Insurance tips

• Non-specialist companies are a bit silly and tend to put up the premium for any major mod. Declare you've upgraded your brakes and they'll probably up your premium! Go with a specialist

• If you have a good record (full NCB etc.) then mods are less likely to affect your premium. Odd but true

• If you are insured fully comp mods are less likely to affect your premium. Equally odd but equally true

• An agreed value policy is a good idea (see above)

• Don't crash your car.

Other tips direct from Adrian Flux, sponsors of the IME (as word file):

Adrian Flux Insurance specialises in reducing the costs of insurance, especially for motorists with unusual needs such as specialist or modified cars, classics and bikes. Tailoring is the key: each policy recognises the individual circumstances of each driver.

There’s lots that owners and drivers can do themselves to reduce their insurance costs. Don’t just reduce the risk, but just as importantly, let the insurer know you are trying. Here are Flux’s top twelve tips for keeping your premiums low. And by the by: tell them about any modifications, it could save you money (see tips 5 & 7!)

1. Get a more secure parking place. Theft normally only takes place when the car is parked, so naturally your insurer loves to hear that you’ve got off-road parking, and a locking garage even more. The more securely your car is parked, the lower your premiums can be. Don’t forget to factor this into the cost of a garage or rented parking.

2. Install a tracker device. With one of these systems fitted, the police can often trace your car within hours, or even minutes. Having one fitted can lower the ‘theft’ element of your insurance premium dramatically.

3. Deter the thief! The winking red dashboard light of an immobiliser alarm is a very effectively deterrent to the casual thief. Other worthwhile deterrents that can lower your insurance quote include etched windows and theft-proof wheelnuts. Remember to mention these when you ask for a quote, although an experienced insurer such as Adrian Flux should ask about them anyway.

4. Lower mileage means less likelihood of accident. Check how much you realistically expect to cover and tell your broker. Some will have special low-mileage policies, and this is especially useful for prized and classic cars that might be driven less than, say, two thousand miles a year. You can frequently find discounts even if you drive up to 10,000 miles a year.

5. Save if you do your own repairs. Enthusiasts and kit car owners who do their own repairs not only take pride in their job, but save on labour and insurance costs. With particularly prized cars, they might even insist on doing it. This will bring a smile to any reputable insurer’s face! Adrian Flux can write policies that give large savings for parts-only insurance.

6. If you are under 25, shop around for an introductory no-claims bonus. When phoning around, you could find that even if you are under 25, as long as you have a clean driving and conviction record, some insurance companies like Adrian Flux will offer a fairly substantial discount.

7. Modifying your car doesn’t always push up insurance costs. If you’ve done your own modifications then companies like Adrian Flux can still give you a discount, on the assumption that as you’ve done all the hard work yourself you won’t want to spoil it in a crash!

8. GTi or not? When you’re buying your car, look hard at the extra performance you get for those three magic letters. Like it or not, the ability to outgun your friends at the traffic lights can add a fortune to your premium!

9. Don’t switch insurance agencies in mid-year. Any company will charge a penalty for cancellation. Stick with your current insurer until the renewal date, as although their quote for a new vehicle might be higher, you’ll only pay a proportion of that.

10. No No-Claims Bonus? If you’ve driven a company car for more than a year without mishap, insurance companies like Flux can make an allowance – even if you have no personal bonus.

11. Ask about easy payment options. Spreading the cost through your insurer can be a cheaper way than paying for an overdraft or putting all on your ‘flexible plastic friend’!

12. Tell your insurer everything! Don’t hide or gloss over any facts when asking for a quote. Not only will it cause problems if you should have a claim, but the more information a good insurer has about your individual circumstances, the better equipped he is to get you a policy that fits your needs.
     

Adrian Flux has a huge range of policies for the motoring enthusiast. For details:

• contact the Adrian Flux quote line on 08700 777888

• email the company at flux@adrianflux.co.uk

• or see the Flux homepage on www.adrianflux.co.uk