Car insurance

Typically it's cheaper to pay for insurance in one go. Opting to pay monthly via direct debit could end up costing you over 16% extra (based on Confused.com data - January 2020).

When you get quotes through Confused.com, 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 on your credit history is if you choose to buy car insurance and pay for it monthly. This is because the monthly payment is paid over a contract period (usually 12 months) and the insurer needs to check you'll be able to cover the cost over the length of the policy.

To get an estimate, if you know on average how many miles you drive a week, you can multiply that figure by 52 to give you a yearly figure.

Alternatively, if you've had your car for a year or more, you can compare the mileage on last year's MOT document to this year's. If you don't have the documents to hand, you can use the GOV.UK MOT checker to find the details.

This is the amount you'd have to pay in the event of a claim, in addition to any compulsory excesses set by the insurance provider.

If you have a pickup and you're looking for insurance, you'll need to go to our van insurance page to get a quote. This is because, generally, 4x4s are classified as cars and pickup trucks aren't. This is due to their longer wheel base and the fact they often exceed 3.5 tonnes.

The majority of insurance providers will only accept your NCB if you've earned it as a policy holder of a privately insured car.

When getting a quote, please enter your total NCB years as 0.

However, you may want to contact your chosen provider before purchasing the policy to see if they're able to accept any NCB from a company car.