Car parking influences car insurance premiums

According to AA Insurance, where you park your car can have an impact on your car insurance premium, especially in a city.

By keeping your car locked in a garage overnight, you can save between 7% (in a rural community) and 35% (in an inner city environment) on your car insurance.

Research from AA Personal Loans has revealed that residential streets are where the majority of parked cars are vandalised.

Car parks, in particular multi-storey car parks, are often regarded as dangerous places to park. However, the research showed that drivers are twice as likely to have damage done to their cars on a residential street as in a supermarket car park and more than three times more likely than if their car was in a multi-storey car park.

If a locked garage is not an option, the next best places to park are in a doctor's surgery or hospital car park, outside a school, in an airport car park or outside a restaurant, each of these make up for only 3% of car vandalism.

AA Personal Loans advise opting for well-lit car parks preferably with good security such as CCTV. Simple precautions like folding in the side mirrors can reduce the risk of them being knocked off.

Mark Huggins of AA Personal Loans said a car is a serious investment and finding it vandalised is frustrating, heartbreaking and of course expensive. If you are paying for your car with a personal loan, the last thing you want is the added financial burden of sorting out repairs so it's worth thinking about where you park.

Research from FancyACar said an having an engine immobiliser or alarm fitted in your car means more security and a lesser chance of your car being stolen.

Furthermore, your occupation can have an influence on your car insurance premium. A desk job for example means a low-risk type but a job that involves using your car would present a higher risk to insurance companies, according to FancyACar.