Firstly, have a look at your credit rating. Did you have any financial troubles recently? Insurance companies consider your credit profile when deciding how much of a risk you pose. People who pay their accounts late are considered careless in general, and are deemed a greater risk. By doing some credit repair (or even by fixing mistakes on your credit report) you can lower the perceived risk, and qualify for lower premiums. You will benefit from having an improved credit score in a number of ways, including a better interest rate on your next car purchase.

Consider how much you actually drive. If you commute to work by bus or train, it may be worth your while to explore pay-as-you-drive insurance packages. The less you drive, the less the risk of being involved in an accident. The less the risk, the lower the premiums quoted. If you have a second car that is not used much, consider insuring it on a pay-as-you-drive plan.

What type of car do you drive? You may be driving it because you like it. Unfortunately, a high number of car thieves may also like it, resulting in a high theft risk. In such a case, find out which added anti-theft devices will be taken into account upon calculation of your premiums. Anything perceived as a lesser risk will be rewarded with a lower rate. You could consider fitting satellite tracking, a better alarm system, and an anti-hijack device. When you go shopping for your next car, talk to your insurance agent first, and find out which models are currently considered as ?high risk? cars.

Does your wife do much, or most of the driving? Since women drivers are statistically less of a risk, you can benefit by specifying your wife as the primary driver of the vehicle. Your wife does not have to be the only driver, or even do most of the driving. As long as she does a good portion of it, it should be acceptable.

Lastly, if you do not usually drive in an area where accidents are common, and you feel the risk is minimal enough, you may want to consider the option of lowering your excess payment, or contribution in case of a claim.

These are simple, everyday steps anyone can take, yet many people fail to do so, costing themselves a small fortune in wasted money - especially if the accumulated costs are calculated over a number of years.