine upgrades can make your car unique. But they can also increase the risk of theft or an expensive repair bill. This is why insurers classify modifications as higher risk, which can increase your costs. Make sure you declare any modifications when you get a quote, so you have the right level of cover.
Imported cars brought to the UK from abroad can cost more to insure. Not only are they often higher spec and have more powerful engines, the cost to repair and source spare parts is usually higher. This is reflected in the price you pay.
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Potholes are a nuisance and they can cause serious damage.
Need more help?
Will I be charged if I change or cancel my policy?
This depends on when you cancel and what is changed. The most common occasions where you might pay an admin fee are:
- Where you cancel your car insurance policy before the 12 months is up. This is also known as a mid-term cancellation.
- When you change your car insurance policy details – for example, a change of address, or a change of car.
You should check the terms and conditions of your policy for any other fees that might apply.
Most insurers don’t charge a cancellation fee within the first 14 days of your policy start date. But if you want to cancel your policy after that, you're likely to face a cancellation fee.
This is typically charged to cover admin fees and documents. For more information, check out our guide on how to cancel your car insurance policy.
I've changed my car, how do I transfer my existing car insurance to my new car?
All you need to do is call your car insurance company and tell them you’ve changed your car. Depending on when you do this, there might be an admin fee. Your insurance costs could also change, depending on the car.
If you're in the browsing stages of buying a new car, it might be worth shopping around for car insurance quotes beforehand.
What if I can’t find my job title?
If you can’t find your exact job title, it could be listed under a similar description instead. For example, if you’re an IT manager, try entering ‘computer’ or ‘manager’ to see if another option fits the bill. Don’t worry if you can’t find your exact job title, you can confirm it with the insurer before you buy the policy
How do I work out my car’s value?
When you get a quote, we’ll estimate the market value of your car based on averages of the make and model, and age. If you want to find out an accurate idea of your car’s value you can use our free car valuation tool.
How can I work out my annual mileage?
If you know on average how many miles you drive per week, you can get an estimate by multiplying that figure by 52 to get a yearly figure. You can also check your last MOT if you’ve owned the car a year or more, using your documents or the GOV.UK MOT checker to find the details.
Do I need a credit check to get insurance quotes?
When you get quotes through our site, you’ll usually see ‘soft searches’ on your credit report. These are nothing to worry about. They’re only visible to you and don’t affect your credit rating. A ‘soft search’ is usually just used to confirm your identity.
The only time you’ll see a ‘hard’ search is if you choose to pay for your car insurance monthly. This is because the insurer will need to check you can cover the payments of the contract; usually 12 months.
Can I drive someone else’s car?
You might be able to drive someone else’s car if you have a comprehensive car insurance policy. Check with your insurer to see if your policy has the Driving Other Cars (DOC) feature, as not all policies offer this.
Even if you have it, this only entitles you to third-party cover on someone else’s car. So, if you want to be fully covered, consider a temporary car insurance policy, or get yourself added as a named driver.
Can I add someone to an existing car insurance policy?
Yes, you can add named drivers to your car insurance policy. To add another driver, you’ll need their:
- Age
- Occupation
- Details of any accidents and claims
- Details of any motoring convictions
Depending on the driver, this might raise or lower your car insurance costs.
It's important to remember that the person who does the bulk of the driving should be listed as the main driver. And any named drivers only use the car occasionally.
Am I insured to drive abroad?
If you have a standard 12-month car insurance policy in the UK, you're usually covered to drive in some European countries for up to 30 days. Make sure you take your driving licence with you, as well as your insurance documents.
Depending on the country you're visiting, you might need to get an insurance green card and an International Driving Permit. See our guide on driving abroad for more information.
Can I renew my car insurance online?
If you decide to renew your car insurance policy with the same insurer, you don’t need to do anything. Unless you decide to change your car insurance provider, your policy should automatically renew. But don’t forget to update any changes to you or your car.
Even if you’re comfortable with your renewal price, it’s still worth shopping around and comparing car insurance quotes. You could save yourself even more money for just a few minutes’ work.
Can I insure two cars at the same time?
Yes, you can insure more than one car. Some car insurance companies cater specifically for this and offer a multi-car insurance policy. This lets you add multiple cars under a single policy, which should be easier to manage. You might also get a discount for each car you add to the policy.
I made a claim last year, will my insurance go up?
As a general rule, your insurance price is likely to go up if you’ve made a claim. Even if the accident wasn’t your fault, a claim usually results in an increased price. If you’ve lost your NCB, you might also lose out on any discounts that may have been applied to your previous policies.
Do I have to tell my insurers about an accident if I’m not going to claim?
Yes, you should tell your insurer about any accident involving your car, even if you don’t make a claim. When you get a car insurance policy, we ask you about all accidents in the past five years. If you don’t disclose a previous accident, it could void any future claims you make.
Is my pickup classed as a car or van?
If you have a pickup and you’re looking for insurance, you need to go to our van insurance page to get a quote. This is because 4x4s are generally classified as cars and pickup trucks aren’t. This is due to pickups having longer wheel base and the fact they often exceed 3.5 tonnes.
What are the FCA insurance renewal guidelines and how do they affect me?
In an effort to treat customers fairly, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has created rules that stop insurance companies from penalising loyal customers. This is known as price walking.
The rules state that insurers are required to offer customers who renew their policy a price that's not higher than if they were a new customer buying in the same way. The FCA believes this should save customers £4.2 billion over the next decade.
This doesn't mean that your renewal price is going to be less than last year. A range of factors come into how car insurance prices are calculated, but you shouldn't be penalised by sticking with your existing insurer.
But there still might be savings to be had. Even if your price is the same or a bit cheaper than last year, it's always worth shopping around.
Page last reviewed: 13 March 2023
Reviewed by: Louise Thomas
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