Category: Car Insurance

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Car Insurance

Factors that may be affecting the cost of your car insurance

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1 day car insurance can be a costly expenditure, and there are many factors that influence just how much of a drain it puts on your bank balance. It is an essential outlay, but when you are aware of what is driving up the cost, it makes it easier to try and change those factors.

Here are three major factors that could be driving up the cost of your new driver car insurance:

It’s a postcode lottery

It might seem unfair that your driving safety standards are measured against the parameters of other drivers in your neighbourhood, but this is a common factor that insurance companies use to set your premiums. The logic behind this is that if you live in a neighbourhood where there are fewer accidents and less vandalism, the chances that you will need to make a claim are smaller. The lower risk results in lower payments and vice versa.

Your car defines the terms

Insurance is calculated in a variety of ways, but the age and model of your car are both decisive factors in generating the price of your car insurance. More powerful cars tend to elicit higher quotes for car insurance premiums. Certain models are also automatically designated to a higher band of insurance. Companies will tend to look at any modifications made to the car as well when they calculate your costs. Features such as a dashcam, tinted windows and Autonomous Emergency Braking can impact positively or negatively on your overall insurance charges.

Your driving prowess

It might have been a moment of madness, but speeding past a camera or mobile unit can impact the cost of your car insurance premiums for years to come. Although the points only remain on your licence for three years, insurance companies tend to ask for details of any penalties that have occurred in the last five years. The more points that are on your licence, the higher the cost of your car insurance is likely to be.

Luckily, insurance companies also take other features of your driving into account, such as your annual mileage and whether or not you have built up any time period without making a car insurance claim. The longer you keep a no-claims bonus going, the bigger the reduction you are likely to see in your insurance payments.

For a swift and transparent insight into the best insurance deals, visit Compare Insurance.

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Car Insurance

Three ways to get the best car insurance deals

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Buying car insurance for new drivers can be daunting at times, as there is so much to take into consideration. But really, it’s all about understanding what you’re paying for. Whether you’re a new or experienced driver, here are three of the best ways to get the best car insurance deals:

1. Secure your car to secure your insurance price

One of the best ways to get the liability car insurance deals is to show the underwriters not just how safely you drive, but how safe and secure your car is. Make sure your car has a professionally fitted alarm and/or immobiliser and by parking in a safe spot, such as in a driveway or garage. Doing this will lower your risk, giving you much cheaper insurance.

2. Don’t pay more for add-ons

When buying car insurance, you’ll notice providers will try to sell you add-ons. However, sometimes the best insurance deals may require you to skip these add-ons because they’ll just add extra costs without any benefits. Think about if you need a courtesy car or legal cover. Breakdown cover can even be included on some bank accounts. You should also think about travel insurance which can cover excesses on rental cars while travelling.

No Claims Protection is actually a good add-on to have. It will keep your premiums low, even if there is an accident on the road, which is good in the long term.

3 Comprehensive over third-party

Many insurance providers have found that, statistically, those who take out third-party car insurance are more likely to make a claim. This means that they’ll drive up the price of third-party insurance even though it offers less cover than comprehensive. Those who choose comprehensive insurance are considered more responsible, and so the premiums can be much lower. This can be an excellent choice as you, your car and the third party will be covered, and you won’t be overpaying for the privilege.

Generally, you should compare providers to secure the best deal. Our dedicated team of specialists are here to help, so contact us today and we’ll help find you the best car insurance deal.

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Car Insurance

4 key things you need to know about car insurance

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When it comes to cheap car insurance companies, there are any number of myths and misconceptions that you’ve likely heard, and so it can be difficult to know what is fact and what is a fallacy.

So, with that in mind, here are 4 things you need to know about car insurance to ensure you are able to get the best deal possible.

1. There are a number of factors that will determine insurance prices

As well as judging the quality of your vehicle, its age, how often you use it and your driving history, there are a number of other factors that will determine how much you pay. These include things such as your age and marital status, the area in which you live, your credit history, and potentially even your gender (although this is not always the case).

2. There are options available if you want to pay less

When it comes to car insurance, you always have the option to pay a little less, although this will often come at the expense of what is covered. However, some companies have schemes in place that will offer discounts to careful drivers, or for those that travel infrequently, so seek these out before making a decision on your insurance.

3. If you drive your personal car for business, you need to purchase the right insurance

It is absolutely worth highlighting that nearly all policies will actively exclude the option to drive a personal car for a business purpose (pizza delivery or messenger service, for example). In fact, some companies will even cancel a policy should it be discovered that a driver is doing this. If you are doing this then there are insurance options available, but you need to be open and honest upfront.

4. Insurance is for the car, not the driver (in most cases)

The general rule of thumb is that insurance is for the vehicle, not for the driver of the vehicle. Therefore, if a friend or family member drives your car and has an accident, generally you will be able to claim on the insurance. However, it is well worth checking this, because rules change from company to company.

To find the best commercial car insurance deal for you, get in touch with us today and we’ll help you compare the offers available.

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Car Insurance

Top tips to find the cheapest car insurance

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Car insurance is a significant financial cost each year, however legally you cannot drive a car without holding the required insurance. Although, it is possible to compare quotes to ensure you benefit from the cheapest price for the cover you need.

How much will my car insurance cost?

There are many factors that determine the cost of your car policy, from the type of vehicle you drive and your age to your previous driving history. There are many car insurance providers operating in the UAE, with every company calculating the risk of your cover differently. The cost of your car insurance is personal to you, so it is always worth comparing insurers to find the best deal for your specific requirements.

Do not automatically renew your car insurance

Although it may seem easy to accept the automatic renewal quote from your current car insurance provider, you should never accept the price without comparing other alternatives. The price may end up being the best deal available, however, you will never know unless you compare other providers quotes.

In many cases, when you choose to accept the auto-renewal you end up paying an additional amount for the convenience of this. Over the years, this amount can significantly add up and you could save hundreds by comparing and switching to the cheapest deal every year.

Pay for your insurance annually

When you find the best deal, you will be given the option to pay via monthly instalments or with a single monthly payment. Although monthly payments can be beneficial if you are unable to cover the full cost upfront, you will pay additional interest for the privilege.

Consider multi-car insurance for your household

If your household owns more than one car, you may be able to secure a cheaper quote by insuring every car under a single policy. There are some insurers that will allow you to combine multiple car insurance policies, which is likely to work out cheaper than separate covers.

Increase your excess

If you are willing to pay more of an excess charge in the event of a claim, you may be able to secure lower premiums. However, it is important to ensure that you are able to cover the required excess charge.

Compare car insurance quotes today!

We specialise in helping our customers compare auto insurance quickly and easily. To find out more about securing the best car insurance deals, please contact our team today.

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

Do I need insurance for domestic travel?

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Are you going on holiday in the UAE? If you’re not leaving the country, you may be tempted to skip travel insurance. However, you should still make sure that you are covered for other eventualities. Here’s why you need domestic travel insurance.

Your health insurance will cover health issues

If you fall ill abroad, you need travel insurance to access healthcare. This isn’t the case if you’re staying within the UAE as long as you have adequate UAE medical insurance policy (if you don’t, be sure to check out our health insurance comparison tool and purchase insurance – it’s essential that you have it!).

You may need insurance for stolen luggage

There are virtually zero domestic flights in the UAE (and the few that do exist are very expensive!), so if you are travelling by bus, it may be prudent to take out insurance that covers your possessions. You may also want to cover your possessions for theft from your hotel room. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a travel insurance policy – you could take out separate contents insurance for your luggage.

Don’t forget car insurance

Most people travel around the UAE by car. Whether you are using your own car or a hired vehicle, make sure that you have comprehensive car insurance to cover any breakdowns or accidents.

Travel insurance may cover delays or cancellations

Travel insurance may be useful if you experience any bus delays or cancellations, or any issues with your hotel. However, bus journeys are generally too cheap to warrant taking out insurance for, and hotels normally have their own kind of insurance policies in place. While travel insurance when venturing abroad is always a good idea, in the UAE you may be able to get away with separate insurance policies.

You will likely already have health insurance and car insurance (if you are driving your own vehicle), so you could pay separately to have your luggage insured and make sure that everything is secure at your hotel. This will probably help you save money rather than taking out a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

2 things you should avoid doing when buying insurance

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When buying insurance, from covering your car to covering yourself abroad, it’s very important that we take the time to truly look into what we are purchasing. Many of us get into the habit of just trying to get it over and done with, especially when getting insurance is something we absolutely have to do.

However, insurance isn’t just something that we buy for peace of mind or because we have to. No, it’s something that we, unfortunately, might have to make a claim on and it’s vital that we choose correctly should that unwanted circumstance arrive.

So here are two things we should avoid doing when buying insurance:

1. Always going for the cheapest option

While this is very tempting, it can seriously backfire when making a claim. Many insurance companies offer similar cover at a fraction of the price to others and when this is the case, it’s only natural to go for the cheaper choice.

However, sometimes policies are much cheaper for a reason and it’s usually because they have a lot less to offer you. While going for the cheapest option may feel great when paying, if you do need to make a claim the chances are it’s going to cost you much more if you opted for a policy with a lot less cover.

2. Sticking to the same provider

Top 10 cheapest car insurance companies often give incentives to customers so that they renew any type of insurance cover with them rather than a competitor. This, coupled with the ease of renewing rather than switching, means that many of us choose to stay with the same provider when we could be much better off elsewhere.

From better cover to slightly cheaper rates, another company could offer you everything you’ve previously had and more. While it may be a hassle to set yourself up with a completely new company, this shouldn’t outweigh the potential benefits of doing so.

Buying insurance isn’t the most exciting thing in the world but in many cases, it is necessary and it’s because of this that we should take the time to really look into what it is we are buying. Avoiding the top two points can be a great start.

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Car Insurance Health Insurance Travel Insurance

What do you need to know before using an insurance comparison website?

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It doesn’t matter what kind of insurance package you’re looking for, whether it’s medical and health insurance, travel insurance, or car insurance – one of the best ways to find a great deal is by using an insurance comparison website.

There are two vital pieces of information you need to know, however, before you get started.

1. What kind of cover do you want?

This is an important question that it’s essential to answer before you begin searching for policies. Insurance policies are now so broad in their spectrum, with insurers offering bespoke levels of cover for every individual client. This means it can be difficult to simply find a “one size fits all” policy. Ultimately this benefits you, however, as it means you’re only ever going to be paying for the insurance cover that you actually need, and you won’t have aspects to your policy you’ll never use.

To get the benefit of this, you need to know exactly what sort of cover you require. If you’re searching for business car insurance, for example, you need to have a rough idea of how many miles you think you’ll drive, the amount of excess you’re willing to pay, and any additions to the policy you’ll want to add, such as breakdown cover or contents insurance.

2. How much can you afford to pay?

The other vital piece of information you need is what your budget looks like. Comparison websites work by giving you a broad range of quotes to choose from, so you will see both the cheaper and more expensive end of the insurance spectrum. You shouldn’t always just choose the cheapest cover, however, as this can be a false economy. That means it’s important you have a good idea of exactly what you can comfortably afford to spend, in order to make sure you’re able to find the best deal for your circumstances and obtain the best private health insurance.

It’s always best to choose a policy you’re confident you can consistently afford, rather than one that’s too cheap to provide you appropriate cover, or too expensive to mean you’re not always going to be able to pay your premiums.

With this important information settled, you can find your perfect insurance quote at Compare Insurance today.

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Car Insurance Travel Insurance

Driving in the desert: what you need to know

If you are driving in the UAE, and have an off-road vehicle, you may, at some point, want to drive in the desert. Here’s what you need to know if you are planning to drive in the desert.

Make sure that you are covered

A lot of general travel insurance doesn’t cover off-road insurance, although if your car is an off-road vehicle (and it should be if you’re considering driving in the desert!), you may find that it is an easy add-on.

However, some off-road cover has restrictions, considering the cars’ general capabilities and things like its age, the miles that it has travelled, etc. If the car has been previously damaged, it may not be applicable for automobile insurance.

Basically, have a thorough read of your car insurance policy, and if you don’t understand anything, contact your insurance provider and get them to go through it with you.

Make sure that your car is in good shape

Your car insurance provider may require a recent service in order to insure it. This is because they want to be sure that it won’t break down in the desert. Even if they don’t, it’s definitely a good idea to get your car serviced before heading out – you don’t want to break down either, do you?

Stock up on essentials

When driving in the desert, you’ll need to make sure that you have enough petrol, water and food to help you out of any emergencies. You may drive long stretches with no petrol stations, so make sure that you have plenty of fuel to keep going. If your car breaks down, you’ll be thankful for the food and water! Also, try to make sure that your phone has the best coverage possible, or opt for a satellite phone for emergencies.

Learn basic repairs

Being able to inflate and deflate your tires, check your water and oil levels, and perform other basic repairs could be a game-changer if you get stuck anywhere. Before heading out in the desert, make sure that you have an idea of how to sort out small things in your car.

Driving in the desert is great fun, but it’s not without its risks. Follow all of the advice above for a hassle-free trip!

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Car Insurance

A key way to lower your car insurance quote during the Covid pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has hit every part of the world and cases continue to grow. 2021 is no doubt going to present similar challenges as 2020, which means for many people, their driving habits have considerably changed. For a large portion of workers, their commute now involves moving to a different room in their home, rather than to their office.

How can this save you money on your car insurance?

Thinking about your mileage

A key component of your car insurance quote is the mileage that you do. It stands to reason that the more miles you travel, the greater your risk of being involved in an accident, which in turn makes your quote higher.

But what if you’re not doing all those miles? For many people during periods of lockdown, the mileage they have covered has fallen dramatically, but they still continue to pay their insurance premiums. The fact is, however, that you can change your mileage estimate any time, and your insurance provider should be able to recalculate this for you.

The effect should take place from the beginning of the next month if you pay your insurance premiums in monthly instalments, or you may be entitled to a partial refund if you have paid your premium upfront.

Saving money with a new policy

If your car insurance policy is due to run out soon, you could also save additional money by choosing a different car insurance provider altogether. You stand to save considerably, as car insurance providers are keen to win new clients in these challenging times by offering attractive introductory offers. So if your car insurance is coming to an end in the next few months, don’t automatically renew it – instead, see if you could stand to make savings on a brand new policy.

Driving without insurance is dangerous and finding that new policy is easy. all you need is a specialist comparison website, like Compare Insurance. You simply add your details and in seconds you can get a number of quotes from a range of insurance providers. Remember to take into account your lower annual mileage – you can always raise it later if you start driving regularly again.

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Car Insurance

Factoring car insurance costs into your new car budget

If you’re thinking about buying a new car, it’s always an exciting time. Everyone has a budget when they’re looking for a new vehicle, but it’s important that you budget properly to ensure you get a car you can comfortably afford. Comprehensive car insurance is a non-negotiable expense when it comes to owning a car, so you need to factor this in before you buy.

Understanding car insurance costs

Many different factors can figure into the car insurance costs you’ll incur. For example, if you’re choosing a rare and powerful car, it will cost much more to insure than a mass-produced hatchback with a small engine. Similarly, if you’re buying a car that has a reputation for being popular among car thieves, or you drive a high number of miles a year, the costs grow. Similarly, if you’re planning on buying a car that is already modified, or you plan to modify it yourself, that too will affect your insurance costs.

How do you accurately budget insurance costs?

It’s important that you consider how much of your budget you can afford to spend on car insurance. It’s worth investigating what insurance bracket your car is in – every car is put into an insurance category, so a higher category means higher insurance costs.

As a ballpark figure, for cars costing in excess of 300,000 AED, the insurance is roughly 2.75% of the car’s value, rising to 3% for cars between 100,000 and 300,000 AED, and 3.25% for cars under 100,000 AED. These figures are only averages, however. For many, car insurance is the second-highest ongoing cost associated with running a car, second only to the cost of fuel.

Getting car insurance quotes the easy way

When you need to insure your new vehicle, consider using a specialist insurance comparison website like Compare Insurance. All you need to do is put in your details, the details of the car you want to buy, and some information about your driving habits, and you’ll get a broad range of quotes in seconds. This will help you find the most affordable quote for your budget.