Car insurance: save thanks to 8 tips

We have eight tips and tricks for you to lower your car insurance premiums. We also show you what options you have in the event of an accident and which discounts make sense.

Compare the insurances.
choose the scope of insurance.
weigh up when buying a car.
Think about additional options.
Take advantage of discounts.
Pay the premium annually.
Check the mileage.
Check the no-claims class.

1. Compare the insurances.

The difference between the most expensive and the cheapest insurance providers is large. If you change providers, you can reduce your insurance premium by up to 60%. How to save up to 600 euros per year. A price comparison is therefore cash money and pays off.

Basically: you should compare the current rates again every year. If you can get a better deal with another insurer, you can usually reduce your car insurance by up to 30 percent. November cancel.

The following tips will show you how you can save on your car insurance.

2. Choose the scope of insurance.

If you own a vehicle, motor liability insurance is compulsory. Here you can usually only save by changing provider. With the partially comprehensive and fully comprehensive insurance it’s different. Think carefully about what insurance cover you really need for your vehicle.

find out more about allianz direct’s motor liability insurance.

Compare different insurance providers and find out which cover is really worthwhile for your car. © gettyimages/yattaa

The comprehensive insurance

comprehensive insurances are not compulsory insurances. Nevertheless, it usually makes sense to take out either partial or fully comprehensive insurance for your vehicle. So you don’t have to pay for accident damage to your own car yourself.

The partially comprehensive insurance usually covers damage caused by natural disasters (fire, lightning, storm, hail, flood). glass damage, wildlife accidents or marten damage are also usually covered. In addition, your vehicle is insured against theft.

The fully comprehensive insurance offers greater insurance cover. All services of the partial casco are also included. If, for example, you are responsible for an accident, the partial cover insurance will not pay, the fully comprehensive insurance will cover the damage to your car.

In addition, the fully comprehensive insurance pays in case of vandalism. Some policies even cover repair costs in the event of gross negligence. So weigh up which insurance cover suits your car and your personal situation.

Basicallyfor older cars, it is usually worthwhile to have a partially comprehensive insurance policy. With new cars, fully comprehensive insurance pays off especially in the first three to five years. Nevertheless, always compare several offers. For some types of vehicles and with high no-claims bonuses, fully comprehensive insurance is not much more expensive. In such cases, a change is not necessary.

The deductible

In the case of comprehensive insurance, it is possible to specify a deductible. This means that your insurance provider does not pay the full amount of the damage incurred. you have to pay a part of the repair costs yourself.

How much you have to pay can be determined individually. If you agree on a deductible, your insurance premium is lower. for motor vehicle liability insurance, a deductible is not possible. Here the insurer takes over all resulting costs.

You should take out a partially comprehensive insurance policy with a deductible of between 150 and 500 euros. You can choose from several options for fully comprehensive insurance. Here is usually a deductible between 300 and 1.000 euro earmarked.

TipYou do not necessarily have to report minor accident damage to your insurance company. Consider whether it makes sense to cover the repair costs yourself. If the insurance company pays, your no-claims class changes and you have to expect a higher insurance premium. the longer you drive accident-free, the cheaper your car insurance will be. You get a higher no-claims bonus. For example, if you drive for 10 years without an accident, you can save up to 60 percent on your car insurance.

3. Weigh up when buying a car.

Which car you choose to buy may affect your insurance premium. Especially fast and older vehicles are usually more expensive. it also makes a difference whether you drive a diesel or a gasoline engine.

The type class

If many accidents are caused by a certain type of vehicle, the insurance costs for the car model are generally higher.

This means: if you decide to buy a car with a lower type class, the car insurance will be cheaper. If your car has a high type class, you usually have to pay more.

Before buying a car, find out what type of vehicle it is. Especially for fast cars you have to pay a higher insurance premium. With them the accident risk is higher. Even older small cars often have a high type class. That’s because such cars are often driven by novice drivers. You are more frequently involved in traffic accidents.

You can find out which type class your vehicle has in the printed type class list of the GDV or via the online search function.

Diesel or gasoline?

whether you drive a diesel or a petrol car will also affect your car insurance costs. © gettyimages/bizoo_n

Think about the fuel when you buy the car. If you choose a gasoline-powered car, you’ll pay less for your car insurance. With a diesel, the fuel costs less, but the car insurance is more expensive.

You have to decide individually what is worthwhile for you. If you are a frequent driver (20.000 kilometers per year), a diesel is cheaper overall. If you don’t travel that much by car, you should rather think about a petrol car.

What’s more: your insurance premium also depends on whether you drive a new or a used car. car insurance is cheaper for new cars because there is usually little damage to the car. In addition, car owners usually drive more carefully with new cars than with older used cars.

4. Consider additional options.

Check with your insurance provider to see what additional options are included in your car insurance policy. Then consider which one you really need.

If you forgo the free choice of repair shop or the so-called mallorca policy, for example, you will save cash.

If you choose the garage option instead of the free choice of garage, your car will be repaired in a partner garage of your insurance company. The advantage is that you do not have to worry about anything. After you have reported the damage, your insurance company will take care of everything else. The disadvantage is that you cannot have your car repaired in a garage of your choice.

With the additional option mallorca-police you are also insured on vacation in case of an accident with a rental car. The protection is only valid in europe. If you never or only rarely drive a rented car abroad, the insurance cover is not worthwhile.

5. Take advantage of discounts.

Single driver discount: if you’re the only one driving the vehicle and there are no other passengers, your insurance premium is usually lower. With some insurances it is even cheaper if you use the vehicle together with your partner (partner driver discount). If you want to drive the car with as many drivers as you like, you have to expect higher costs.
Professional discount: civil servants, public employees and farmers have to pay less for their car insurance with many insurance providers. This PROFESSIONAL are less likely to be involved in accidents and are considered particularly low-risk.
Garage discount: If you park your car in a lockable garage and not at the roadside, your insurance premium will be lower. Your car will be better protected against vandalism, theft or storms.
eco discount: if you have a car that uses less fuel and does not pollute the environment as much (pollutant emissions), this will have a positive effect on your insurance premium. This is especially true for hybrid vehicles and electric cars.
Online discount: many car insurance policies are cheaper if you take out the policy on the internet. Because the administration and customer service are often carried out online, the insurance provider can save costs.
Second car discount: if you have a second car, you can insure the vehicle at a lower price. The registration must normally be in the name of the owner of the first car. This is also interesting for novice drivers.
Rail rider discount: if you have a bahncard or a monthly pass for public transport (bus and train), you can get a discount on your car insurance. The insurer assumes that you use public transport to get to work. The risk of accidents is lower this way.

6. Pay the premium annually.

With most insurance providers, you can pay your premium annually or monthly. If you decide to pay monthly, you have to transfer a fixed part of the total amount every month. If you pay the insurance premium in full once a year, it is usually cheaper.

You should also know that: many insurers also offer discounts if you agree to a direct debit scheme. The insurance premium is simply debited from your account in this case.

7. Check your mileage.

You should check your mileage once a year. So you know how much you really drive your car. If you are a frequent driver and drive around 20.000 kilometers per year? Or you don’t use your car that often and drive only about 10 times a year.000 kilometers?

If you don’t drive your car that often, it will affect the amount of your insurance premium. Because the less you drive, the lower the risk of accidents and the less wear and tear on your vehicle. Therefore, check your mileage regularly.

If you notice that you’ve made a mistake and are using your vehicle more than expected, you should let your car insurance company know. Otherwise, in the event of an accident, your insurer may refuse to pay or only cover part of the repair costs.

You should know this: you can also save money with a seasonal license plate. For example, if you drive your car only from march to october, your insurance premium will be lower. You only have to pay for the months in which your car is registered.

8. Check the no-claims class.

After an accident, you should check the rating table and recalculate the price of your car insurance. © gettyimages/scyther5

After an accident, you should check your no-claims class using the grading table. The number of years you have driven without an accident will always affect your car insurance. If you have been in an accident, you will have to deal with an downgrade and a higher premium.

However, every insurance company has set different premiums for the no-claims classes. In the event of an accident, you have the option of recalculating your price and changing your car insurance. You may be able to save money with another provider. In this case, you can use your special cancellation right and cancel your insurance without a deadline. Your cancellation must be received by your insurer within one month.

Put our tips to work right away!

If you want to save on your car insurance, you should compare offers from different insurers in good time. You can only find cheaper car insurance if you look at the current rates every year.

Use our eight tips and tricks to compare insurance rates. This way you will be able to lower the car insurance and find a policy that suits you best.

We wish you a safe journey! Your allianz direct