The cost of car insurance has rocketed in the past five years thanks to a combination of higher taxes, rules around payouts and rising repair costs.
In 2014, the average car insurance policy stood at £551 and has since risen to an average of £735 in 2018, figures from comparethemarket.com show.
And that's just the average - with younger drivers seeing quotes average an astonishing £1,281.
"Motor insurance is still a significant expense for British motorists," said Dan Hutson, head of motor insurance at comparethemarket.
"Prices have fallen slightly over the past 12 months but drivers are still paying hundreds of pounds more to insure their vehicle than they were three, or even five years ago."
The good news is that, while you need insurance to legally drive, you don't have to pay those figures. There are string of ways to bring the costs down without sacrificing your cover levels or playing fast and loose with the truth.
Here are the best ways we've found:
1. Pay up front - up to £200
Splitting your bill into monthly payments should be avoided at all costs.
That's because while a few providers are kind, other's treat split payments as a loan - with up to 30% APR.
If you can't afford all the money at once, look to see if there's a way to save it.
We've seen cases where people can knock £200 off their policy by paying up front and spreading the cost with a loan, interest-free from either a friend or family member or a 0% card if you have a good credit rating.
2. Apply on the right day - up to £567
Don't leave it to the last minute to renew, or go too early.
Some insurers may view people who purchase insurance at the last minute as slightly more risky and therefore more likely to take a chance behind the wheel.
Figures from MoneySavingExpert show buying 21 days before renewal will save you £567.
3. Get your mileage right - £233
When your insurance quote asks you how many miles you do a year, don’t just guess at 10,000. Many of us actually drive fewer miles than we think, and the less you drive, the lower your premium will be.
But always strive to be accurate – don’t underestimate your mileage or you could invalidate the policy.
And there's a second reason to go big too - with some insurers found charging people more for driving less.
4. Add a friend - up to £200
It’s a crime to say someone who isn’t the main driver of a car is, but adding a secondary driver is perfectly legal - and more than that, it can save you money.
Get their permission first, then add an experienced driver with a clean driving licence and decent no-claims history to your insurance.
Martin Lewis once pointed to a reader who cut his cost by £200 by adding a colleague with 10-year's experience to his policy.
5. Try new technology - £100s cheaper for some
New technology can result in big savings.
A telematics policy involves having a tracking device fitted to your car which sends information back to the insurer about how the car is being driven.
Telematics policies can help young drivers accumulate no claim discounts more quickly as they can show they are safe drivers from day one.
It also lets you take advantage of things like "pay as you go" car insurance. This is somethiong offered by companies including ByMiles.
Some insurers will give you discounts of more than 10% off for a dashcam too.
6. Use the right job - up to £300
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If you describe yourself as a “chef” when filling in your car insurance application, your average quote is £98 higher than if you write “kitchen staff” comparison site GoCompare.com found – and it’s not just cooks that have this problem.
“Music teachers” pay £86 more than “teachers”, “office managers” pay more than “office administrators”, and “construction workers” pay more than “builders” who – in turn – pay more than “bricklayers”.
Basically, if your job fits in more than one category, check car insurance quotes for all of them before applying.
And if you’re a full time parent or retired, make absolutely sure you check that box and not “unemployed” – it could save you almost £300.
But be careful, while you can often legitimately choose more than one job, if you knowingly misrepresent yourself that could invalidate your cover.
And of course....
These will all lower your quote, but to pay less, make sure you've compared car insurance providers too.
A pro tip is to check on a series of comparison sites - as some will do deal meaning a policy is cheaper with them than anywhere else - as well as checking Direct Line and Aviva too, who frequently don't appear on the sites.