The premiums for the car insurance make up a large part of the fixed car costs. This is reason enough to regularly check how costs can be reduced. As a first step, motorists should dig out their policy, as well as their last premium bill, well in advance of the end of their policy term.
In the next step, you should check whether the selected scope of insurance is still up to date. Who drives the car? How many kilometers the car travels per year? Does the ten-year-old small car still have to have comprehensive insurance, or is motor liability insurance enough?? Often, adjusting these parameters alone can save around 50 percent of the previous insurance costs.
A turn on the SB screw makes the insurance premium shrink
Those who would like to further reduce their premium can turn the SB screw. SB stands for optional deductible and refers to the amount that the insured pays out of his or her own pocket in the event of a claim. The higher the agreed deductible, the less the insurance company has to pay in the event of a claim. The insurance company rewards the reduced insurance risk with lower premium rates.
Once these points have been clarified, the search for alternative car insurance can begin. Many companies grant numerous discounts. For example, they can benefit from a garage discount, the family bonus or a minimum age of driver and owner (the lower limits are on average between 23 and 25 years). Even those who are civil servants or employed in the public sector can claim this as a cost-saving factor. Some companies even grant discounts for Bahn-Card holders.
Savings tip with pitfalls: The discount transfer
Good family ties also lead to favorable insurance premiums. Close relatives can have their no-claims bonus taken over. However, the discount credit has some pitfalls. This way the "giver" loses all benefits. This way is therefore only worthwhile if, for example, grandma or grandpa want to deregister their car for good and want to make a child or grandchild happy with their no-claims bonuses. In addition, the "presentee" can only be credited with as many claim-free years as he could theoretically have achieved himself since passing the driving test. Thus, a discount transfer only makes sense for people who already have their driver's license in their pocket for several years.
New drivers in particular can exploit savings potentials
Most tricks young drivers can use to reduce the insurance costs for their first own car to a bearable level. Even when buying a car, the right model can be a real "premium saver. The car insurers divide the individual vehicle models into type classes every year – depending on the currently determined damage record. If you are smart and buy a car with a low-risk type classification, you have already laid the foundation for a low car insurance premium at the time of purchase.
If you register the car three years after obtaining your driver's license at the earliest, most insurance companies will no longer treat you as a complete beginner, but will give you a more favorable rating (in terms of costs). Verifiable driving safety training and accompanied driving from the age of 17 also make many insurers lenient and improve the rating.
Even starting out with small vehicles, such as a scooter, which are cheaper to insure, pays off when you later switch to a car. Because the no-claims discounts obtained with the scooter for liability or comprehensive insurance are transferred by most car insurers without any problems.
Second car insurance or family discount reduce insurance costs
If you want to drive your own car from the age of 18, you can ask your parents or older siblings to register the car in their name as a second vehicle with the insurance company. This is how the "penalty classes" for novice drivers are circumvented. Some car insurance companies offer an even simpler solution: family insurance. If several vehicles of a family are registered with one and the same insurance company, especially favorable conditions are available. The penalty surcharges for new drivers are then usually omitted.
Despite all discount tricks, the price differences among car insurance companies are large. Therefore, an online comparison of the insurance offers on the market is worthwhile in any case. This allows you to quickly and conveniently find suitable policies at fair premiums – and can greatly reduce the burden on your wallet by taking out a new policy or switching to a more favorable provider.