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In most cases, paying for your car insurance annually (upfront for the year) is generally cheaper than choosing to pay in monthly instalments.

That’s because annual payments often avoid the interest or service fees that can be added to monthly plans.

But, there are benefits to paying for your insurance monthly, too.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of paying monthly and annually, helping you to decide which option works best for you.

Why choose an annual car insurance policy?

Over the course of a year, you’re likely to save more money by paying for your insurance annually rather than monthly.

That’s because paying monthly is a bit like getting a loan from your insurance company. You’re basically spreading the annual cost of your policy over 12 months.

This “loan” often comes with interest and service charges, which get added to the cost of your policy. By paying your insurance annually, you can avoid these charges, helping to reduce the overall cost of your insurance over time.

Let’s say the annual cost of a car insurance policy is £1,200. There’s a monthly payment option, but the insurance company applies an interest rate. This raises the total cost to around £1,450 for the year. So, paying monthly will actually cost you £250 more over 12 months than paying annually.

Why choose a monthly car insurance policy?

While monthly insurance payments can cost you more over time, they also offer more flexibility, helping you to manage your budget throughout the year.

The cost of your car insurance is broken down into smaller chunks, so it’s a good option if you can’t afford a larger payment upfront.

Emma is a university student with a part-time job. Her budget is tight, so she can’t afford the annual renewal quote her car insurer has given her. Instead, she chooses the monthly payment option. This allows her to spread the cost over the year, helping her to manage her monthly budget while still getting the cover she needs to drive.

How can you lower your car insurance costs?

There are a few things you can do to help reduce your car insurance costs:

 – Some insurers allow you to choose a higher 

, which can help to reduce your regular insurance payments. Just be sure that you can afford to pay out if you need to make a claim.

 – A moderately-priced car, with a smaller engine and good security features, can help to lower your insurance group, which means lower insurance costs.

 – This proves to insurers that you’re a safe driver, helping to reduce how much you pay for your cover.

 can help you to reduce your costs through safe driving.

Before deciding whether to pay your car insurance monthly or annually, first take some time to assess your finances, your budget, and the type of cover you need.

While annual payments are typically cheaper over the long run, monthly payments can offer you more flexibility, allowing you to manage your budget more easily. It all comes down to what works best for you.

Can I cancel my car insurance if I pay monthly?

Yes, you can cancel your car insurance policy even if you're on a monthly payment plan. You just need to give your insurance provider notice about your decision to cancel. Before you go ahead, first check whether you’ll need to pay any early cancellation charges – some insurers charge these fees as standard.

Can I cancel my yearly car insurance policy?

Yes, you have the freedom to cancel your yearly car insurance whenever you need to. If you cancel at renewal, there usually won't be any fees. But, if you cancel before the renewal period, you might need to pay a cancellation fee.

In any case, make sure you have another insurance policy in place if you still plan to use your car.

Does car insurance get cheaper after a year?

Your car insurance could become cheaper after a year, especially if you've driven carefully and avoided making a claim. This allows you to start building your 

, which is a feature insurers use to give you a discount when you renew.

Some insurers also offer an add-on which allows you to protect your no claims bonus. So, even if you’re involved in an accident and need to make a claim, your discount should be protected and applied to your policy when you renew.

Is van insurance cheaper when paid annually rather than monthly?

 is usually cheaper when paid by the year, rather than by the month. Paying your van insurance upfront in a single annual payment usually means that you avoid the interest fees that are often added to monthly payment plans.

How to make car insurance cheaper for younger dirvers?

 is a very common question. Typicaly insurance for 

younger drivers is more expensive due to the higher risk profile

. However, they can make car insurace cheaper by choosing a car in a lower insurance group, increasing the voluntary excess, installing a telematics device or black box, and completing a Pass Plus or advanced driving course.

Not sure whether to pay for your car insurance by the month or the year? Use this guide to help you decide which option works best for you.

Should I pay my car insurance monthly or annually?

Car insurance claims can linger on your record for years, and they almost always impact your price.

Whether you caused the accident or not, motor insurers use claim history to assess your risk and set your premium.

 (ABI), UK motor insurers paid out a record £11.7bn worth of car insurance claims during 2024, a 17% increase on the previous year.

 states that on average, a non-fault accident on your driving history is likely to push your premium up by less than £10 per month. While this may not seem like a huge amount per month, this could cost drivers up to an additional £120 per year. This figure jumps up when the accident is indeed your fault. Therefore, understanding the long tail of insurance claims has never been more crucial.

What is the Claims and Underwriting Exchange, and how does it work?

The CUE (Claims and Underwriting Exchange) is a central database where insurers record all claims, including non-fault incidents, making your full claims history accessible to all insurance companies.

Operated by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), the CUE database holds over 34 million motor insurance claims records. Even minor incidents that you didn’t claim for might still be noted within this database, so nothing goes amiss.

, entries in the CUE typically stay active for six years. This means that when you apply for new insurance, even very old claims could come back to haunt your renewal quote.

How long do car insurance claims stay on your record?

Most car insurance claims stay on your insurance record for between five and six years, depending on your insurer.

This includes both fault and non-fault claims.

Typically, insurance providers require you to declare any claims made within the past five years, however, others will expect you to declare claims made within three-to-five years, according to 

 states that motor claims are becoming more common; insurers processed 2.4 million claims in 2024 alone, up from 2.3 million the previous year. This means that with more people claiming on motor incidents, insurers are likely to be more cautious when issuing policies, and will be more vigilant when it comes to deciding who to insure.

Do car insurance claims always increase your price?

Most car insurance claims will increase your premium, but the amount varies depending on fault, claim size, and your profile.

Recent insurance trends show the cost of settling claims is soaring. According to the 

, the average motor claim payout rose to £4,900 in 2024, up 13% from 2023.

While it's important to consider that claims will likely lead to an increase in your insurance premium, penalty points will also have a detrimental impact on costs.

 says: “When you have previous points or convictions, you’re seen by insurers as a potentially risky customer, which means your premiums may be slightly higher than drivers who have no marks against their name. You’ll find this with most insurers, but as long as you’re honest from the get go about your driving history, you’ll still be protected if you ever 

They also stress that being clear and accurate when getting your car insurance will mean a far quicker quote process overall.

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/penalty-points-driving-offences/

Why do insurers ask about accidents even if you didn't claim?

Insurers will tend to ask about accidents because involvement in any incident, even one where no claim was made, statistically raises the likelihood of a future claim.

 shows that simply being involved in an accident, fault or non-fault, increases a driver’s future claim likelihood compared to those who remain incident-free.

 highlights that theft-related claims are also on the rise, with average theft claims reaching £11,200 in late 2024, and insurers must cover these risks too. Thus, even non-fault incidents can quietly load your future premiums.

What happens if you don't disclose a past claim?

Failing to disclose a past claim, even a non-fault incident, can invalidate your policy and lead to refusal of future payouts.

, most disputes involving non-disclosure are resolved in the insurer’s favour if the omission was “reckless or deliberate”.

How can you reduce the impact of a car insurance claim on your premium?

According to car insurance quote data from 

, drivers with a one year discount paid on average £1,076 a year for cover, compared to £675 with a five year discount.

: See who is offering you the best price before committing to your old insurer.

: Courses such as Pass Plus can help reduce the cost of your insurance.

: Especially important if theft claims are rising, as ABI data suggests.

Car insurance claims can affect your premium for up to six years. Discover how claims history shapes your costs and learn smart ways to minimise the impact.

How long do car insurance claims affect your price?

 has officially named Isidoros Alexoudis from Chiswick, London, as Britain’s Best Van Driver 2025, recognising his outstanding driving skills through its advanced telematics technology, Sense.

The competition, which analysed the driving behaviour of thousands of van drivers across Britain, used Zego’s app-based telematics to assess key safety metrics, including speed limit adherence, smooth acceleration, cornering control, and braking.

After 12 months of data analysis, Alexoudis emerged as the safest and most skilled van driver, achieving an impressive score of 99/100 – securing the top spot ahead of thousands of competitors, earning the title of Britain’s Best Van Driver.

Zego’s Sense app provides real-time insights into driver performance, offering personalised renewal quotes based on driving behaviour. The competition leveraged this technology to identify and celebrate van drivers who prioritise safety on the road, comparing performance across the cities where most of its can drivers are based.

Operating since 2020, Alexoudis has consistently shown outstanding road awareness and driving skill. His family business, 

, operates a nationwide fleet of branded vans, available for same-day courier services, furniture transport and delivery, pet transportation, and more.

In recognition of his achievement, he was awarded a £250 voucher and a trophy, officially crowning him Britain’s Best Van Driver 2025.

Speaking about the win, Alexoudis said: “I’m thrilled to receive this trophy from the team at Zego. Running a safe and reliable van fleet is vital to our business, and having the right motor insurance really makes all the difference.”

Sten Saar, CEO and founder of Zego, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to crown Isidoros as Britain’s Best Van Driver – what an achievement!

“At Zego, we’ve built our technology to champion skilled driving. Our goal is simple: fairer insurance that rewards how well you drive, not who you are or where you live. That’s why it’s such a pleasure to recognise him – and to say thank you for helping to keep the streets safer.”

Zego names Isidoros Alexoudis as Britain’s Best Van Driver 2025, after scoring 99/100 through its Sense telematics. Discover how smart driving and safe habits earned him the title—and why it matters for van drivers across the UK.

Zego crowns Britain’s Best Van Driver 2025 

We believe interviews should be a conversation, a chance for you to get to know us just as much as we get to know you. Here’s what the journey looks like:

You'll begin with a 30 minute conversation with one of our recruiters. This is a chance for us to learn more about your background and skills and for you to demonstrate your suitability for the position. We'll also share more about Zego and the opportunity ahead.

Next up is a 30-45 minute conversation with the hiring manager. It’s a chance to go a bit deeper into the role, your skills, and how we might work together.

This is your time to shine! In a 60-90 minute technical interview, you’ll be asked to complete a task, and you’ll have an opportunity to walk us through how you approach challenges and show off your skills.

Culture’s a big deal at Zego. You’ll spend around 45 minutes with one of our Zegons, you’ll explore how your values and passions align with ours and what it’s like to work here day to day.

'Raising the Bar' means that every new hire makes us stronger, but it also means that we, as a team, never stop improving! For this final step, we’ll invite you to our London office to meet one of our senior leaders. You’ll spend around one hour focusing on Zego’s mission and how you can play your part. 

Our interview process for operations roles

Step 2: Meet your future manager and show them how you think

For this step, we’ll invite you to our office in Halifax to meet two of our Team Leaders or Managers. You’ll spend around 1 hour focusing on your technical skills, your ability to do the role and how our culture and values align with yours. 

Raising the Bar means that every new hire makes us stronger, but it also means that we, as a team, never stop improving! For this final step, we’ll invite you to meet one of our senior leaders. You’ll spend around 30 mins on a video focusing on Zego’s mission and how you can play your part. 

In this article, we’ve outlined our interview process, what we’re looking to find out about you, and the kind of qualities that make for a successful candidate and future Zegon.


What I should expect from our interview process

We believe technology is the engine behind innovation. Our engineers don’t just build systems, they shape the future of insurance. We spoke with five engineers across all levels and disciplines to find out what life is really like at Zego, looking at the challenges they tackle, the culture they thrive in, and what keeps them motivated.

Whether it’s rethinking onboarding flows or deploying machine learning models to interpret real-time mobile data, Zego engineers are constantly solving high-impact challenges.

“We tackle complex challenges in telematics and insurance, using data to make driving fairer and more accessible.”

“My favourite project was integrating authentication between our mobile app and self-serve portal. It was technically complex but had a big impact on user experience.”

“Diving into web components and building an application without relying on a traditional framework really pushed me to grow and deepened my understanding of web fundamentals.”

Engineers at Zego are trusted with ownership from day one and supported with the space, resources, and mentorship to grow.

“Zego invests in growth, not just through a learning budget, but by encouraging us to take on bigger responsibilities.”

“I’ve had the opportunity to work on diverse projects, collaborate with brilliant engineers, and take on leadership responsibilities.”

From code reviews to cross-team collaboration, Zego’s engineering culture is rooted in trust, openness, and empowerment.

“Engineers have genuine autonomy to drive solutions forward. The culture is built on ownership and support.”

“Everyone is always open to helping, there’s no blame culture, and decisions are made with everyone’s opinions in mind.”

For engineers earlier in their Zego journey, the company offers a fast-paced, high-trust environment with plenty of mentorship.

“I can hop on a call within minutes to debug or pair on a problem. I never feel like a bother – everyone’s really happy to see others succeed.”

“Before working at Zego, I didn’t have the opportunity to grow and learn. Now I feel genuinely valued and supported.”

From physics-based modelling to artificial intelligence (AI) tools, the technical work is deep, meaningful, and tied directly to business impact.

“We’re interpreting movement, behaviour, and context from raw sensor signals. It requires understanding both data and the physical world.”

“We’re encouraged to explore innovative solutions, especially using AI to improve efficiency – not just for us, but for the business.”

Zego isn’t just another tech company. Engineers here are part of a mission to make insurance smarter, fairer, and more accessible.

“There are always interesting problems to solve alongside genuinely great people.”

“It’s refreshing to deploy features quickly and see the impact immediately.”

“I get to work across a variety of projects and technologies that have real impact, and I feel trusted to take ownership and make decisions that matter.”

The engineers at Zego aren’t just writing code, they’re building solutions that shape the future of insurance. From innovative tech stacks to a supportive, growth-focused culture, Zego offers an environment where engineers can thrive and make a tangible difference.

Discover what it’s like to be an engineer at Zego. Real stories of innovation, ownership & purpose from the team shaping the future of insurance tech.

Behind the code: Life as an engineer at Zego

Fully comprehensive car insurance offers the broadest protection available in the UK, often covering both your vehicle and others in the event of an accident, theft or damage.

Despite its name, it’s often more affordable than third party only (TPO) policies, especially for new drivers.

 states that fully comprehensive insurance “protects you from having to pay the full amount to have your car fixed in the event of a claim, in addition to protecting others if an accident is found to be your fault.”

However, they warn that it doesn’t mean that it protects you against everything, and drivers ought to be aware that they may have to pay extra for additional features, such as the below:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/insurance/what-is-comprehensive-car-insurance/

This guide breaks down the differences using real-world data so you can make an informed choice. All pricing referenced reflects UK-wide averages and does not represent Zego's actual pricing.

What is fully comprehensive car insurance?

Fully comprehensive insurance covers damage to your own car, third-party vehicles, property and injuries, even if you're at fault.

This type of cover protects you in a wide range of scenarios: collisions (whether you're at fault or not), theft, vandalism, fire and accidental damage. It also includes third-party cover by default, meaning you're insured if you injure another person or damage their vehicle or property.

Many drivers assume that more cover means higher premiums. However, according to 

, the average fully comprehensive policy in the UK in 2025 costs £537.82 annually when paid upfront, or £566.66 when paid monthly, typically lower than many third party options.

Similarly, MoneySavingExpert details that average annual prices from April to June 2024, taken from Confused.com, show that while third party, fire and theft (TPFT) cost £1,648, and TPO cost £2,112 – fully comprehensive insurance on average was the cheapest at £882.

How does fully comprehensive cover compare to TPO and TPFT?

While TPO offers drivers the minimum legal requirement for them to get on the road, it doesn’t necessarily mean it costs the least, or even offers the most protection.

There are three main types of car insurance cover in the UK. They include:

: Covers damage to others, but not your own car

: Adds limited protection for your own vehicle in the case of fire or theft

: Covers third parties and your own vehicle, regardless of who’s at fault

Surprisingly, fully comprehensive policies are often cheaper than TPO ones, even though they offer the biggest benefits for drivers. In 2025, MoneySuperMarket reported average annual premiums as follows:

So, why the price gap? Insurers see third party buyers, especially new drivers, as higher risk because they don’t have as much experience as those who have been driving for a longer time. According to 

, TPFT and TPO policies often attract those most likely to claim, pushing up the cost.

Do new drivers really save more with fully comprehensive cover?

younger drivers aged 17-24 often get cheaper insurance and better value from fully comprehensive policies 

 reports that drivers aged 17-to-24-years old pay an average of £1,924 per year for car insurance. Opting for TPO cover doesn't always reduce that cost, and could even raise it.

Moreover, it states that drivers in Greater London pay more than £284 per year, on average, for car insurance than any other English region, and men pay around 17% more on average for car insurance than women.

This is because fully comprehensive drivers are statistically less likely to claim; many third party buyers are higher-risk, inflating premiums across that group; and insurers offer more discounts (like no claims bonuses) to fully comprehensive holders.

Only 8% of UK drivers now opt for TPO cover, according to 

, with slightly higher uptake in London (10%) and the South East (8%). Most drivers, including those under 25, now gravitate toward fully comprehensive policies for cost and peace of mind.

It's also worth noting that insurance prices on the whole have been dropping. In the past year alone, premiums fell by 16% (£161) according to Confused.com – the biggest monetary annual decrease on record – making this level of cover even more attractive.

What does fully comprehensive car insurance cover? It’s often cheaper than TPO & offers better protection. Learn why it's the smart choice for UK drivers.

Advice to help you make sense of insurance

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Should I pay my car insurance monthly or annually?

How long do car insurance claims affect your price?

Zego crowns Britain’s Best Van Driver 2025

What I should expect from our interview process

Behind the code: Life as an engineer at Zego

What does fully comprehensive car insurance mean?

UK car insurance costs for 17-year-olds: The reality

What insurance is needed for Amazon Flex?

Rest: The newest addition to your Sense driver score