The cost of car insurance can take a big chunk out of your driving budget, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 15 tips to help you get your annual premium down.

1. Shop around

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) reckons you can save as much as a third on your annual premium, simply by shopping around. So don’t just automatically accept your renewal quote each year.

2. Limit the number of people allowed to drive the car

The more people who are covered by a policy, the more it’s likely to cost. Young drivers are particularly expensive to insure, so make sure you remember to take your kids off your policy when they get their own.

3. Request a higher excess

Most insurance policies include an excess charge (the amount you have to pay towards any repairs that are claimed for). If you’re prepared to increase this, you can get a reduced premium.

Insurance policies that cover only “social, domestic and pleasure” are generally cheapest.

5. Agree to a mileage cap

This can earn you a discount simply because cars that are on the road less often are less likely to be involved in an accident. AA Insurance reckons that accepting a 12,000-mile annual cap would earn a 5 to 10 per cent discount. A 5,000-mile cap can earn even more. This is particularly useful for households with more than one car.