A
GUIDE TO 4x4 Insurance
By driving a larger vehicle
than a car, insurance premiums can be drastically more than
a car – and in some instances up to a fifth more! 4x4
vehicles make premiums rise as a rule, but by shopping around,
drivers can possibly save 40% on their premiums.
These larger vehicles have become the ultimate family vehicle
of choice in the past few years. The bigger the families grow,
the larger the vehicles become, and car sharing for school
runs etc has become a UK way of life.
When shopping around for car insurance for 4x4 vehicles,
have the following factors in mind:
- Premiums can be lowered 12-15% by adding an older driver
onto the policy as opposed to a younger one
- Only using the 4x4 on weekends and keeping the mileage
low can reduce the premium by around 15% - not much use
for school runs though!
- Pay a higher excess in the event of a claim and your
premium naturally rewdices because you share the risk with
the insurance company.
- Married couples can save as 4x4 policies can be cheaper
for married people.
Many car manufacturers like Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen
have jumped on the bandwagon and joined the big car trend.
Many parents feel the more room they have; the easier it is
to transport their children. It’s easy to see why popularity
has risen. The prices of these 4x4 vehicles have become affordable
as an alternative for many families who were buying larger
cars for their growing families. Car manufacturers began marketing
to this lifestyle and made the purchase price similar to some
cars.
Most of these 4x4 vehicles are never driven off road; they
are simply driven around like normal cars. But car insurance
companies still classify 4x4 vehicles in the higher insurance
group because of their off-road capability, and premiums are
still higher than most cars. The other difference is the expense
of petrol or diesel, and if the vehicle should get damaged,
the price to fix some of these higher-end vehicles can be
costly. Some models can cost in the thousands to repair a
damaged vehicle, and this also is considered and factored
in to the insurance quotes you will be given. Many luxury
models come with a GPS or navigation system and satellite
radio as an option; luxury extras are all very well but if
this technology breaks, the cost to repair also gets averaged
into the premium.
Just as with regular cars, to lower the price you need to
pay, the use of devices such as car alarms, immobilizers,
and tracking systems all give discounts on the premium. Where
the 4x4 is stored, occupation, driving record etc all help
in determining a quote. Always shop around to find the best
policy that meets your individual needs.
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