Reduce the cost of 4x4 insurance
Drivers of 4x4 vehicles have felt the recent rise in fuel costs as much as anyone and this, coupled with expensive road tax and higher than average insurance costs, has made running a 4x4 a costly business.Although there is not much that can be done about the cost of fuel and road tax, you could significantly cut the cost of your 4x4 car insurance by simply comparing quotes with MoneySupermarket.
In just a few clicks, MoneySupermarket can compare quotes from over 100 car insurance companies to find the best 4x4 car insurance deals available and save you money.
Why is 4x4 insurance more expensive?
Car insurance costs are calculated by taking into account a number of factors such as the age of the driver, whether they have any convictions, how often they will be using the vehicle and where it will be kept overnight.Another crucial factor in determining the policy price is the insurance group that the car has been placed into. These groups range from between one and 50 and the rule is that the lower the group, the lower the insurance cost.
The bad news for drivers of 4x4 vehicles is that theirs tend to sit amongst the higher groups.
This is mainly due to the fact that, should a 4x4 vehicle be involved in an accident, then the repair costs could be high as spare parts for these vehicles tend to be quite expensive.
In addition, due to their size and build quality, 4x4 vehicles are more likely to cause significant damage to any other property involved in an accident and this is reflected in the price of the premium.
Who needs 4x4 insurance?
In short, anyone that owns a 4x4 vehicle is required by law to have appropriate insurance cover unless they have declared the vehicle to be off the road and have a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) from the DVLA.This is due to Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), a set of regulations that make it a legal requirement for a registered keeper to have their vehicle insured at all times, whether or not they are driving it or keeping it on the public highway.
Failure to comply could result in a fixed penalty notice, court prosecution and seizure of the vehicle which could result in it being impounded and destroyed.
What types of 4x4 insurance are available?
As with other cars, when insuring your 4x4 vehicle there are three levels of cover available: third party, third party, fire and theft and fully comprehensive.Third party is the minimum level of cover required by law but is probably not suitable if you drive a 4x4 as it only covers the cost of damage caused to other people's property and not the cost of repairs to your own vehicle.
Third party, fire and theft offers the same level of cover as third party but will also pay out if your vehicle is fire damaged or stolen.
Fully comprehensive covers the cost of any damage to your own vehicle as well as any damage incurred by others and arguably the most suitable for 4x4 drivers as it is unlikely that you will want to foot the bill for expensive repairs to your vehicle.
Find cheap 4x4 insurance quotes
Although 4x4 vehicles can be expensive to run, you can lower these costs by saving on your car insurance. There are a number ways in which you can obtain cheap 4x4 insurance quotes.Limit your mileage
The less time you spend on the road, the less likely you are to have an accident and so many insurers will offer a lower priced premium to drivers who cover fewer miles. So it is worthwhile calculating the amount of miles you are likely to cover over the course of the year to see if this can bring your insurance costs down.
You may also want to consider ways in which you can cut your annual mileage, such as only using the car when necessary or car sharing for the commute to work, as this can save you money on your running costs as well as on your insurance.
Only get the cover you need
Many comprehensive policies will offer optional extras such as legal cover and courtesy cars that can bump up the price of your premium. So check your policy and take out anything that you will not need.
However, you must make sure that you still have the right level of cover for your circumstances and one consideration for 4x4 owners is that off-road use will not be included in all insurance packages. So if you plan on getting off the beaten track then make sure that you are covered for this as failure to do so will invalidate you policy.
Improve your security
There is a good chance that your 4x4 will have a factory fitted alarm and immobiliser, particularly if it is a newer model, but you can cut the cost of your premium further by adding a tracking device.
Before you fit any device you must check that it is approved by the insurance company to ensure you get a reduction in your policy price.
If possible you should also try to keep your 4x4 in a locked garage overnight or on a driveway as this can also bring down the cost of your car insurance.
Pay up front for your policy
Although it may be more convenient to pay for your policy in monthly instalments, it works out cheaper if you can pay for it all in one go.
This is because insurance companies will charge interest on policies that are paid for monthly and they may also charge admin fees so by paying up front you can avoid these fees.
Compare quotes and buy online
One of the easiest ways to save money on 4x4 car insurance is to shop around and by using MoneySupermarket you can instantly compare prices from over 100 insurers to find right cover at the right price.
Furthermore, some insurers will offer a discount to customers who buy online as these applications are cheaper to process so it is worth checking to see if you can save money in this way.
However, the most important thing to consider when choosing your 4x4 insurance is that you get the right level of cover to fit your needs. So be sure to shop around for the best price and the best cover to suit your needs.
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