A TINY tweak that takes just seconds could cut your car insurance by up to £310 a year.
The price of motor insurance is falling from record highs, but it’s always worth cutting costs where you can.
We all know the type of job you do impacts what you pay for a premium, but you might not know one tiny switch could save you stacks of cash.
Changing your job title, within a legal limit, could see you pay up to £310 less a year, according to new figures from MoneySuperMarket.
Kara Gammell, financial expert from MoneySuperMarket, said: “You might be able to shave a few pounds off your premium by choosing a job title that’s accurate but perceived as less risky by insurers – think ‘caterer’ instead of ‘chef’.
“It’s a small tweak that could make a big difference to your wallet.
“But remember honesty is non-negotiable.
“If you stretch the truth too far, you could find yourself with a denied claim or, worse, facing accusations of insurance fraud.
“And that’s not just a slap on the wrist – it could leave you uninsurable or even land you in legal hot water. So be smart, not sneaky.”
The figures from MoneySuperMarket are based on all car insurance policies sold through its website between January 1 and June 10.
They show someone inputting their title as “chef” would pay £1,027 a year, but £914 if they changed this to “caterer” – £113 less.
Meanwhile, a driver using “dog walker” as their job title would pay £749, but £587 if they typed in “pet minder” instead – £162 less.
A motorist entering their job title as “car dealer” would pay £1,365 a year.
However, make the simple swap to “motor dealer” and they would be charged £1,055 on the website – a whopping £310 difference.
Even minor tweaks to job titles can see you pay less.
Someone putting their job in as “administration staff” during the application process would pay £797 rather than someone entering “office administrator” who would pay £852 – a £55 difference.
Meanwhile, a “security guard” would be charged £1,160 but a “security officer” £1,073 – £87 less.
And a “telesales person” would be quoted £1,000, but a “telemarketer” would be charged £873 – a £127 difference.
You can find out how changing your job title affects what you’re quoted via MoneySuperMarket’s job picker tool which is here – www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/job-picker.
There is also one on the MoneySavingExpert.com website here – www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-insurance-job-picker.
Why your job affects your premium
A host of factors affect what you pay for car insurance including where you live, your age and your job title.
The reason your job affects what you pay specifically is down to the risks associated with that profession.
Car insurance prices are based on data about how people drive and who has had made claims in the past.
Insurers then analyse this data and make predictions about claims they might face in the future.
If a particular profession, like “chef”, comes up in a lot of historic claims, it is deemed that job title is riskier.
According to recent data from GoCompare, the job that paid the highest average amount for car insurance in 2024 was roofer (£641).
Next was barber, then floor layer and construction worker, who paid £637, £623 and £610, respectively.
What is car insurance?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker talks you through what car insurance is and what it covers you for…
Car insurance pays out if your vehicle is stolen, damaged, catches on fire or is involved in an accident.
As a minimum, it protects you against any damage you case to other road users, the public or their property – these are called third parties.
You only need to claim on your car insurance when an accident is your fault.
If another motorist is to blame, their insurance should pay out instead.
Car insurance, unlike home insurance, is a legal requirement and if you don’t have it you can be fined up to £1,000.
You can also have your vehicle seized and destroyed.
However, you don’t need to insure your car if it is classed as “off-road”, or holds a statutory off road notification (SORN).
The vehicle has to be kept on private land and not a public highway though.
How else to cut car insurance costs
Tom Banks, money expert at GoCompare, shared his top tips for cutting costs.
Be accurate about mileage
Look at your mileage for previous years so you can estimate your upcoming usage as much as possible and get the most accurate premium.
Make your car more secure
Decreasing the security risk of your car will mean you are less likely to be targeted by thieves.
You can buy steering wheel locks, alarms or even wheel clamps.
You can pick up steering wheel locks from as little as £20 online, car alarms from £20 and wheel clamps for around £35.
Avoid making modifications
This will make your vehicle more attractive to thieves.
It will also make your car or van more expensive to repair which could lead to a higher premium quote.
Park wisely
It’s worth parking your vehicle in a garage or driveway, if you have one.
Parking off-road can lower the chances of it being vandalised or stolen.
Pay annually
Paying annually will almost always see you pay less overall compared to paying monthly.
Paying monthly sees you charged interest and additional fees on top of your premium.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
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