Shop around those companies with the biggest and flashiest websites and adverts may not be the cheapest.

Drive a cheap car with a small engine.

If you have recently passed your driving test, look into whether it's worth going through the Pass Plus training programme to qualify for car insurance discounts

Consider using the internet to get quotes and buy your insurance online. Most companies offer a 10% discount for buying online instead of over the telephone

. Choose to pay a higher excess in the event of an insurance claim. This is the amount that you will agree to pay in the event of an accident i.e. an insurance policy with a £500 excess will be less than with a £100 excess, however if you have an accident that is your fault then you will have to pay the first £500 of the claim.

If your vehicle is not fitted with an approved alarm or immobiliser, compare car insurance quotes with and without one fitted. It may be cost-effective to have one installed.

Having just you as the named driver on your car insurance will help keep costs down. The number of other people on it will increase its cost, especially if they are under 25.

Limiting the number of miles you drive each year will reduce your car insurance. They will ask you how many miles you expect to cover annually. Tell the truth though and be as accurate as anyone can. Chances are that most peoples mileage is to and from work, so if you live closer to work then this should be reflected on your estimate.

If you commute to work or you take the company van home, then you will only need insurance cover that is referred 'social, domestic and pleasure', instead of ;social, domestic and pleasure and to and from work'. This may help reduce your premium.

Start building and protecting a 'no claims' bonus as soon as possible. In the long run, this will have a significant impact on your ability to get cheap car insurance.

Where you park your car will affect your car insurance, it will be lower if you have it locked in a garage at night instead of leaving it out in the road. Even parking it on a driveway can reduce your premium.

Keep your car standard. Don't modify or customise it as it may add to your insurance. If you can't resist having that new induction kit , then ask about whether it will be covered first and how much it will be. Be honest with the insurers, sometimes these small mods don't cost much extra (if at all). But if you don't tell them then your insurance will be invalidated.

Consider just having 'third party, fire and theft' car insurance if your car was very cheap. The alternative is 'fully comprehensive' cover and then you are covered for repairs to your own vehicle even if no-one else was involved. But hey, if it was that cheap then it may be cheaper to buy another car than loose your no-claims bonus. You could even consider just insuring the car 'third party only'.