We’ve covered the most common factors that will affect the price of your premium, but they are by no means the only factors. The type of car you drive will have a big bearing on the cost.

Currently, vehicles fall into 20 insurance groups, with group 1 being the lowest, cheapest group. This includes small, low-power cars such as Fiat Cinquecentos, Skoda Fabias and similar. Group 20 includes high-risk, high-performance cars such as Lancers, Lotuses and Mercedes. If you’re planning on buying a particular car, it’s worth checking which group it falls into beforehand, so you know what to expect. There’s no point in saving up for ages to buy the Impreza you’ve had your eye on, only to find you can’t afford the group 19 insurance.

How you use your car is another factor to consider. Specialist premiums exist for cars that aren’t used on the road, but only in exhibitions or on a dragstrip, for example. ‘Laid up cover’ is what you’ll need in this instance. This covers the car being transported to and from shows on a trailer, and in a locked garage or private secure driveway.

If you own a racing car which you also use on the road (sometimes called a Street Legal), you may need Performance or Custom car insurance. These policies should cover for damages occurring both on and off the racetrack, but will cost considerably more than a standard premium due to the risks involved.

Owning a 4×4 can bump up your premiums too. Traditional insurers tend to be wary of anyone who owns non-standard vehicles, and this includes off-road vehicles. Again, there are specialist firms that may be able to find you cheap car insurance for your off-roader.

Whichever policy you get, a No Claims Discount can reduce the price of your premium, sometimes up to 75% (with some providers). If you have so many years No claims, make sure you mention it when obtaining a quote.

In order to find the best deal, make a list of everything you want from your insurance policy, and stick to it. Don’t just look at the mainstream providers, seek out the specialists too, if you wish to insure a non-standard vehicle. Better yet, use a comparison site which could save you hours of browsing time. Get more than one car insurance quote, and make sure they’re like-for-like. If one quote is significantly cheaper than another, it may be lacking something important.

Don’t rush into buying car insurance, you may end up paying more than you need to.