The Basics of Direct Car Insurance

Driving can be a risky undertaking even for a cautious motorist. Accident and collision statistics are escalating annually in UK which makes it important to obtain direct car insurance coverage to be protected from accidental damages. Even if you are unable to afford a fully comprehensive policy, you need to have the minimum of third party insurance. Third party insurance is a legal requirement per the RTA 1988.

Direct Car Insurance Basics

Direct Car Insurance is a form of protection that you purchase directly from a car insurance firm. It covers you for any physical injury, damages to your much loved car, break-ins and collisions.

Direct Car Insurance Costs

Numerous factors play a critical role in calculating the cost of direct car insurance, such as :

• Residence - town, city, countryside
• Marital status - married, single, common law
• Car model - Jaguar, Toyota, Suzuki
• Claim record - once in 2 years, no claims
• Car usage - weekends, night, occasional
• Gender - male, female
• Age group - under 25, between 25-45, 60 years and above

Inexpensive Direct Car Insurance

Direct Car Insurance premiums have become quite expensive but there are ways to get inexpensive insurance. One option is to install car security gadgets such as spare wheel locks, side protection film and deadlocks for your car doors. This conveys the message to your insurer that you are a responsible and safe driver; hence they may offer you a lower premium. Another option is to decrease your mileage and thereby utilizing low mileage discount offer. You can lower your mileage by driving during the weekends or during the night only. By availing as many discounts as possible, you can purchase a reasonable direct car insurance policy. Discount alternatives include multiple car, safe driver, senior motorist and woman driver.

Insurance and Group Rating

Car insurance providers assign each car a group rating upon which the insurance premium is calculated. The general rule is that the lower the group rating the lower your car insurance premium will be. Low priced cars generally have a low group rating whereas high performance cars have a higher group rating. These group ratings are numerical and range from 1-20. The group ratings are based on the guidelines of Association of British Insurers (ABI). These are examples of cars according to their group ratings :
GROUP 1-4 Citroen C2, Fiat Cinquecento, Skoda Fabia, Vauxhall Corsa, Seat Arosa, Renault Clio, Toyota Yaris Hatchback, Peugeot 107, Peugeot 206, VW Polo, Skoda Felicia, Skoda Octavia.
GROUP 5-8 Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Citroen Saxo, Rover 214i, Peugeot 306 1.8 XS.
GROUP 9-12 Audi 3 series, Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 307, Peugeot 405, Renault Megane, Vauxhall Astra.
GROUP 13-16 Renault Espace, BMW 5 series, BMW 3 series, Toyota Corolla, Land Rover Freelancer.
GROUP 17-20 BMW M series, Aston Martin, Audi TT, Ferraris, Porsche 911, Alfa Romeo, Jaguars, Subaru Impreza, Land Rover Range Rover, Jeep Cherokee.