Buyers of new and used cars have a lot of financial decisions to make before committing to a purchase. As well as the cost of the vehicle itself, prospective new owners must consider fuel economy, running costs, and the price of annual road tax.
Insurance premiums tend to be one of the most significant annual outlays for a driver. Plenty of factors influence the cost of an insurance policy. The newest, most expensive, and most powerful models will cost more to insure, while classic cars usually require a policy from a specialist company.
The age, sex, and experience of the main driver can make a huge difference to insurance prices for the same car.
Living in property with a lockable garage or secure yard can make a big difference. Cities tend to be more expensive for insurance than rural areas.
The likelihood of theft or malicious damage increases in towns, while short trips on busy urban roads are statistically more likely to end in an accident than a drive down a deserted country lane.
If you asked drivers to guess the most expensive city for vehicle insurance, most people would think of London. A motor trade report in 2019 placed the UK capital firmly at the top of the charts, with drivers paying up to 50% more than the national average for their car insurance.
The north of England also fared badly in the survey, with the northwest coming out as the second most expensive area for insurance, at 14% higher than the average cost.
This region is home to the major cities of Liverpool and Manchester, which both have a higher than average crime rate. Yorkshire and the Humber took the fourth position.
The West Midlands, an area which includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton, was the third most expensive region.
Fifth in the rankings was Northern Ireland. The cheapest regions for insurance were the southwest of England, followed by Scotland, then Wales.
Surprisingly, research released in 2020 on the cost of car insurance in the UK’s cities revealed a different picture, with London placing only fifth on the list.
According to this date, Liverpool is currently the most expensive city to insure your car, followed by Manchester and Birmingham. London only makes it to fifth place.
However, the average cost of insurance in London is still over double the cost in the UK’s cheapest city for car insurance, Aberdeen.
An average policy in London costs £725.60, while in Aberdeen the figure is just £309.14. In Liverpool you can expect to pay £884.51.
Other Scottish cities where you can expect a low premium include Perth, Inverness, Dundee, Stirling, and Edinburgh. Wales and the southwest remain favourable for car insurance, with an average quote of £325.20 in Truro, Cornwall, and £347.59 for Swansea in Wales.
Looking for somewhere within reach of London where you can still insure your car at an affordable rate?
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Try Winchester, in Hampshire, where the average quote works out at £347.10. Within urban areas, insurance prices can vary from one postcode to the next, according to crime statistics for the area.
It is possible to encounter significantly different costs in neighbouring streets, making it worth checking if you are considering a move to a new area.
Not everyone is willing or able to move cities, or start a new life in the countryside, just to get a cheaper insurance deal on the car of their dreams.
Fortunately, you can also lower your insurance by reducing the risk of vehicle theft.
If you do not have a garage and are unable to park off the road, extra security measures like an alarm or a steering wheel lock can knock the price of your premium down.
Just remember to put your security measures in place every time you leave your vehicle, or you could invalidate your insurance policy in the event of a theft claim.
