Car insurance for your Vauxhall isn't cheap, regardless of how you look at it. However, if you're unemployed you'll find that your policy will cost you more than if you had a job. In fact, car insurance policies for someone without a job could cost as much as a third more than a policy for a person with full-time employment.

Shouldn't the Unemployed Be Paying Less on Car Insurance?

You'd think that insurance companies would be a little more understanding and would give someone without a job a discount on their car insurance. Being unemployed may not be your choice, but your car insurance is still mandatory whether you're working or not. I

If you have a car, you need insurance. The only time you can get away with not paying insurance premiums is if you've declared that it's off the road via a Statutory off Road Notice (SORN). Without car insurance and a SORN, you could face serious fines or even have your car seized and destroyed. So, whether you have an income or not, you still need to make sure your car is insured.

So, on something that is mandatory by law, you'd expect to be given a break if you happen to be out of work. However, reality isn't quite like that. Insurers calculate your premiums based on a number of factors, including how old you are, whether you have any convictions, and whether you have a job. Based on statistics, insurers assume someone who is unemployed poses a greater risk than a person with a job.

One factor insurance companies consider when working out your premium is how frequently you drive. They believe that someone who doesn't have a job will use their car more often because they're out looking for work. To an insurer, driving more often means a higher likelihood of ending up in an accident, so they charge higher premiums to offset the risk.

Insurers also use general driver profiles when calculating premiums. These profiles show them that a person without a job is likely to be more distracted, which means they might not be as careful while driving. Additionally, unemployed people are more likely to be driving on unfamiliar roads as they head out for job interviews. Again, this means a higher chance of being involved in a crash, which also translates to more expensive premiums.

Insurers also seem to believe that someone who doesn't have a job is less likely to have enough money to maintain their car properly. A poorly maintained vehicle might suffer break downs that could cause an accident.

On top of everything else, according to their statistics, insurers claim that unemployed people are more likely to file a claim than someone with a job. In fact, people who have been out of work for a long time will not just file more claims, but they're also more likely to file fraudulent claims.

While most of these arguments cited by insurers are debatable, it really doesn't matter. Insurance companies use their own statistics to calculate premiums for unemployed people and there's nothing anyone can do about it. It's just the way things are. If you don't have a job your insurance will be more expensive, even if you drive a Vauxhall Vectra, which falls in a car insurance group towards the cheaper end of the scale.

Finding Affordable Car Insurance

It's unlikely that you'll be able to find car insurance for your Vauxhall at a rate comparable to what you were paying before. However, that doesn't mean you can't find cheaper car insurance options, even if you're unemployed.

Firstly, you need to compare car insurance quotes. You can research different quotes from insurance companies online using any of the handy comparison sites available. Furthermore, many insurers will give you a discount if you purchase your policy online, so take advantage of these offers.

Money is probably tight and it's likely you're watching every penny, which is why paying for your insurance upfront might sound painful. However, over the long-term paying your annual premium in a lump sum will save you money. Insurers charge interest when you opt for monthly instalments which can increase the amount you pay. Your bank may also charge you for direct debit agreements you have in place to pay your monthly instalments, which adds even more to your costs overall.

Another option is to sell your car and buy something that's cheaper to run and to insure. A Vauxhall Vectra, for example, is in car insurance group 15, whereas some Corsa models are in group 1, making it an even cheaper vehicle to insure.

Being unemployed can be difficult and insurers certainly help make your financial situation even more challenging. However, a little research and a bit of practicality will help you save money on your car insurance. Don't forget to inform your insurer as soon as you get a job so they can adjust your premiums accordingly.