The jobs with the cheapest car insurance premiums

The amount you pay for motor cover changes with the 'risk' of your role

Your job can hugely impact your car insurance premiums, with hospitality workers paying the most on average and mechanics the least.

This is because some occupations are considered a higher risk than others by insurance companies and are asked to pay more for cover.

New research from vehicle leasing company Vanarama has revealed that motorists in the hospitality industry, such as takeaway drivers, have the most expensive premiums of £480 a year on average.

Professions where drivers cover the most miles are generally seen as being higher risk by insurers, due to the fact these consumers are more likely to have accidents.

However, this is not the case for chefs, hairdressers, bar staff and fitness instructors, who make up the rest of the top five and pay between £365 and £421 a year on average.

Most expensive job titles for car insurance

Vanarama analysed the UK's 100 most common job titles using the MoneySupermarket website.

The research found that those with the cheapest cover were more likely to be working in finance, wholesale or retail and that mechanics have the cheapest annual car insurance of £299 a year.

This may be because, due to the nature of their work, insurance companies expect mechanics to keep cars in top condition at all times and be better drivers too.

The research also revealed that men are paying £15 more a year for their car insurance policies than women.

Cheapest job titles for car insurance

How to get cheaper car insurance

Whether you’re looking for a new car insurance policy or hoping to renew, these tips can help you find the most competitive car cover.

Annual payments

If you pay your annual premium in a lump sum this will make your car insurance cheaper, as paying by instalments normally means being charged extra interest.

It is also wise to renew your policy as early as possible to get the best deal. By renewing your policy 20 to 26 days before it ends you can save up to 40%.

Shop around

Shopping around for car insurance can help you get the best quote.

However, always be careful and make sure you are comparing like-for-like cover. This is because even though a policy might be cheap it may not have the same level of cover as more expensive ones.

By using a price comparison website you can compare hundreds of different offers quickly and easily.

If you are unhappy with the price being offered by your existing insurer tell them the quote being offered by a competitor. Doing this will often persuade them to lower the price.

Increase the excess

Another way of bringing premiums down is by increasing the voluntary excess.

This is the fixed amount you have to pay if you make a claim. So if your excess is £200 and your claim is worth £500, the insurance company will pay £300. If the accident is the fault of the other driver the excess might be waived.

However, usually you will have to pay it so make sure you choose an amount you are comfortable with.