27 June 2007
Describing your occupation in a different way could save you up to a third on your car insurance, according to new research from confused.com.
The results showed that if a 32-year-old married male, living in Glasgow and driving a Fiat Brava, listed his occupation as ‘newspaper reporter’, he would pay £376.22, but if he described himself instead as a ‘journalist’ or ‘correspondent’, his premium would drop nearly £100 to £282.45.
The same man, listed as a barrister would pay £459, but changing his job title to lawyer could save a pretty packet, lowering the cost by 22% to £376.22.
It is also cheaper to be a bricklayer rather than a builder and publicans pay less than landlords.
“Insurance premiums are influenced by a host of factors ranging from the number of miles you drive per year through to your job title. Adjusting the way you describe your job can have a surprising impact on premiums, “explains Debra Williams, Managing Director of Confused.com.
“The reason for this lies in the fact that insurers essentially keep a record of claims history against specific job titles, “she continued. “It may be a quirk of the statistics, but if an insurer finds a glut of claims associated with a specific job title, anyone with that title is likely to be penalised with higher premiums.
“This is why it is vital to shop around so that you get a range of prices from different insurers, many of which will have a different claims experience from their rivals.”
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