Most drivers are paying too much for their car insurance. Lets take a look at how they can reduce the cost without sacrificing essential insurance cover.

As the majority of car drivers tend to stay with their present insurer and happily pay whatever renewal price they are offered the company has no incentive to offer you its lowest quote. So it pays to shop around for insurance. The market is fiercely competitive and many insurance companies offer an introductory bonus simply to entice you to switch.

Only pay for the cover you need. While this seems like an obvious statement, it is surprising just how much extra cover we pay for but will never use. Again, shop around for policies that suit your circumstances.

For example, a growing number of companies are offering extremely competitive quotes for particular low risk groups such as older drivers, women, reduced mileage drivers and drivers with low risk jobs.

Qualifications such as the advanced driving or police driving tests can make a huge dent in your insurance bill and it may be worth your while searching out insurers that specialize in that field.

For the average driver, savings can be made by fitting accessories that reduce the risk of accident or theft. Features such as airbags and anti-lock braking systems can reduce the number of accidents on the road while vehicle immobilizers and satellite tracking systems will lower the chance of theft.

Many car manufacturers are including safety and security accessories as standard now so it pays to consider them when buying your next vehicle.

Where you store your vehicle also makes a difference to your insurance cost. Is it garaged at night? How secure is the garage? Do you have CCTV, security patrols or a manned gateway? All these factors make it harder for thieves to take your vehicle and so attract reductions in your policy cost.

While looking at ways to cut your insurance premium costs many people are tempted to reduce cover or raise the excess they are willing to pay. I personally think that this is a false economy that could cost you dearly in the event of a claim.

It is much easier and cost effective to simply select the parts of the policy that are relevant to your driving style and cut out the cover that you do not require. In this way, you are still fully covered for minimum cost.

Mark Heywood is passionate about cars and runs Premier Kit Cars where you can find up to date information on all aspects of choosing and building a kit car