Car insurance

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has changed the driving habits of many UK drivers. The increased number of people working from home, plus restrictions on travel and activities means we’re driving less than we used to.

If you’re going to continue using your car less, it might mean you pay less for your insurance. If you’re renewing your policy, make sure to update your mileage and how you use your car as this will affect your price.

If your car insurance isn’t up for renewal but your occupation has changed, for example you’ve become unemployed or if you now have a second job, you should let your insurer know. The furlough scheme officially came to an end on 30 September. If your employment status has changed as a result of this, you should let your insurer know. Find out more information on the impact of coronavirus on drivers.

Typically it’s cheaper to pay for insurance in one go. Opting to pay monthly via direct debit could end up costing you over 15% extra (based on Confused.com data December 2020 -January 2021). 

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.

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

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 4x4s are generally 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.

A no-claims bonus (NCB) is the number of years that you haven’t claimed on your car insurance policy. Insurers offer discount for each year you haven’t claimed. The more years you have, the bigger the discount as you’re less likely to claim in the future.

Most insurance companies will only accept your NCB if you’ve earned it as a policyholder of a privately insured car.

When getting a quote, please enter your total NCB years as 0. It’s best to check with your chosen insurer before buying the policy to see if they’re able to accept any NCB from a company car.

Your job title, the industry you work in and your employment status will affect the price of your quote. This is because insurers use your occupation as a rating factor, and people in certain professions are seen as riskier than others. Our guide on how job titles affect your car insurance explains more.

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.

If you’re worried that your choice doesn’t describe your job properly, don’t be. You’ll be able to confirm it with your insurer before you go-ahead and buy.

Generally, yes – the price of your quote will change if you alter the annual mileage.

Your mileage is considered by insurers when calculating your price. Make sure you’re as accurate as possible, as underestimating your mileage could invalidate a future claim

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.

Or 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.

There are some rule changes you need to be aware of since the UK left the EU. You’ll need to apply for a green card at least one month before you travel, this acts as proof of your insurance while you’re abroad.

If you have a standard 12-month car insurance policy in the UK, you’ll usually be covered to drive in some European countries for up to 30 days. The countries that are covered and the level of cover you have may have changed since Brexit. See our guide on driving abroad for more information.

This can change depending on the insurer offering you a quote. For example, some quotes expire the same day you get them, and others can last longer.

You can find the expiry date for each quote below the annual or total price. You can find your previous quotes under the ‘quotes’ section of your Confused.com account.

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 the exact value of your car you can use our free car valuation tool.

The first step to making a car insurance claim is to contact your insurer. You’ll need to provide some details for your insurer.

Find out more about how to make a car insurance claim.

Unfortunately, your insurance price is likely to go up if you’ve claimed. Even if the accident wasn’t your fault, a claim will usually result in an increased price. If you’ve lost your NCB, you’ll also lose out on any discounts that may have been applied to your previous policies.

Most insurers won’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’ll probably face a cancellation fee.

This is typically charged to cover admin fees and documents. Find out more about how to cancel your car insurance policy.