How to find the right car insurance- tips for women

Peace of mind is important, whether you use your car for work, leisure, or for taking the kids to school.
You want to know that if something happens to the car you can get things sorted quickly and stay mobile.
So you look for a comprehensive policy which has a 24-hour claim line and provides a replacement car while yours is repaired. But what other benefits can women expect when buying car insurance?

Replacement car seats

If you have a family, it may be worth checking the comprehensive cover will replace child car seats and booster seats if they are stolen from the car or damaged in an accident or fire.

Replacement locks

Cover which includes the cost of lock replacement is another useful benefit, and it could save you money if you are unlucky enough to lose your keys.

Personal possessions cover

When comparing car insurance policies, remember to look at the level of personal possessions cover on offer. If you carry valuable belongings, like your mobile phone, around in your handbag, then choose a policy that provides a good level of personal possessions cover. This way, providing you've locked the vehicle, you're covered if your handbag is stolen from your car on the day you forget to take the bag with you.

Help with recovering uninsured losses

Before you a buy a policy, see whether the insurance company provides assistance in recovering your uninsured losses from a third party. If it does, you have the reassurance of knowing that in the event of an accident caused by a third party, you'll receive professional help in attempting to recover uninsured losses, like your policy excess or a loss of earnings. Some policies also provide assistance to help you pursue a personal injury claim after an accident.

Protect your no-claims discount

Insurance statistics show that women drive safely and make fewer and less costly claims than men. When you get an AA quote you can protect the no-claims bonus that you've earned by driving safely.

Car security

If you can avoid it, don't park your car on the street at night. Better still, use the garage if your home has one and lock it at night – the extra security could bring a discount on your premium.
Also, insurance companies can advise on which security devices can help reduce your car insurance premium. Tracking devices and immobilisers are likely to attract a discount.

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What you get with our comprehensive car insurance

As one of Britain's largest car insurance brokers we're serious about car insurance for women.
We offer the same wide range of policy benefits at affordable prices to all drivers, but with over 300,000 female customers* we understand the cover you need.

• dedicated UK claimline available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year
• courtesy car while your car is being repaired by an approved repairer
• personal accident cover up to £5,000 (£7,500 if you're an AA member)
• windscreen, window and sunroof repairs without loss of your no-claims discount
• cover for personal belongings up to £250 (£500 if you're an AA member)
• replacement child seats and booster seats
• assistance with overnight accommodation or onward transport following an accident

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Know how to save money on your students car insurance

If you're leaving home for college or university, then car insurance may not be at the top of your 'to do' list.
But finding the right cover for your car could save you money, and may help your student loan go further.
Car insurance for young drivers can be expensive, so here we look at the cover that's available and offer some tips which could help you save money.

Levels of car insurance cover

• Third Party only – a basic level of cover for claims made against you by other people following an accident. It covers your liability for injury to others and damage to their property
• Third Party Fire and Theft – provides the same level of protection as third party only, but also covers your vehicle against fire damage or theft
• Comprehensive – provides all of the above, and includes accidental damage cover for your own car, plus other benefits such as cover for personal possessions or medical expenses

Third Party Fire and Theft is usually not much more expensive than Third Party only, but it provides important cover against fire and car theft. If you're a student in a large city then cover against theft is worth considering.

Make your no-claims discount a priority

The insurers of your parent's car may not wish to continue providing cover if you take their car with you to university. So leaving home to become a student could be the point where you switch from being insured as an additional driver of a parent's car to insuring your own car.
Once you have your own insurance policy your goal should be to earn a no-claims discount. By driving sensibly – following the Highway Code and staying within the speed limit – you can avoid making claims, which could earn a reduction in your premium when you renew your policy.

The car you drive

The age, model and engine size of your car will all affect the cost of your motor insurance. Generally, the smaller and less powerful the car, the cheaper the policy should be. When buying a car, look for a vehicle in a low car insurance group.

Think about your mileage

If you reduce your annual mileage by living closer to the college or university campus then you are likely to receive cheaper car insurance quotes.

Car security

Keeping your car off the roadside at night, or better still in a locked garage, could contribute to a lower premium. If you have to park on the street outside your your student accommodation, then park in a well-lit area and do not leave any valuables in the vehicle that can attract thieves.
If you're living off campus in an area where you're concerned about car theft, it may be worth installing extra security devices to your car. Insurance companies can give you advice – tracking devices and immobilisers are likely to attract a discount on your premium.

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Best terminology explained of Car insurance

Your car insurance – we try to make buying a policy as clear and straightforward as possible for you.
But sometimes it's easy to confuse IPT with TPFT, or the FCA with the ABI.
To help you make sense of the jargon that's often used to describe car insurance, here is our guide to motor insurance terminology.

Association of British Insurers (ABI)

Many insurance companies are members of the ABI, but membership is not compulsory and the ABI is not a regulatory body.
ABI members sit on the Group Rating Panel, which recommends the car insurance group rating for each new model built to a UK specification.

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Approved repairer

A garage recommended by your insurance company for car repairs covered by your insurance policy.

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Comprehensive cover

The highest level of car insurance cover, which usually covers you for:

• injuries to other people
• damage to other people's property
• accidents caused by your passengers or a driver named on your policy
• the use of a trailer, while attached to your car
• fire damage and/or theft
• accidental damage to your own car
• medical expenses, up to a stated limit
• loss of or damage to personal effects in the car, up to a stated limit

Please note that policy features will vary between insurers, so always check them before you buy.

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Driving other cars (DOC)

Many insurers don't offer this as a standard policy feature, so make sure you're covered before getting behind the wheel of someone else's car. It's also worth noting that when it is included, you usually only get third party only cover.

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Fault claim

An accident or loss where you are considered to be to blame, or where you or your insurance company cannot recover costs from somebody else.
Remember, if your car is hit while parked, by someone who cannot be traced, this counts as a fault claim.

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Non-fault claim

With a non-fault claim your insurer is able to recover the cost of the claim from someone else.

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Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

The UK's financial watchdog, the FCA regulates the financial services industry, including insurance companies. The FCA can advise you on making a complaint against an insurance company.

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Indemnity

As an insurance policy holder you are placed in the same financial position following a loss as you were before it. For example, if your insurance company pays to repair your car following an accident, you are in the same financial position as you were before the car was damaged.

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Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)

A tax on general insurance premiums, including premiums for car insurance. The tax is included in the price of your car insurance premium.

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Insured value

The total amount the insurance company will pay out for your car if it's damaged beyond repair. This will either be the amount you stated the vehicle was worth when taking out the policy, or the current market value at the time of the claim – whichever is lower.

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Material fact

Any information that may influence either an insurer's decision to offer you cover or the premium they charge for it. If you leave out information which may influence a decision to offer cover, your policy may be invalidated.

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No-claims bonus (NCB)

For each year you drive without making a claim on your insurance you get a year's no-claims bonus, subject to a maximum. This bonus reduces the cost of your car insurance premium for the following year. Also described as a no-claims discount (NCD).

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Settlement

What your insurer pays out for a claim.

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Thatcham Research

The Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre (Thatcham Research) carries out research for the motor insurance industry on the cost of car repairs and vehicle security. The Group Rating Panel, which meets to assign new car models to an insurance group, is administered by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers.

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Third party only (TPO)

Third party cover is the minimum level of car insurance cover required by law and contains no cover for damage to your vehicle. It usually covers your legal liability for:

• injuries to other people
• damage to other people's property
• accidents caused by your passengers or a driver named on your policy

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Third party, fire and theft (TPFT)

Third party fire and theft cover provides the same level of cover as third party cover, but protects you against damage to your vehicle from fire, or theft of the vehicle, as long as you're not at fault.

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Uninsured losses

Any losses not covered by your insurance policy, such as your policy excess, any out-of-pocket expenses following an accident, eg a loss of earnings, or compensation for an injury suffered in an accident.

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Uninsured loss recovery (ULR cover)

The assistance in recovering your uninsured losses from a third party, where an accident is the third party's fault.

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Underwriter

An underwriter decides whether to accept you as an insurance risk and then calculates your car insurance premium.

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6 best ways to bring down the cost of your car insurance

If you're a young driver looking to insure your first car, you probably already know that you face some of the highest car insurance premiums around.
Just a look at road accident figures for young drivers can explain why insurance premiums are so high.
What you may not know is that there are a few things you could do to bring down the cost of car insurance in your first years on the road.

 

1. Five facts about accidents involving young drivers*

1. One in five drivers has an accident in the first year of driving
2. 26 per cent of road accidents involve at least one young car driver aged 17 to 24
3. 79 teenage drivers were killed on the roads in 2009, another 770 were seriously injured and 9,500 slightly injured
4. A higher proportion of young driver accidents occur on Friday and Saturday nights
5. 57% of reported accidents involving young car drivers occur in urban areas

Being aware of the risks that come with being an inexperienced driver can help you to think about how you can drive safely and avoid incidents which may involve an insurance claim.
* Sources
AA Public Affairs report: Young drivers
DfT Road Accident Statistics Factsheet No. 6, 2009: Reported road accidents involving young car drivers

2. Earn a no-claims discount

If you drive safely – by following the Highway Code and staying within the speed limit – you will reduce your chances of being involved in an accident. By avoiding accidents you will improve your chances of earning that all important no-claims discount when you come to renew your car insurance.

3. Choose a car in a low insurance group

In the UK every new car is assigned to a car insurance group. Rated from 1 to 50, each insurance group is based on how much the car is likely to cost insurers per claim. Cars in group 1 represent the lowest cost for insurers, so the lower the insurance group a car is in, the lower your insurance premium is likely to be.

4. Car security

Thinking about the security of your car could help you reduce your premium. Things to consider:
Where your car is kept overnight
If you can, the ideal place to keep your car is in a locked garage. If this isn't an option, your car is best kept off the street.
Security devices
It may be worth considering additional security devices for your car. Your insurer can advise on approved security devices. Devices which may attract lower premiums include:

• alarm/immobiliser systems
• high security door and ignition locks
• mechanical immobilisers
• glass etching – etching the registration number to vehicle glass
• a visible VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) which can be seen through the windscreen acting as a further deterrent to thieves

Remove valuables from you car
Take the stereo, sat nav and valuables with you when you lock your car.

5. Don't modify your car

Fins, spoilers and other extras may look good, but if you modify your car it's likely to mean a higher car insurance bill.

6. Compare like with like when buying car insurance

Car insurance policies with the same price may not offer the same level of benefits. So when you search for insurance compare like with like to see whether a policy covers everything you need.
If you think you've found a bargain, always look closely at the detail, particularly at any compulsory excesses which you would have to pay when making a claim. What looks like cheap car insurance could actually be expensive if the excess is more than you can afford to pay.

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Market explained of car insurance for the young driver

The cost of car insurance for young drivers can be eye-wateringly high. They often come in at several thousand pounds and can be more than the purchase price of the car. Little wonder young drivers frequently get extremely frustrated at the prices they are charged for cover.

The main reason why young driver car insurance costs so much - and is so expensive relative to that for older and more experienced drivers - comes down to the number and size of claims made by young drivers. The statistics show that younger drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident than their older counterparts.
What's more, the cost of a claim involving a young person tends to be higher than the cost of a claim involving an older driver. This is because many claims associated with young drivers involve collisions at high speeds when there are several passengers in the car - the combination of damage to the vehicle or vehicles involved and the personal injury costs accounts for the large sums involved.

Costs on top of insurance

Of course, insurance is not the only expense associated with driving. Fuel costs remain painfully high, and there are road tax and garage bills to consider as well.  These can be a huge burden for drivers of all ages.

worldinsuranceinfo-blog has found that two-thirds of drivers have changed their driving habits in a bid to keep costs down, while 5% have been forced to give up driving their car because the costs were too high - so young drivers are clearly not on their own when it comes to experiencing the financial pain of running a car these days.

Reducing the financial burden

With costs so high, any savings are welcome, so here are a number of ideas on how to get cheap car insurance for young drivers:

Carinsurance groups
Insurance companies allocate every car registered to drive on UK roads to one of 50 car insurance groups. These take into account the make and model of the car, its performance capabilities, the cost of repairs, in-built security features and how attractive it tends to prove to thieves. Insurers also overlay their statistics about how often particular cars are involved in accidents.

In general terms, the higher the number of the group, the bigger the insurance premiums will be. Other factors will obviously be taken into account, such as the age and location of the driver and his or her driving history, but the car's insurance grouping will be significant in determining the eventual size of the premium.

You are likely to get the cheapest car insurance for young drivers available if you opt for a car from a lower group. For more information on how the car insurance group system works, visit www.thatcham.org

Mileage

If you have a low annual mileage you should be able to lower your premium relative to someone who drives further each year. The logic is simple: the more miles you drive, the more likely you are to be involved in an accident. But make sure the figures you give to the insurer on your proposal form are accurate because you could invalidate your policy if you breach the agreed annual mileage limit.

Our young driver car insurance comparison tool features a useful calculator to help you work out how many miles you drive each year.

Drive with care

Points on your license often mean pounds on your premium, so avoid speeding and other transgressions. Racking up points can quickly add 5% or 10% to your young driver insurance costs and, if you are found guilty of a serious offence such as drink-driving you could see an increase of 50% or more. You might even find it difficult to obtain cover at all.

Excess
Most policies have a built-in, compulsory excess of £100 or perhaps £200. This is the amount you must pay towards the cost of any claim.

You can also choose to have a voluntary excess at a level chosen by yourself. If return for agreeing to pay more towards the cost of any claim, you will normally be rewarded with cheaper car insurance for young drivers.

It is important to make sure you can afford to pay the combined (compulsory plus voluntary) excess should you have to make a claim.  Also be aware that, the higher the combined excess, the higher the amount will be before you can even make a claim on your policy. If your total excess is £400 and you suffer £300 worth of damage in a bump, you'll have to pay the lot yourself.

Claim free driving
Drivers who don't make claims can build up a no-claims discount (NCD). The NCD can be valuable, knocking up to 70% off the cost of car insurance for young drivers after five consecutive claim-free years. Your actual premium might still increase at renewal - you'll simply get the discount off the higher amount. For this reason it is always important to shop around for young driver insurance premiums when your renewal is due rather than automatically sticking with the same insurer.

NCDs are “portable”, which means you can transfer them to the new insurer if you move your policy.
If you build up a substantial NCD, it can often be worth paying for minor repairs yourself rather than making a claim on your policy and losing the discount.

If you pay an additional premium you can protect your discount so that you can make one or perhaps two claims in any 12-month period without jeopardising your NCD entitlement.

Check your cover
There are three types of motor insurance policy: Fully Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire & Theft and Third Party. Third Party car insurance is the most basic and the legal minimum to drive on a UK road. It covers the policyholder for any injury or damage to another person or their property.
Third Party Fire and Theft car insurance
is a step up and includes loss or damage to your car as a result of fire or theft. Fully Comprehensive cover offers the broadest range of cover including damage to your own vehicle if you are involved in an accident.

It can be cheaper to opt for a more basic level of cover. This could be a sensible option for a young driver with a car that isn't worth very much. But you should always compare all policy types, because the cost of comprehensive cover sometimes stacks up well against the more limited third party fire & theft.

Cut out policy extras
Insurers often build in extra services into their comprehensive policies, such as legal expenses insurance, courtesy cars and breakdown cover. If you can manage without these, you should either ask the insurer to strip them out and provide a young driver car insurance quote which reflects the reduced level of cover or look for a policy that doesn't include them from the offset.

Monthly car insurance - good or bad?

With car insurance for young drivers being so expensive, it can be tempting to spread the cost of cover over 12 months rather than pay the whole premium in one go. But remember that many insurers charge more in total if you take the installment option - so 12 times the monthly payment is higher than the single price.

Boost security

Motorists who make it tricky for thieves to steal their vehicle often pay less for their car insurance. So fit your car with an approved alarm, immobilizer and tracking device. If you have a more expensive car, the insurer might insist that you install such devices as part of the deal.

It will also help if you can park “off road” overnight, preferably in a locked garage or at least in a driveway.

Enhance your driving skills
The Driving Standards Agency's Pass Plus course is aimed at newly qualified drivers and covers various aspects of motoring that are not covered by the standard driving test, including night and motorway driving. If you complete the course, you could earn a reduction of up to 35% on the cost of car insurance for young drivers. You can find more details on our pass plus insurance page.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists also runs driving courses to boost driving skills and so reduce the statistical likelihood of an accident.

Add 'named' drivers
You can reduce the cost of young driver car insurance by adding older, more experienced people to your policy as 'named' drivers. This reduces the cost because the insurer assumes that the car will be driven for some of the time by a 'safer' driver.

It is crucial, however, that the person who drives the car the most is listed as the main driver on the policy. Young drivers should never be tempted to seek lower insurance costs by getting a relative to insure a car that they then drive as the main driver. This is known as 'fronting' and counts as fraud.

If the insurer can show that fronting has occurred, it might refuse to pay any claims. Fronting can also lead to prosecution and anyone found guilty or associated with the crime could find it difficult to obtain affordable cover in the future.

Buy car insurance for young drivers online
It is advised that you shop around for young driver insurance quotes at renewal because insurers do not reward loyalty and do not offer their best prices to their existing customers, so automatically renewing each year is a bad idea. You can compare car insurance for young drivers provided by a wide range of insurance companies on worldinsuranceinfo-blog's price comparison website. It's quick, easy - and it's free.

Is telematics the solution?

In a bid to bring the cost of car insurance for young drivers down to a more affordable level, some insurance companies are promoting black box insurance - sometimes known as 'telematics insurance' policies.

With this kind of deal, your car is fitted with a device, probably around the size of a pack of playing cards, which records data on your driving style along with details of where and when you drive. You may be sent the device through the post along with simple instructions on how to locate it within your car.

The insurer is primarily interested in how you accelerate, brake and take corners. Also important is the distance you drive along with the roads you use and the times of day and night you travel in your car.

If you emerge from the analysis as a safe driver who avoids motorways and night-time driving, you may see a reduction in your premium after a three- or six-month review. If, however, you accelerate and brake aggressively, break speed limits and use high-risk routes when incidences of accidents are known to be high, your premium could rise.

If you modify your driving behavior you can improve your risk profile and obtain reduced premiums. The policies incorporate an online 'dashboard' that you can access to see how you are performing against the various parameters. This will give you an indication of areas that might reward attention.

All in all, black box insurance premiums differ from those on a conventional policy in that they are based on the drivers actual behaviors rather than just statistics. Not all young drivers are 'boy racers', so black box insurance is being seen as the ideal way to prove the insurers wrong and benefit from cheaper young driver car insurance quotes.
 Age specific guides to car insurance for young drivers
worldinsuranceinfo-blog is committed to help its customers find the cheapest premiums available to them, given their situation. Age is a very significant factor for insurers when it comes to comes calculating car insurance quotes, and when it comes to young drivers every single year can make a huge difference.

We have therefore completed a number of different young driver car insuranceguides, focusing on the cost of premiums for each different age group in order to make sure the advice you receive from us is as relevant as possible:

The gender issue addressed

On the 22nd December 2012, it became illegal for insurance companies to discriminate on the grounds of gender, which should see an end to the age old discrepancy between male and female car insurance premiums.

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