Tip 1: Give the car insurance company all details that they require. Details regarding your annual mileage, your car's safety features and installed equipment, zip code, marital status and your driving record would be needed to ascertain all the discounts you may qualify for. This will help the company give you the best quote possible. In the absence of these details, the insurance company will quote their highest price. This is just to cover themselves, so you can't wave it in their face later, if it turns out you're not an optimum risk.

Tip 2: To cover your car according to your needs, you may get insurance quotes that could vary up to 300%, meaning if one company quotes ?1000, another may quote ?3000 for the same car and the same coverage. Just by comparing quotes from various companies, you could end up saving hundreds of bucks annually. Even your old car insurance company may be offering lower rates to new customers. You can negotiate the same deal for yourself.

Tip 3: If there's anyway to reduce your annual mileage, do it. Most companies have discounts for cars that do less than 40 miles a day on an average. Travelling by train or flying for vacations can also help reduce miles on your car. This will cut a lot of precious dollars off your insurance quote.

Tip 4: Switching drivers could be a good option. A few more quid could be shaved off the insurance quote, if a female driver drives a truck or a male driver drives a minivan. Teenage drivers need to be insured on a family car or a sedan instead of a sports car. Ultimately the insurance company looks at the risk of covering your car. The lesser the risk, the lesser is the car insurance quote.

Tip 5: Bump up your 'excess'. In the UK you are at liberty to increase the amount you'll pay in the event of a claim, before the insurance company stumps up. If the minimum they ask for is ?100, but you volunteer ?500, your premiums can be lower.

Tip 6: Get 'third party fire and theft' on older cars. Old Bessy is not worth getting 'fully comp' on. Three years of fully comprehensive may be worth more than the car itself!

Tip 7: Buy a mediocre car. A smart car is a thief magnet, and is usually more powerful. Drivers are likely to drive more recklessly in a sports car. Some are expensive to repair. These factors cause the premium to be higher.

Do your research before you buy. Before you buy a new or used car, check into insurance costs. Premiums are based in part on the car's price, repair costs, its overall safety record, and the likelihood of it being stolen.