It is illegal for
you to drive a car without some sort
of car insurance but you can choose
the level of insurance you take out.
What types
of car insurance are there? There are three main types of
car insurance.
Comprehensive This is the most common
type of car insurance and also the
most expensive. It provides the highest
level of protection and usually covers:
Damage to
your own car (whether it is your
fault or not)
Damage to
other (known as third party) vehicles
or property
Personal injury
costs.
Third
party, fire and theft This is cheaper than comprehensive
insurance. It gives you cover against
damage you may cause to others but
it usually doesn’t protect you
against damage to your own car, unless
it is caused by fire or theft.
Third
party This only provides cover
for damage or injury to others. If
your car is stolen, you get nothing,
which is why third party insurance
is the cheapest.
What affects
the cost?
The cost of car insurance varies widely
because insurance companies take into
account a lot of information before
deciding how much your premium should
be. The price you pay depends on a number
of factors such as:
The type
of insurance you choose, for example
comprehensive is more expensive than
third party.
The sort of
car you have. Insurers look at the
make, model, age and value of your
car and will usually charge more for
powerful or expensive cars.
Your age, sex,
how long you have had your driving
licence for, and whether you or anyone
else who is being insured to drive
the car has made any car insurance
claims before.
Where you live
and whether your car is parked in
a garage overnight. Insurance companies
tend to charge you more if you live
in a city or if your car is parked
on the street because they believe
your car is more likely to be involved
in an accident or be stolen in these
areas.
What you car
is used for. If you want to use it
for work, you need to make sure your
policy allows you to.
If you have
a No Claims Discount. If you don’t
make a claim against your car insurance,
you build up a No Claims Discount,
which helps to keep insurance costs
down.
How do
I make a claim?
If you
are involved in an accident, you should
ask the other drivers involved for
their names and addresses and make
a note of their car registration numbers
together with the make and model of
their cars.
Ask for
the name of their insurers and also,
if possible, their insurance policy
or certificate number.
If anyone
is injured, you will need to produce
your insurance certificate. If you
can’t do this at the scene of
the accident, you will usually be
asked to produce it a police station
within 24 hours.
Tell
your insurers about any statement
made at the scene by anyone involved.
You should not discuss whose fault
the accident was with the other people
involved as this could create problems
when your insurance claim is being
handled.
Ask your
insurers for an accident report form.
When completing the form, include
as much information as you can.
