Over 50s Car Insurance

Cheap Over 50s Car Insurance

Most drivers in their 50s have clocked up many years behind the wheel, and this experience usually translates into fewer road traffic accidents. So it’s probably not a surprise to learn that these motoring ‘veterans’ can often find significantly cheaper car insurance quotes than younger, less experienced drivers.

However, even if you found a great deal on your insurance last year you could discover that your renewal quote is much less competitive when your policy is due for renewal.

That’s why it’s always a good idea to use an insurance comparison service like Quotezone.co.uk each and every year, which will enable you to quickly compare car insurance quotes from a wide range of insurance providers.

That way you’ll be much more likely to find the right insurance policy at a genuinely great price.

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A guide to Over 50s Car Insurance

If you’ve been driving for many years you will probably have found that the cost of your car insurance is much cheaper now than it was when you were in your teens or 20s.

The reason a driver’s age can have such a big impact on their premiums is that road traffic accident data suggests young drivers are much more likely to be involved in an accident than older drivers.

In fact, according to data from Brake, the road safety charity, 23% of drivers aged 17 to 24 will be involved in a car accident within two years of passing their test, while drivers under the age of 20 are 33% more likely to be killed in a car accident than someone in their 40s or 50s.

Of course, even if you’re in your 50s and have seen your insurance costs drop in recent years there are still one or two things you can do to increase the likelihood that you’ll be offered even cheaper quotes.

For example, you could:

• Park your car off the road when you’re not driving it – Parking your car on a driveway or in a garage can lower your insurance risk by making it less likely the vehicle will be damaged, vandalised or stolen. In many cases this reduced risk for the underwriter can translate into cheaper insurance quotes for you.

• Complete an advanced driving test – You may believe that advanced driving tests are designed for younger drivers that need to prove they are safe drivers, but the truth is many older motorists could also save a little on their policies if they pass the ‘RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders’ test or the ‘Advanced Driver’ test from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

• Pay for the full year upfront – Many insurance providers offer their customers a small discount on their insurance if they pay for the full year upfront rather than paying for the policy on a monthly basis.

Still have questions about over 50s car insurance? Then read on.

What factors will my insurer take into account other than my age?

Age isn’t the only factor insurance companies consider when they’re calculating your premiums. Other things that will influence the cost of your policy include:

• How long you’ve held your driving licence

• Whether you have points or convictions

• Whether you have a No Claims Discount

• Whether or not you have been diagnosed with a condition that could impair your driving

• The kind of car you drive

• The car’s age

• Whether or not it’s an import

• Whether or not the vehicle has been modified

• Its mileage
• Your estimated mileage for the upcoming year

Is it true that the time I renew my policy can affect the price I’m quoted?

Yes, research suggests that when you renew your policy can have an impact on the price you’re quoted for that policy.

There’s some logic to this, of course, because drivers that leave their renewal to the very last minute could be seen as more careless, which in theory could translate into riskier driving.

That’s why it can often be more expensive to take out new insurance the day before your old policy expires.

However, the same data suggests that it could also be more costly to renew your policy too early. While this might seem rather counterintuitive at first glance, the most likely reason is that a driver who renews their insurance too early could be seen as overly risk-averse, a trait that can actually contribute to a higher risk of accidents for some drivers.

While the way in which insurance premiums are calculated will vary considerably from provider to provider, research suggests that a good time to sign up for a new policy could be three to four weeks before the old policy is due to expire.

Should I take out telematics insurance in order to reduce my premiums?

Telematics insurance, or black box insurance as it’s also known, is most commonly associated with students or other young drivers because it can share telemetry data with insurers in order to offset some of the risk of insuring an ‘unknown quantity’.

This type of policy is open to anyone, though, provided they’re willing to install the tracking device in their vehicle, and it may well help older motorists reduce their premiums a little.

However, it’s important to understand that the data you share with your insurance provider as part of this policy could actually work against you if it indicates that you’re a riskier driver than the provider originally thought.

With that in mind, if you’re in your 50s it’s probably only worth signing up for this type of insurance policy if you have driving convictions, a criminal record or numerous points on your licence.