5 Gadgets for Cheaper Car Insurance
Updated on Thursday 12 November 2020
The cost of car insurance is a burden that all drivers are legally required to deal with in the UK, but in recent times, technological advances have paved the way for new, innovative ways to get cheaper car insurance.
Similarly to how life insurance policyholders use activity trackers to provide insurers with health data, drivers are able to use technology to prove to their car insurance providers that they are safe drivers or have made an effort to increase the security of their car.
Insurance companies are taking note of those who install security tech, such as dash-cams and telematics (black boxes), and are consequently rewarding them with cheaper car insurance premiums.
1. Dash cams for cars
Dash cams are essentially mini cameras that are able to record both the front and/or rear of your vehicle.
If you’re ever involved in an accident, the footage from these little devices could be the only true piece of hard evidence to prove your innocence in the incident.
Dash cam footage has become go-to evidence when it comes to settling claims and insurance disputes, as there’s very little room for argument when an incident has been caught on camera. It can show exactly who was at fault and avoid the “their word against mine” hassle.
The best dash cams can also detect and start recording if your car has been hit whilst parked, increasing your chances of finding the culprit if someone does not leave a note after hitting your wing mirror or colliding with your car when you’re not around.
It seems inevitable that this tech will continue to cut insurance premiums, reduce theft and vandalism, and help prevent insurance fraud.
For more information, see our full guide to the dash cam car insurance discounts available in the UK.
One of the best dash cams in the UK (2019) is the Nextbase 312G, which provides a 1080p HD 140 degree view of the road ahead, and therefore any accidents you’re involved in. It’s easy to fit, has night-vision, and includes parking mode.
Read More: The Top 5 Dash Cams in the UK
2. Parking Sensors
Parking sensors are devices that use ultrasonic technology to help you park more safely by notifying you of any objects behind you as you reverse.
With parking sensors, you’re less likely to need to claim and you’re less of a risk to insurers thanks to the added safety, which could help reduce your car insurance cost.
It will also help you keep your no claims bonus!
It’s been reported that drivers with this type of tech fitted to their cars have seen the cost of their premiums decrease by approximately 13%.
They can either be fitted by a professional mechanic or you could save some extra cash by fitting it yourself, all you need is a parking sensor kit!
3. Telematics box (Black Box insurance)
Telematics policies or ‘black box insurance’ has become hugely popular with new and young drivers especially, who use the clever tracking devices to prove that they’re safe drivers and therefore reduce the cost of premiums by up to £250.
The black box is usually installed by a professional and monitors aspects of your driving, including your speed, cornering, braking and the time of day that you’re out in the car.
Using the data it collects, the black box determines how safe a driver you are and that information can then be reported to insurers as evidence, often leading to cheaper car insurance premiums for those who show the signs of being a careful driver.
4. Smartphone Apps
Some black box insurance policies can be paired with smartphone apps that allow you to track your driving tendencies, such as the free Aviva Drive app.
The app will track your driving skills (acceleration, cornering and braking) during journeys chosen by you, and you will then receive a personal score between 0-10 in relation to how safe you drive.
Aviva claim that those with a rating of 7.1 or higher could save an average of £170 on their comprehensive car insurance cover.
5. Car alarms and GPS trackers
As providers base premium rates on the chances of your car being stolen, damaged or vandalised, as well as the risk of an accident, fitting additional security features (car alarms and GPS trackers) to your vehicle could also help reduce the cost of your car insurance.
Installing such features will help prove to the insurance companies that insuring you would be less of a risk than average and that your car is less likely to be broken into, as professionally fitted alarms can help deter would-be thieves and vandals.
Having a GPS tracker fitted can also act as a deterrent for thieves, and makes it a lot easier to track down your car if it is ever stolen.
If you use these features to convince your insurance provider that you’re a low-risk policyholder, you could be rewarded with cheaper premiums and save a lot of cash in the long-run!