Could you save money on car insurance?

Car insurance premiums have risen by up to 10 per cent this year.

We reveal how to beat the price rise and get cheaper car insurance.

Personal injury claims and insurance fraud can increase the cost of car insurance.

These claims could push the average premium with a full no-claims bonus from £400 to £440 per year.

We found one motorist who was paying £404 a year for his car insurance, to see how much he could save with Auto Trader Compare.

View the UK?s cheapest cars to insure:

Alex Rose is a 26-year-old Senior Graphic Designer from London, who owns a 2005 1.6-litre Vauxhall Astra SXi.

Alex has a nine-year no-claims bonus with no previous driving convictions. He parks his car in his garage, and clocks up about 8,000 miles per year.

It took four minutes for Alex to input his details, and Auto Trader Compare returned with a list of new prices ? the lowest at just £228.30.

Alex didn?t hesitate to switch insurance providers, and is now financially better off.

Auto Trader Compare saved Alex £175.70 on his car insurance.

How much could you save?

Compare 300+ Prices with Auto Trader

What type of cover should I get?

Comprehensive

Accidental damage is covered as well as third party fire and theft cover. This is the safest bet and ideal for cars with a higher value.

Third party fire and theft

This cover will protect you if your car is stolen or damaged by fire, and also includes third party insurance. Terms and conditions will apply.

Third party

This is the minimum level of insurance cover the law requires for you to drive in the UK.

It doesn?t cover damage to your own vehicle ? only damage to other parties. If you crash into someone and you?re to blame then your insurance will cover the damage to the other driver?s car. You won?t be covered if your car is damaged by fire, stolen or in an accident which was your fault.

69 per cent of people could save with us!
Source: Consumer Intelligence Sept 08 based on online research

Compare 300+ Insurance Prices in less than 4 minutes with Auto Trader Compare

How much are you paying for car insurance? Have your say on the Auto Trader Blog

Disclaimer: Auto Trader cannot guarantee the above advice will always save you money. The ?cheapest cars to insure? slide show features cars in insurance groups 1 and 2, which are usually bottom-of-the-range models. Check with your dealer first.

 

Sell your car for the most money

The perfect car advert will include the following:

1. Exact type of car
Write the correct car type and model ? for example ?Ford Focus Ghia 1.8 5-door hatchback,? not ?Focus hatchback.?

2. Year and registration letter
Be as descriptive as possible. Writing 1999/T or 2006/56 is fine. ?T-reg? or ?2000 model-year? are easier to read.

3. Mileage
Include the car?s mileage ? this lets the buyer know how reliable the car is.

4. Colour
Be as precise as possible. ?Metallic blue? is more helpful than ?Sorrento Shimmer.?

5. Tax
State whether the vehicle comes with road tax, or when the current tax disc expires. You may want to include the car's CO2 emissions - read our 2009 car tax guide for more information.

6. MOT
Include the date of your car?s next MOT.

7. Service history
If your car has a recorded service history, mention it. If it's complete, put ?full service history.? Use full words and avoid abbreviations where possible.

8. Number of owners
State how many previous owners the car has had and how long they owned it for. Cars with fewer owners are desirable and could clinch a quick sale.

9. Features
Show off your car?s best features ? air conditioning, alloy wheels, electric windows, central locking and so on. Remember to include any modifications you?ve made to the vehicle here.

10. Asking price
Expect buyers to haggle, so set your price a slightly higher than the minimum price you?d accept. Read our guide to setting a price for more help.

11. Reason
Explain why you?ve put your motor up for sale to reassure the buyer ? perhaps you?re buying a new car or moving abroad. Be honest ? if your car isn?t in great condition, consider lowering the price. Prepare your car for sale to increase its value.

12. Pictures
Attach as many photos as possible (up to a maximum of nine) and make your advert stand out ? you can now even display a video slide show of your images.

What not to include

Avoid using vague terms and phrases such as:

? Lovely driver
? Good car
? A joy to drive
? Excellent condition
? No time wasters
? First to see will buy

State specific advantages and features of the car ? let the buyer make up their own mind.

Use full descriptions

Include clear descriptions such as:

? One owner for past six years, no accidents or breakdowns
? Power steering, ABS and full suspension
? No scratches or damage on body, small dent on left wing mirror
? 2.0-litre diesel engine
? Includes 160 watt sound system with six-CD changer
? Full leather interior

Extra tips

It?s important to keep the advert concise ? include essential pieces of information. Try not to include too much or too little content as this could bore the buyer or scare them away.

Keep the length of the piece around 50 to 75 words online or 20 to 30 words in print, and minimise use of block capitals (which can make the ad more difficult to read).

Use bullet points to summarise key car features and write a sentence about your car?s greatest asset.