None of us like to pay more for something than we need to and motor insurance is no different. Here are some top tips on how you can reduce your car insurance premium costs by simply employing a little ‘know how’.

Renewal time
Probably one of the most important things when looking to minimise the cost of your car insurance is to not automatically accept your current insurer’s quote at renewal time. Many of us are guilty of getting the renewal slip through the post, giving it a quick once over and then forgetting about it, allowing the insurance to automatically renew for another year. However, this could end up costing you more in car insurance premiums than it needs to.

The key here is to shop around to see what other deals are available. Don’t worry, this doesn’t need to be a laborious process. By using an insurance comparison website such as the Tesco Compare car insurance service, it takes just a few minutes to access and compare many great insurance deals. If you find a deal you really like, you can buy it there and then!

Online discounts
This leads us on to our next important point - buying online can often mean discounted car insurance premiums. Some insurers might offer you an incentive such as a 10% discount on your premiums or a month’s free cover if you buy online.

This is because when you are buying online, most of the process is automated so there are less costs involved for the car insurance provider. They can then pass these savings on to you, meaning you get a good deal and they get a happy customer!

Of course, these are all external features that dictate how much you will pay for your cover. There are also things you can do too that may help reduce your car insurance premium costs.

First of all, while you cannot change your age or sex (younger drivers pay more for their cover as they are deemed more of a risk to insurers while women drivers will often pay less as they are statistically proven to be safer drivers), you can change the car you drive.

Car insurance groups
While it seems an obvious thing to state, a sporty little number will cost a lot more to insure than a more sedate family car, not just in car insurance but also in fuel and road taxes. If you really have to have a sporty car, check out the car insurance groups for each one you’re considering and pick the one in the lowest group.

Another way to get cheaper car insurance is to offer to pay a higher or voluntary excess. The ‘excess’ is the first part of any claim that you’ll need to pay before the insurer pays out. Most will have a standard excess on their policy (say around £100). However, by offering to share some of the risk with the insurer and by paying a higher excess, it’s likely they’ll reward you with lower premiums.

Secure your vehicle
Finally, ramp up the security on your vehicle. Things such as an immobiliser or tracking device make your car much harder to steal. Also, by parking it in a garage rather on the roadside or driveway means you’re probably less likely to claim on your insurance. It’s possible that some insurers will offer you a discount for being extra cautious in this way, meaning reduced car insurance premium costs for you and a happier insurer!