Going to university? How to get the best car insurance quotes

With over 500,000 students getting their A-level results today; many will be venturing off to college or university and probably leaving home for the first time. Many will also be looking to take their car with them, unaware that as they move into student accommodation or halls of residence their car insurance premiums could increase.

A list of the top 5 tips for students to follow to help fight any increase in premiums that may arise as a result of leaving home to study:

1. Consider how many miles you will be driving. When buying your car insurance the number of miles driven per year will have a major effect on your premium, so be accurate and make sure you don’t over estimate. Although be honest, if you “lie” to your insurer you could potentially invalidate a claim.

2. Look at where it is parked overnight. If you’re lucky enough to have off road parking or even a garage at your accommodation then use it as this will help to reduce your premium. If the vehicle is kept on the road, look to add some extra security such as alarms and immobilisers (if not already fitted) and steering locks. You may have no option but to park on the road, however you can still help reduce your annual costs by adding extra security.

3. If you are the main driver or registered keeper of the car, don’t insure it in your parents name and put yourself down as a named driver. As well as being false economy as you are just delaying the building up of your no-claims discount, more importantly this is illegal and is known as “fronting” and if you were to be in an accident it could mean the claim is not paid. Worse still, if it’s proven you’re guilty of fronting you are open to prosecution which is likely to be around 3-6 points on your licence and a hefty fine.

4. If you’re a new driver or under 25 consider taking the Pass Plus test. This will consist of some additional lessons which see’s you experience motorways, night driving and towns to name a few different situations. By completing the Pass Plus test you can then get discounts with various insurers of anything from 5% of your car insurance premium upwards.

5. Shop around for your car insurance policy and consider paying a higher voluntary excess in the event of a claim. Although you pay out more if you claim, your premium can reduce quite considerably if you agree to share more of the risk with your car insurance company

Younger drivers may want to also consider the type of car they buy. The GTi badge and the spoilers may look attractive, but the insurance premiums for younger drivers of such cars aren’t quite as appealing. By quickly looking at the insurance group applicable to the vehicle type, and avoiding anything that has “Sport” or “GT” in its name.

Whether you’re going to university, or starting your first step onto the career ladder this autumn, younger drivers can make some significant savings by shopping around for their car insurance and following our tips to get cheaper premiums.

Read this, then read your car insurance policy

Let's say you have a brand-new car and you're the victim of an accident or vandalism that requires you to get the car repaired. Fortunately, you have insurance, so you can count on the car being made good as new. Right?

Wrong.

In 2003, while serving in the state Senate, I wrote the law that gives consumers the right to select the collision repair facility of their choice. This law was necessary because insurance companies routinely make deals with preferred shops to use cheaper used or "after-market" parts rather than parts made by the vehicle manufacturer. Sometimes the imitation parts work fine, but too often they don't fit the vehicle or are made of inferior metals and plastics. The law made it illegal for insurers to steer policy holders toward specific shops.

But that's all about to change because of an industry-sponsored bill and a recent legal ruling that are conspiring to make consumers the least important person involved in car repair decisions.

Assembly woman Mary Hayashi, D-Hayward, has introduced AB1200 to roll back California's consumer protections by allowing your insurance company to pressure you into choosing their shop even after you have selected where you want your vehicle fixed. A major insurer recently directed its shops to stop using factory parts on any vehicle with more than 12,000 miles or more than a year old. Never mind the fact that the non-manufacturer parts could void your warranty if it is deemed to cause some future problem - such as a substandard component of your car's transmission leading to larger transmission failure.

But wait, there's more bad news for California drivers.

Let's say that you are able to withstand your insurer's pressure tactics and demand that your body shop use factory parts. You still may not be protected. Because buried in many policies is a provision where the insurer reserves the right to use either factory or aftermarket parts, whichever is cheaper. This month, a Los Angeles County appeals court upheld an insurer's right to limit payment to a claimant who chose not to use a shop favored by the insurer. It is my guess that most drivers in California spend more time writing premium checks than they do reading their insurance policies. Well, I'm afraid we can't afford that luxury anymore. I urge you to go get your policy, pour yourself a cup of coffee and read it. Make sure that you are entitled to new, manufacturer parts whenever your car is repaired and that you can go to the shop of your choice, without arm-twisting from your insurer. If you can't find the language in the policy, call whoever sold it to you and make them go through it with you.

Finding an auto repair facility that you trust isn't always easy, but there are plenty of skilled and honest mechanics and body shops out there. However, they may soon go out of business if insurance companies get their way, squeezed out by the corner cutters and dealmakers.

There are two ways to stop this from happening: Read your policy to make sure your rights are protected, and tell your state lawmakers to stand up for consumers and reject AB1200.

Auto Insurance Quotes - Compare Car Insurance Rates And Quotes

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