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MOTOR CAR INSURANCE?

Are you looking for the best value MOTOR CAR INSURANCE online quote?

Shopping online for car insurance or motor insurance, has always been hard work.

Filling in forms online takes time and ultimately doesn't always guarantee the best outcome.

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Fully comp to third party, cost or liability, finding the right deal from numerous UK car insurance companies can prove to be an overwhelming challenge.

Now there's no reason to labour over the search for the best car insurance quote.

What type of car insurance is right for you?

It is illegal to drive in the UK without insurance and therefore the minimum standard of cover you can take out is 'third party'. This covers:

• Liability for injuries to others, including passengers.

• Liability for damage to someone's property.

• Liability of passengers for accidents caused by them.

• Liability arising from the use of a caravan or trailer while attached to the car.

Next comes 'third party fire and theft' which will also pay out if your vehicle is stolen or set on fire.

A comprehensive, normally known as 'fully comprehensive' car insurance policy will pay-out for all of the areas covered by third party fire and theft with the addition of paying for any damage to your own vehicle regardless of who caused the accident. It also covers loss of, or damage to, personal effects in the car.

Business carand van insurance; also known as commercial car insurance meets the needs of small businesses with company vehicles.

Though polices vary between individual car insurance companies, benefits typically include a courtesy car, free cover for driving in Europe and, in some cases, legal aid when the accident is not your fault. These benefits may incur an extra cost.

We all know car insurance is an expensive – but where does the money go?

One factor rarely considered when making a claim is how your car insurance premium is used – but we at Swap-a-Lease believe this information will help you choose your cover wisely and make a more informed choice on the cover you opt for.

Where does my money go?

The money you pay on your car insurance is not merely set aside in case you need it – instead it is put into one big pot. Here's a breakdown of where the money from your premium goes:

• 50% for claims.

• 25% for legal and administrative costs.

• 25% for costs of running the company.

These numbers vary between insurers. Some are better than others at saving and on cutting their overheads.

Most of the money paid out on car insurance claims is paid on property damage. Collision damage makes up about 50% of an insurance company's total expenditure. However, this is a relatively small amount when taken in context with medical expenses and personal injury claims because the most an insurance company will ever pay out is the 'fair market value' for your vehicle. That is why collision and comprehensive cover costs companies a lot of money.

Insurance companies also spend a lot of money processing and settling claims. There is little that can be done to avoid these expenses. We look at excess charges and their benefits in cutting these costs.

Now you know about where your money goes, move on to details on legal requirements and making a claim.

In the UK car insurance (also known as 'motor insurance') is compulsory for any person intending to drive or operate a motor vehicle. That's why Swap-a-Lease has provided an exclusive guide to help you a. Cut Costs and B. Find the right car insurance quote for you.

Liability and legal requirements

The law requires that any vehicles of three years old and over have a valid MOT certificate. You are unable to tax a vehicle without an MOT and certificate of insurance and driving a car without these is an offence.

The Road Traffic Act states that all motorists must be insured against their liability for injuring other people (including passengers) and for damage to other people's property. It is also vital to keep your insurance company up-to-date including vehicle modifications and fixed penalties as it is an offence not to – and it may affect any claim you make.

Most insurers will issue the following documents:

• Certificate of insurance – You will need this to buy your road tax.

• A cover note - It acts as a temporary policy and certificate until your new insurance policy has been set up.

• Policy document – This tells you everything you are covered for.

Making an insurance claim

Most car insurance companies will have a claims helpline with certain office hours. Some will offer an accident emergency recovery hotline for outside those hours if you have the addition of roadside recovery as part of your claim.

It is worth discovering beforehand if your insurer will immediately authorise repairs from recommended agents and in the event of a theft does your insurance include cover for personal belongings or replacement locks? It's also worth checking whether a courtesy car is included in the price quoted, and if so, for how long – your own car may be off the road for a number of weeks after an accident and hire cars can be expensive.

Move on to part four for a crash course on understanding insurance jargon.

Car insurance can be a minefield of difficult terminology and confusing jargon. Swap-a-Lease.co.uk wants to help you find the right car insurance deal for you and so we've compiled a guide to help bust through the jargon.

• ABI Group – Your car will be given a specific ranking based on the level of risk involved with each car type and model.

• Approved Repairer – Repairers recommended by your insurers.

• DOC Cover – Otherwise known as Driving Other Cars.

• Fault/Non-Fault Claim – A non-fault claim is when the insurer can recover the costs from someone else. A fault claim is if they cannot recover the costs regardless of whether the accident was your fault.

• Indemnity - Insurance policyholders are put in the same financial position after a loss as they were immediately before it.

• IPT – A Government tax charged as a percentage of premiums.

• Loss adjuster – Investigates the legitimacy of claims.

• Material fact – Failure to disclose material could invalidate a policy, such as driving convictions.

• S D & P - Social Domestic & Pleasure. A description of how you plan to use your car.

• Settlement – When an insurer pays a claim.

• TPO – Third Party Only.

• Under-insurance – For example insuring your car for £8,000 when the car is worth £10,000. Insurance companies will almost always scale down claims as a result.

• ULR cover – Uninsured loss recovery – better known as legal expenses cover, which you can add on to your policy.

• Uninsured losses – Elements not covered by your policy such as hire charges.

• Underwriter – Person who decides whether to accept a risk and calculates the premium.

Now you understand the jargon move on to part five to help you decide the right form of cover for you.

We all know that car insurance costs can vary greatly. However, what determines these differences? Our guide will explain the contrasts in car insurance expenses.

Why does it cost so much?

When deciding which type of benefits are right for you it can often help to understand the perspective of the car insurance company. These include:

• Age/sex – Younger drivers and learner drivers are less experienced and therefore considered more likely to be involved in an accident. Some companies now also offer lower premiums for women, who statistics have proven are involved in fewer accidents than men.

• Insurance Group – Most cars are given an insurance group ranking based on the level of risk involved with each car type and group (often based on likely repair costs). Generally, high-powered performance cars will be in the highest group (up to '20'), whereas a small car will be generally lower ranked and therefore should receive cheaper car insurance.

• Cost of vehicle – If you drive a classic or performance car you can expect to pay a higher premium as these cars generally cost more to repair than others.

• Engine size – The more powerful the car the more likely it is to be involved in a high-speed accident.

• Occupation – If you are driving as part of your job you are more likely to be involved in an accident than someone who, for example, only drives at weekends.

• Where you live – Higher density of traffic and higher crime rates can make your car more susceptible to an accident or theft respectively.

• Your personal claims history – The more accidents you have, the more expensive your cover is likely to be.

Now decide which additional benefits are right for you.

Are you looking for the right car insurance quote for you but can't decide what type of cover you need or what benefits you should add? We look at common additional benefits offered by UK motor insurance companies.

What benefits can I add to my policy?

The benefits available vary between car insurance companies. Of course the more benefits you add, the more expensive your premium. The most common example is the addition of a free courtesy car in the event that your vehicle is off the road due to an accident. Legal protection too can be considered, and some companies will offer legal help following a 'not at fault' incident.

Roadside breakdown service RAC or AA or Green Flag is also on offer from some car insurance companies but not all – it often proves cheaper to shop around. Also, it is worth deciding whether it's worth paying extra for overseas driving cover.

There are also ways to reduce your premium and get a more competitive quote:

• No claims bonus – Each year you insure your car and do not make a claim you build up a 'no claims bonus' (sometimes known as 'no claims discount'). In some cases a five-year no claims bonus can save you 65% on your premiums.

• Protected no claims bonus – This allows you to pay a premium so that in the event of an accident you don't lose your no claims bonus. Although it costs extra to protect your no claims bonus, you'll save pounds in the event of any claims you do have to make.

• Excess charge – Many companies issue policies that have a 'compulsory excess' (and sometimes a 'voluntary excess'). This refers to the amount of money you are willing to pay in the event of an accident. So if your excess was £100 and the total cost of repairs was £300 then you would pay £100 and the insurance company would also pay £200. However, if the cost of repairs was £100 or lower you would pay the total cost. The more money you're willing to pay in excess, the lower your premium.

Now we look at other ways in which you can cut your car insurance costs.

Car insurance is an essential but often expensive fact of life. That's why we at Swap-a-Lease have compiled our guide to car insurance to help you get the right cover and the cheapest car insurance available for your needs.

Cutting the costs

In addition to no claims bonus and excess charges which were covered in part five there are many other factors to help lower the cost of your car insurance premium.

• Parking location – for maximum benefit keep your car parked in a locked garage overnight. If you don't have access to a garage, then parking on a driveway is viewed as less of a risk than parking on the street.

• Mileage – Update your estimated annual mileage each year. If you change jobs and have a shorter commute you could save cash.

• Learner drivers – Extra lessons with the Pass Plus scheme can cut premiums by as much as 35%. Motorists who pass an 'advanced driver' course can also see their premiums reduced.

• Marriage – Married men attract lower premiums than single men.

• Car security – A car alarm, immobiliser or tracker makes it less likely that your car will be stolen and therefore should reduce your premium.

• Don't speed – The higher the number of speeding offences, the more expensive your car insurance is likely to be.

• Satellite Navigation – Some insurers could cut costs for drivers with the satellite navigation facility.

• Parents – Adding teenagers to your policy can significantly increase the cost of your policy. If it is unavoidable then try and keep them on your insurance for the minimum amount of time – for example during the holidays.

• Young drivers – The reverse is true for younger drivers because adding a parent to your insurance, or an older, more experienced driver, can cut costs.

• Optional extras – Only select to have a courtesy car or cover for legal expenses if you really need them.

• Modifications – New wheels, seats, colour changes and adding a spoiler are all changes that could add to your premium.

• Avoid monthly premiums - Most insurers charge a fee for this service. The fee ranges from and Annual Percentage fee of 13% up to 29% APR. You can avoid this by taking out a credit card with an introductory interest free offer. We do recommend however that you read our guide to credit cards before you consider making an application.

Next we explain the benefits of shopping around for your car insurance.

If you want to go directly to another section of our guide to car insurance, you can click on one of the links below:

If you're on the lookout for car insurance it can be difficult to decide where to go and which insurers will meet your expectations when it comes to making a claim. That's why Swap-a-Lease.co.uk has compiled a guide to help you find the right car insurance quote for you.

Shopping around

The internet has made shopping around easier without the need to wait on call centres. In addition, some insurers will offer as much as a 20% discount to people who buy their car insurance online.

Broadly there are four options available when researching and buying car insurance. These are:

• Insurance Brokers – Aim to deliver the customer choice by utilising their computer systems. However, a broker can only ever present the insurers he has deals with.

• Direct Insurers – They cut out the middleman because commissions paid to brokers can be saved if the insurer gives the benefits to you. These include: Direct Line, e-Sure, Admiral, Hastings, 1st Alternative, Churchill, Privilege, Norwich Union Direct and Cornhill Direct, Moreth>n, Elephant and Budget.

• Branded Providers – Established names who have added insurance to their extensive list of products. These include: RAC, Virgin Money, Tesco, Sainsbury's, MBNA, Marks and Spencer, the Post Office, the major car dealerships and Kwik Fit.

• Full Search Provider – With a full search provider you are able to enter your data and then a full search of the market is performed to return a list of potential car insurance providers that will include insurers, direct insurers, brokers and UK brands.

If you're concerned the cheapest quotes are from insurers you're unfamiliar with, why not find out more about the company's financial reliability? This can be done through the Standards and Poors website. Their ratings work as follows:

• AAA - Extremely strong

• AA - Very strong

• A - Strong

• BBB - Good

• BB - Marginal

• B - Weak

We will save you the task of trawling through brokers, direct insurers and branded providers by comparing the best car insurance companies to find the cheapest car insurance quotes available online.

JUST CALL NOW AND WE'LL SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY!

0845 851 0071