If you run a car, you have to insure it. It is illegal to drive without car insurance. But the price of car insurance can add a lot to the cost of motoring, so it is worth knowing the factors that affect the premium you are quoted.

So how do I cut my bill?
You let someone else do all the shopping around and comparing for your car insurance quote with different insurers.

Where do I go for quotes?

 Internet quotes are often cheaper. Why not let someone else do all the leg work for you .

 None of us want to be paying more than we have to for car insurance.
What will they want to know?
The starting point is the type of car you want to insure. There are 20 different insurance groups, with price, performance, safety factors, security and the cost of replacement parts being the main factors that dictate the category your car falls into. Smaller less powerful cars are often cheaper to insure. The car insurance company will then want to know details about you and any other drivers before they will give you a car insurance quote

What's the difference between "Fully Comprehensive" and "3rd Party, Fire & Theft"?
The main difference is that Fully Comprehensive insurance covers you for damage to your own vehicle in an accident whether it was caused by you or not. 3rd Party fire and theft insurance covers you for damage to other people, their property or vehicle in an accident where you are at fault but not for damage to your own vehicle.

So which is the best car insurance for you? It all depends on your circumstances. If you have an expensive car, it is certainly worth having fully comprehensive insurance. However, it will cost considerably more. If you have a relatively cheap car it is probably not worth the extra cost of fully comprehensive insurance cover third party fire and theft insurance may well be better for you.

What else counts?
Your age, sex and address are the other primary factors that affect the price of your insurance quote. Young male drivers generally get charged the most, while women in their 50s pay the least. And you will usually pay more if you live in a city than in a rural area. Parking your car on the street overnight, rather than in a garage, will also mean higher car insurance premiums.

Will my job make a difference?
It could do. Some car insurance companies might class you as higher risk if you are a sports professional, entertainer, barman, chef or builder, among other occupations. But you may be able to avoid having your insurance premium loaded by using the links below.
How does the no claims bonus work?

You typically get a 30% discount after one year of claim-free driving. This will rise to 65% after four or five years without a claim. But insurance companies vary. Some go up to a 70% maximum no claims bonus, while others specialising in younger drivers will give higher no claims bonuses at an earlier stage. If you move your car insurance company you will need to provide evidence of how many years of no claims bonus you have accumulated with your previous insurer.

Will I automatically lose my no claims bonus if I make a claim?
No. It depends whether the claim is a 'Fault' or 'Not fault' claim. This is not just a question of whether or not you were to blame for the accident, but depends on whether your car insurance company can recover all its costs from someone else.

Where another driver is involved, unless it can be proved beyond doubt that the other driver was to blame, the two car insurers will often settle a claim on a 50:50 or 80:20 basis. Which means that both drivers will lose some of their no claims bonus. With most car insurance companies you will lose two years no claims bonus if you have a Fault claim.

Many car insurers now offer the opportunity to pay a bit more to protect your no claims bonus. The rules vary, but you may be able to make two claims in three years, for example, before your bonus is affected. Protecting your bonus will not stop your insurer from hiking up your car insurance premium at renewal following a claim. But at least you won't lose your no claims bonus on top.

What can I do to keep my insurance costs down?
Restrict car insurance cover to one or two named drivers, rather than insuring it for anyone to drive. Take a bigger excess than the standard £50 or £100. Downsize to a smaller car. Get extra driving qualifications. Consider buying third party, fire and theft cover rather than fully comprehensive insurance, especially if you have a relatively old car. Use the links below to find discount car insurance compared to your insurance renewal from car insurance company that we have all heard of