In the current economy, many South Africans are struggling to make ends meet. If you’re reviewing your expenses, why not take a look at your insurance costs? There are some ways that you might be able to reduce your premiums without reducing the quality of your insurance cover. In today’s digital world, there’s more transparency about costs and service, helping you to get the best deal.
Ernest North, co-founder of Naked, the digital insurance platform, offers some tips for getting the best price for an insurance product that suits your needs.
Do your research and read reviews
Do some research about the various insurance providers before deciding which ones to get quotes from. You can read reviews on Google, Hellopeter and Facebook to see how happy their customers are and whether they feel like they’re getting good value for money for their premium.
Get multiple quotes
Ask at least two or three credible insurance providers for quotes. Make sure to use the same ID number and personal details for all quotes. Not all insurers have the same terms and conditions, or offer the same benefits. Be sure to check and compare the following details so you can understand what you’re getting for your money:
The excess: are you being quoted on a single flat amount or a percentage of the size of the claim?
The value your car is insured for (retail value, market value or trade-in value)
Waiting periods
Benefits such as car hire or 24/7 emergency assistance
A pro-tip is to go digital. Digital insurance platforms will let you see the final premium upfront without speaking to or needing to negotiate with a call centre. You’ll get a final quote online in 90 seconds and be able to buy on the spot.
Experiment with your excess
A lower excess means a higher premium, and higher excess means a lower premium. Look for the right balance between what you’re willing and able to pay if you need to claim and what you can afford to pay monthly in premiums.
However, watch out for additional excesses that add extra costs when you claim. For example, you might need to pay an additional excess if the accident happened after 10pm, the driver is younger than 25 or your policy is less than a couple of months old. A combination of excess charges could add up to tens of thousands of rand more in costs if you have an accident.
Reduce your risk to save on premiums
There are a few easy ways to reduce your risks and in so doing, reduce your chance of claiming and ultimately keeping your premiums low:
- Always park your car in a safe space and make sure it is locked.
- Install burglar bars and an alarm at home.
- Put a screen protector on a phone and keep it in a sturdy case.
- It’s also advisable to avoid claiming for small losses, like someone stealing clothes off your washing line or small dents and scratches to your car. The more you claim, the higher your premium will be.
Consider bundling home and car cover
It can save you some admin and sometimes some money to get your car, building and home contents insurance from one provider.
Look for flexibility
Life is all about change. You work from home and only really use one car. You buy a new smartphone or computer. You move homes. You want a policy that makes it easy to change your address, cover a new car, or update the sum insured of your contents. These days, it’s something you really want to be able to do online. At times that you’re not driving as much as you usually do, you should ideally be able to pay a little less for insurance.With Naked, you can use the app to pause your cover when you are not driving and save up to 50% on your cover.
Review your policy regularly to get the best deals
Review your policies at least once a year to ensure that your cover is still right for you. It’s a good idea to increase the value for which your home and contents are covered to keep up with inflation and insure new things you’ve bought. Also, make a habit of getting alternative quotes when your insurer renews your policy and increases your premium.
PERSONAL FINANCE