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The number one top tip for saving money on your car insurance is not to make a claim on it. Doing thorough research on your local car insurance agents is important too. It can definitely save you money. You will, however, always get the best deals if you look like a responsible (safe) customer. With that in mind, here are some ideas to consider.

 

Keep your car clean

 

There are two reasons for giving your car a regular clean (preferably at least once a week). Firstly, it’ll let you assess your car’s overall condition. This will give you a chance to spot any issues while they are still minor. Dealing with them early is good for your wallet and for extending the life of your car.

 

Secondly, cleaning your car will encourage you to clean out your car. Ideally, your car should only hold anything you really need plus anything you really want. In fact, you should probably be careful about keeping anything purely for want, particularly if it’s expensive. There are two good reasons for taking a minimalist approach to your car interior.

 

Firstly, the less weight you keep in your car, the less fuel it will use. This may sound like a small detail but over time, details add up. In other words, small savings on fuel could end up being large savings in money. Secondly, it will make your car less of a target for thieves. Remember, thieves can attack a car for what’s inside as well as for the value of the car itself.

 

Be rigorous about maintenance

 

Similar comments apply here. Everybody can learn basic car maintenance. As a minimum, check the following regularly:

 

Your tire pressure

Your tire tread

Your brake pads (and responsiveness)

The condition of your battery (especially the contacts)

The level of your car’s fluids

 

There is nothing complicated about any of this. In fact, if you spot any issues, you can probably deal with them yourself. Make sure you do so promptly, even if you have to go to a garage. This will reduce the chance of you getting into an accident. These can cause all kinds of issues and money-worries can be the least of them.

 

Focus on driving consistently

 

There are three good reasons for you to focus on driving consistently. Firstly, consistent driving is gentle on your car and on your fuel consumption. Secondly, it encourages you to develop good driving habits. These help to keep you and other people out of accidents. Thirdly, it makes it a whole lot easier for other road users to read your actions.

 

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this last point. A lot of road accidents are caused by a combination of bad habits and simple misunderstandings. For example, you indicate late and the person behind you was a bit too close. They end up bumping into you. If you’d indicated earlier, the person behind you would have had longer to notice and hence act.

 

Learn to park safely

 

Parking safely doesn’t just mean avoiding hitting something (or someone) as you park. It also means thinking about what’s going to happen when you walk away from your car. This can have different implications depending on whether or not you’re parking in a place you control.

 

Parking in a public space

 

If you have to park outside of a space you control, your next-best option is to park in a space controlled by someone you trust. Well-run, security-protected, car-parks are often worth their price. Public car parks in busy places are also good. They often have “unofficial security”. If you can park near CCTV, even better. If not, at least look for a well-lit space.

 

Even if you’re only popping out of your car for a few moments, use an immobilizer on your steering wheel. If you happen to have a stick-shift car, put an immobilizer on the stick as well. If you’re leaving dogs in your car, it’s better to put two (or more) windows down a little bit than one window down a lot.  

 

If your car has remote locking, make sure you protect the fob. If you have old-school keys, put them somewhere safe. That means somewhere you won’t forget them but a thief can’t grab them.

 

Parking in a space you control

 

If you do control your parking space, e.g. when you’re parking at home, then make the most of it. These days, you can get rising parking bollards for domestic use. They really help to deter thieves, especially if you combine them with effective lighting. Motion-sensitive lighting can help to lower your electric bills. If you can add CCTV, you have even more protection.