It's the cheapest car in the world, so you're probably not expecting it to come with alloy wheels, fog lights and racing stripes. However, according to the launch website for the Tato Nano, you can take your pick from a host of optional extras. Perhaps you fancy your Nano with a silver roof stripe, with coloured cover seats or with radial spike alloy wheels? How about with ink blue paint? Of course, there is a catch. The launch website doesn't say how much these bonus features will add to the current £1,300 price tag. In a way that lack of clarity personifies our approach to optional extras. At most manufacturer websites you do get a clear indication of how much your bonus features cost initially - but most us are blind about their long-term costs. Even if you have the cash to pay for your extras outright, you're likely to keep on paying for them long into the future via your car insurance premiums. The more you 'pimp up' your vehicle, the less likely you are to secure cheap car insurance because in insurers' minds, the more features your car has, the more likely you are to make a claim. A Mercedes with alloys and leather seats is more desirable to thieves than a plain old Skoda just as adding racing stripes and boosting the bhp of your Ford Fiesta's engine increases the chances that you'll be involved in an accident. If you do modify your vehicle you must inform your insurer - or you risk invalidating a claim. The key therefore is to shop around for car insurance. If after modifications, your current provider no longer offers cheap car insurance then search online by manufacturer, such as Ford car insurance, to see what quotes are available elsewhere. About the Author Alex Gregory is an author specialising in car insurance.

The number of uninsured drivers in the UK has risen considerably; the police and the insurance companies have developed new methods to catch anyone without car insurance. The new initiative that has been created is Number Plate Recognition; this enables the police to identify anyone without valid car insurance and issue on-the-spot fines. It will be almost impossible for people to get away with driving without valid car insurance ; this is because of the extensive link-up between car insurance providers and the police. In the past year over 45,000 cars were crushed and 100,000 cars seized due to a lack of insurance, this is double the amount from 2006. The main offenders are young drivers who feel they can not afford the premiums; people aged 29 and under, statistically account for 50% of the 100,000 cars seized. During the last quarter of 2007, online car insurance quotes decreased by 0.3%. So although experts predict insurance prices are set to increase, they haven’t yet. With these new measures it is impossible for people not to buy insurance and with so many different providers in the market, you should be able to find a deal that matches your requirements and your pocket! Obviously the customer is looking for cheap car insurance and it is important to analyse the value of your car, if you are paying more for your insurance than the actual car is worth, then you are probably best going for a cheaper and less comprehensive deal, such as third party fire and theft if you only have a low value car. Nowadays, there are no more excuses for people not to have car insurance and with a zero-tolerance policy being adopted by the police, it is an absolute necessity to get car insurance so go online and find the right deal for you. About the Author Karl Bantleman is a UK based author with extensive experience within the financial sector

It’s that time of year again when customers have to renew their car insurance, unfortunately for some people; they will be met with slight increases. This is because of the wet and icy conditions that we experience at this time of year. After all, 20% of all car write-offs occur during the winter months and insurers are covering themselves by increasing their prices on certain deals. Due to the possible increase in premiums, shopping around for the best car insurance quotes has become more important. There are a few things you can do to try and eliminate the weather element when getting quotes from your insurer; Pass Plus courses cost around £130 and consist of 6 exercises; including travelling through towns, driving in different types of weather, motorway driving and other important exercises to improve your driving skills. The Pass Plus course can be a useful thing to have at this time of year but be sure to look around because not all car insurance companies take it into account so be sure that the cost of the course will be worth it, because you may find that insurers do not offer any discounts whether or not you have Pass Plus. It is imperative that you ensure you have breakdown cover as well should the unexpected happen. Shopping around is the best way to ensure you find cheap car insurance , go online and possibly receive a 10% discount. At this time of year, more accidents occur with the conditions we normally have in the UK, but the recent floods have exasperated things meaning insurers are putting their prices up to cover themselves from any accidents. Customers need to drive safely, ensure their policies are up-to-date and have all the benefits the driver needs. About the Author Karl Bantleman is a UK based author with extensive experience within the financial sector.

With the fallout from Christmas spending and New Year Sales splurges still to deal with, your car insurance renewal quote will probably be the last thing you want landing on your doormat this January. However, with five simple steps you can significantly reduce your car insurance premium: Step one - shop around Don't simply accept what your current provider offers, shop around for cheap car insurance. Many insurers offer introductory incentives including cashback deals and freebies so it's worth cashing-in on these offers. Step two - boost security It's worth paying a little extra for an approved car alarm or, if you're a performance car owner, getting a tracker fitted will reduce your car insurance premium. You can also save money by parking your car in a garage overnight. Step three - improve your driving An advanced driving course will earn you brownie points with your insurer - and of course you can make large savings by building up a no-claims discount. Step four - increase your excess Review your excess and think about what you could afford to pay should the worst happen. Don't go over that limit just in case, but do consider how high you can go. Step five - think about the car you drive Many of us wouldn't consider parting with our vehicles, but think realistically about the car you drive. Are you paying over the odds simply because it has a large engine? Changing to a smaller car can offer significant savings on insurance, tax and petrol. So what are you waiting for? Put all or some of these steps into practise and you're almost certain to save on your car insurance. Shop around with a price comparison tool and you can find cheap car insurance from the comfort of your chair! About the Author LuckySeven is an author specialising in car insurance.

Who needs satellite navigation when you have the stars to tell you where the speed cameras are located? According to research from a price comparison website, astrologers are the most likely to keep within the speed limit while footballers are speedy on and off the pitch - with more than one in four likely to speed. The research suggest that high-powered and high-paid professionals are the most likely to break the limit, perhaps because they are often rushing from place to place or because they generally driver faster and more powerful cars. Among the top ten professions most likely to speed were sales directors, surgeons, sales managers, chartered surveyors and managing directors. By contrast, those least able to pay the fines and those who can't afford to have penalty points on their licence are the least likely to speed - including au pairs, cleaners, school crossing wardens and most fittingly, driving instructors. So should your profession have more of an impact on the cost of your car insurance? And should insurers reward "safer" occupations with cheap car insurance? At the moment, most car insurance providers will ask you about your occupation as part of the quote process. This is done for a number of reasons, including anticipating how long you spend on the road and the speeds you are likely to undertake. For example, if you work on an offshore oil rig your premiums may be loaded as your insurer will make the assumption that your vehicle will be left standing for long periods of time and is therefore more likely to be vandalised or stolen. Similarly, they may consider that some healthcare professionals, such as doctors, will be more likely to speed (and therefore increase their risk of a collision) as they rush to emergency call outs. About the Author Lucky seven is an author specialising in car insurance.

Many things affect the insurance of your car. The model of your car influences the premiums it would attract. An expensive model can get you to shell out more on your car insurance policy premiums in the UK. Certain cars have a low insurance premium by default.

Certain cars fall under the category of what has come to be associated with "family cars" and these naturally attract less premiums because of the sparing and casual use that they are put to. The kind of vehicles that you may include here can be minivans and family sedans and other cars that fit herein this description. Such family cars are least involved in accidents. And they are usually used by average-salaried-class families. As family people tend to drive carefully and within speed limits. And so such families are naturally the favourites of insurance companies.

When you are asked to fill in the details such as your age, your credit history, years of driving experience, the car you have and the use of your vehicle, it gives any UK car insurance company an idea to assess you on the risk of insuring you. Various factors count toward the calculation of premium rates as what can be offered to you. The lesser the chances that you would ever claim insurance, the more the chances that you would be offered an insurance policy and that too, at good rates.

With the new age and the changing times, the option of Internet has given more speed and convenience to the customers. Apart from the usual insurance agents in the UK, car insurance can be applied for through the online application forms. The market is competitive and you have good chances of getting good quotes. Get the quotes from as many sources as possible and compare them at leisure. This is a fundamental principle of deciding upon insurance policies that might suit you best.

About the Author

Allan Elvin is an MBA in Finance and has a rich experience of writing on topics related to finance. He professes special interest and expertise in Cheap Car Insurance and in guiding you on its various details.

A survey carried out last month has highlighted a correlation between careers and speeding fines. Statistically, workers with better paid, professional jobs such as barristers, footballers and doctors are more likely to beak the speed limit because they can afford the penalties easier.

Among the least likely to offend were au pairs, astrologers and driving examiners, being only 4.5% more likely to break the speed limit. By contrast, footballers were 27% more likely to offend.

These revelations are fuelling discussions about whether it would be fairer to charge car insurance premiums based on job title, as well as personal circumstances. It would mean that those in jobs seen as 'low risk' would get a better deal on their premiums, and not be charged for insurance they perhaps cannot afford on their wage.

Along the same lines, some car insurance providers have now offered a new category to their list of occupations - Celebrity. So many reality TV shows in recent years are spawning a growing number of TV celebs, most of whom still need motor insurance, and the existing lists didn't provide an accurate option. Therefore, celebrity is now an official occupation with some insurers.

But fame has its price even where insurance is concerned. Getting cheap car insurance when you're a celebrity just isn't possible. A TV celebrity can expect to pay around 22-25% more on their premium because of their job. Considering many of them started out as unknowns working in normal jobs, it may come as a shock. Add this to the fact that most newly-made celebs tend to go for sportier cars, and they can bump their car insurance almost to a-list prices. We'll all have to buy a lot more exercise videos...

About the Author

J Tillotson is a UK author specialising in insurance