Automotive Blog

Couriers are usually regarded as “high risk” for motor insurers. Van drivers statistically have a higher accident rate than private vehicles, their exposure on the roads is far greater than that of a private motor car, therefore dramatically increasing the chances of a road traffic incident. The vehicles are more often than not owned by a company or fleet and drivers are less likely to worry about the damage they may cause to the vehicle.

Courier van drivers, also referred to as the ‘White van man’ are notoriously known for being involved in road traffic accidents. Couriers can be up against tight pick up and delivery time slots, and some are even incentivized on the amount of collections and deliveries they make. This can encourage the drivers to race around town and hence are prone to more incidents. Insurers take this into consideration when quoting this type of risk and the premiums quoted are a reflection of the claim statistics.

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When buying a used car there are various options you can take. You can buy from Taunton car dealers, you can scour the classified ads for cars for sale or you go to an auction. Depending on your budget, you could get a good deal from each option but there are more risks. If you buy from Taunton car dealers you are almost certain to be given a warranty. A brand new car will come with a manufacturer’s warranty anyway. Most decent second hand cars will be offered with a warranty of some sort unless it is a really old car and the dealer just wants to get rid of. Buy going to a respected car dealer you will have peace of mind if you get a problem with your car, the warranty should cover any serious issues.

Also the car dealer will have his reputation to think of, therefore should be willing to resolve any issues with the vehicle very quickly. Finding a car in the classified ads section of local newspapers can be time consuming, and also can mean a lot of travelling around to find the right car. You may well find that after travelling some distance to inspect a car, the car itself is in poor condition and not as described. With that said it is best to check more than one car to draw comparisons. The chances are if you find a decent car privately you would pay less for it than you would from Taunton car dealers. There are decent second hand cars to be had privately, but it is just finding them. The only thing to remember is that you have no come back if something goes wrong, the car would be sold as seen. Auctions are good way to pick up a bargain.

You won’t have the warranty that you would get from Taunton car dealers, but you could pay considerably less for what are sometimes relatively new cars. What you must do first is check the prices of the cars that you may consider buying, and then set your budget quite a way below the market price. This will allow you the finance to put right any problems that you may encounter once you have bought a car, because normally you only have one hour after you agree to buy the car to check it over and reject it. (u.k auctions). Whichever method you chose to buy your next car find out what documentation is available. Look for service history, registration document and M.O.T. certificate, if required. (U.K. cars). A vehicle bought from new from Taunton car dealers will have good records of maintenance which can indicate the car has been well looked after by previous owners. With so much choice in the market don’t lose sight of what is the right car for you. Try and be clear in your mind what type of car you want and how much you want to pay, because there are plenty of people all too willing to take your hard earned money.

If you are a high risk driver, insurance companies will sure charge you more than other drivers. Fortunately, as long as you are aware of certain tips, you are not going to be considered a high risk driver for ever. You can step out of this category and pay normal rates for car insurance, if you know what to do.

First of all you need to understand what makes you a high risk driver and, if you are not one so far, to avoid getting there. All drivers that had two or more speeding tickets in the last three years or two or more accidents out of their fault in the past five years are considered high risk. Drivers under 25 years old are considered high risk automatically, without doing anything particular. Fortunately, for them there are also discounts that make things better. If you have a record for DUI in the past five years, you are also high risk. Insurance companies are interested in your credit score and if this is low, you are not yet a high risk driver, but you are sure heading that way because your rates are going to be higher.

If your insurance company has told you that you are a high risk driver you have to pay high premiums on high risk car insurance for now, but you can take some steps to make things better for the future. Those with DUI records must take a rehab program and other high risk drivers can reduce their points by taking driving courses. The few points they have the lower high risk car insurance premiums they pay. If you drive a less powerful car, smaller and cheaper, your rates will be lower. In case you can pay in full for your car, then you can only carry liability car insurance, which is cheaper than comprehensive one. You can also increase your deductibles if you can afford and your high risk car insurance premiums will be reduced. Most important of all, you need to stay out of trouble and to keep your driving record clean.

For old and experienced drivers or for newly qualified young persons car insurance is a legal requirement. Of course for the more experienced drivers it’s a less costly requirement. Well, if their driving experience is good. If you’ve a history of accidents, been stripped of your license in the past and caused extensive damage to other people’s cars, then chances are your insurance will be much much higher than even that of the most fresh faced 18 year old.

Alternatively though, if you’ve got a good record then you get lower insurance. This is because the price of your insurance is largely based on their perception of how risky a driver you are. Of course there are many factors that you can’t control – e.g. your age or your gender – and others that are a little harder – e.g. where you live – but there are somethings you can do to lower your insurance.

Namely, lower your risk.

First of all, drive carefully. Not just because if you make more claims you’ll pay more, but because the more points on your license the higher the cost of your insurance. Plus, most insurers check for convictions during the last five years – one year after points disappear off your license. Given that additional costs for a poor driving history are cumulative, the final damage can be exponentially higher the more incidents of bad driving you rack up.

Second of all, park carefully. If your regular parking space is in a garage or even just in a driveway then theft and accidental damage is much less likely to happen. Even indirectly this can drop your insurance costs, though some insurers will take your regular parking arrangements into your quote.

You can also lower your costs by making sensible decisions with your choice of car. The combination of make, engine size and market value all impacts upon the cost of your motor insurance. Keep this in mind when you buy a car – if you’re 18 years old, it doesn’t matter how cheaply you got a Ferrari or a 4X4 for, you’ll still have to pay the going rate for the insurance. Also if you modify your car, you’ll be charged more for it – and you’ll invalidate your policy entirely if you don’t let them know about it.

However, there is one exception to this rule – one modification that will actually reduce your insurance bill. If you fit a security device like an alarm or an immobiliser, then your insurance can be reduced substantially.

Long ago, car owners would just put straight water into the radiator of their cars. Water worked alright, but there was one problem. Well, actually two. The temperatures at which water froze and boiled were simply to close together. Driving on a hot summer day or trying to start you car on a cold winter morning could result in a host of problems. To overcome this, coolant was developed.

Coolant for the cooling system in your car comes under many brand names. Notwithstanding this, every product has one of two chemicals in it. The vast majority are comprised of 95 percent ethylene glycol. When you mix these products in a 50/50 mix with water in your car, you are effectively reducing the chance of a freeze or boil over. The ethylene glycol prevents the water from boiling or freezing at any temperature you are likely to run into. If you live in Siberia, however, all bets are off on the freezing problem!

There is one problem with ethylene glycol. It is very toxic. The Environmental Protection Agency has done studies and put out big warnings on the chemical. Why? When ingested, it causes depression, respiratory failure, heart attacks, kidney damage and brain damage. Other than that, it is fine!

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