What You Need to Get a Car Insurance Quote

A car insurance quote takes about ten minutes if the details are in front of you, and much longer if they are not. You need facts about the car, about each driver, about the last few years of driving, and about the cover you want. No documents are uploaded for a quote, but the answers must match the documents you hold.

About the car

• The registration number, which fills in the make, model and age. Check what it fills in.
• The date you bought it, or expect to.
• Its approximate value.
• Any modifications from the maker's standard specification.
• Where it is kept overnight: garage, drive or street, and the postcode.
• Expected annual mileage and how the car is used.

About each driver

• Full name, date of birth, address and occupation.
• Licence type, and the date the full licence was gained.
• How long each driver has lived in the UK.
• Medical conditions that must be reported to the DVLA.

The last five years

• Claims and accidents, with dates, whether or not you were at fault and whether or not you claimed.
• Motoring convictions and fixed penalties, with the offence code and date. The code is on your licence record.
• Any policy that was cancelled or refused.
• Your no-claims discount in years. Your current insurer's renewal notice states it.

The cover

• The date the cover should start.
• The level of cover and the voluntary excess.
• Any extras you want.
• Whether you will pay for the year or monthly.

Why accuracy matters

The price is based on your answers, and so is the insurer's decision to pay a claim. You must take reasonable care to answer truthfully and completely. A wrong answer, even an honest mistake, can lead to a reduced payout or a cancelled policy. If you are unsure of a date or a detail, find it before you submit.

After the quote

Read the policy document and the schedule before you pay, not after. Check the named drivers, the use, the excess and the start date. Driving without insurance in the UK is an offence, so the new policy should start the moment the old one ends.

Add your car insurance to Wisemium and it keeps the insurer, the premium and the renewal date on record and shows the date as needing attention as the renewal comes close. When you want quotes, it hands you to an FCA authorised comparison partner. Wisemium does not compare, recommend or arrange insurance itself.