Tips to cut the costs of your insurance

Choose a car with a small engine. Opt for one which is no higher than insurance group three (out of 50). These models have the smallest engines (around one litre), and parts are relatively easy to replace.

If you only use your car from time to time, cut costs by getting cheaper pay-as-you-go insurance through providers such as Cuvva.

Opt for a higher excess, but ensure you can afford to pay it if you need to make a claim. Improve security by fitting a car alarm or immobiliser. Try to park

your car on a driveway or in a garage overnight.

When applying for cover, tinker with your job title. The description helps an insurer to determine how risky you are and using different wording for the same job can mean cheaper premiums. For example, describing yourself as ‘kitchen staff’ rather than a ‘chef’ could mean a cheaper quote while a ‘PA’ can often get a cheaper quote than a secretary.

cover. There are no rewards for loyalty in insurance.

Always pay your premiums in full upfront. While paying in monthly instalments can help to spread the cost, it usually works out more expensive as insurers treat your premiums as a high-interest loan.

Add a driver to a policy. If you do this it can cut premiums. But resist the temptation to let a parent take out cover and add you as a named driver. This is known as ‘fronting’ and is classed as insurance fraud.