The world is full of myths, especially when it comes to car insurance. It can be easy to assume something is true just because you have heard it said a lot in the past. But it is important to know the truth as you could get yourself into trouble or even miss out on some savings. In this article, we look to debunk some prevalent car insurance myths by answering some typical questions about car insurance. So, read on and spread the word whenever you hear one of these myths pop up again in conversation.
Does the colour of your car affect your insurance rate?
You will often hear questions such as:
- what colour cars have the cheapest insurance?
- what colour car has the highest insurance?
- are white vehicles cheaper?
- do red cars really cost more to insure?
Many people think that red cars are associated with racing so insurers will put up the insurance cost, however, this is not the case, you will not be punished just because you purchased a red car.
While the notion of car colour impacting insurance rates is prevalent, it isn’t exactly true that it will impact your insurance rate at all. So, you shouldn’t worry about the colour of your car when getting car insurance. If you like blue, go for blue, if you don’t care, don’t worry about missing out on cheap car insurance.
Does changing the colour of your car affect insurance?
Changing the colour of your car won’t necessarily affect your insurance but you must inform your insurer of any changes, so they are aware if you need to make a claim.
However, a crazy paint job could be considered a modification and therefore increase your insurance. Insurance companies will calculate the price on perceived risk, and any modifications can increase or decrease your risk score as they might mean your car is more likely to be stolen.
Does your job title impact car insurance?
There is a myth that when an insurance company asks for your job title, it doesn’t really matter what you put as it’s just for their records. However, this isn’t actually true. Your job title can impact your car insurance, with even a small tweak to what you enter perhaps saving you money.
Money Saving Expert has a tool to help you see what you could save by modifying your job title, however, MSE founder Martin Lewis warns that you can’t misrepresent yourself or give yourself a false job title as this is fraud:
“When considering whether you can use a different title, always imagine you were asking a reasonable person who knew what you do for a living. Would they say it was reasonable for you to describe yourself this way?”
SEE ALSO: Why is my car insurance premium so high?
Can you drive your parents’ car without insurance?
The myth here is that people are allowed to drive their parents’ car if they are not insured to do so. This is false. Just because your parents have insurance, have given you permission, or even if you are insured on your own vehicle, doesn’t mean that you are allowed to get behind the wheel of their car and take it for a spin. If you want to be able to drive you parent’s car for any length of time, even just for a short time, make sure that you have insurance or even purchase 1 day insurance that allows you to do so.
Does car insurance cover me or the car?
Some people believe the myth that your insurance covers the driver and not the car. However, this is not the case. You are insured for a particular vehicle so you cannot just jump in any old car and assume your existing insurance will follow you. If you want to drive a friend’s car for a road trip, borrow a partner’s while yours is in the garage, or use your parents (see the section above), you will need to get some temp car insurance that allows you to do so legally. This way you will be covered in case the worst should happen.
The Government website warns: “Even if the vehicle itself is insured, if you’re not correctly insured to drive it you could get penalised.”
The good news is that getting some quick insurance for a short period is easy and we at Dayinsure can set that up for you in a matter of minutes. Just utilise our easy temporary car insurance quote form.
READ MORE: What are the most popular cars in the UK?
Can I insure a car without a driver’s license?
Some people believe that you can get a car insured without having a driver’s licence, however, this is another myth. Even if you have bought a car for a child and you don’t have a licence yourself, you will still need to get it insured and be required to submit a valid driving licence number.
Insurance companies assume that if you are insuring a car, you will want to drive it, and you cannot drive a car without car insurance. If you are a learner, however, you can get car insurance with a provisional driver’s licence.
SEE ALSO: Learner driver insurance: What you need to know
So, no matter how long you want to be insured for, even just short term, you will need a valid driver’s licence. You can find out everything you need to know about UK driving licences at Gov.uk.
SEE ALSO: What do you need to insure a car?
Car insurance myths debunked
- The colour of your car affects your insurance rate
- Red cars cost more to insure
- Changing the colour of your car affects insurance
- Your job title does not impact car insurance
- You can drive your parents’ car without insurance
- Car insurance covers me not the car
- You can insure a car without a driver’s license
The above list of car insurance myths has been debunked. There is a lot of misinformation about car insurance, so we hope that this guide has set the record straight, making things clearer for you in your life as a car owner.
For more tips and advice, make sure to visit our news page, and for helpful car insurance guides, head to our Help and Support page.
