Research by the AA suggests that the average British driver is now paying £921 per year for car insurance.

Premium increases have been blamed on the increased number of fraudulent claims being made by motorists on the back of the credit crunch which the ABI (Association of British Insurers) believes is costing the UK insurance industry £16 million every single week. This additional expense has to be recouped from somewhere, and the most obvious thing for the insurance companies to do is to simply charge higher premiums to customers.

It might seem unfair that law abiding motorists are being forced to cover the costs of fraudsters, but there are five things that can be done to fight back and obtain cheaper car insurance prices:

1.  Compare
According to the ABI, the average motorist would pay 30% less for their car insurance if they compare deals available through five different insurers rather than just accepting their existing providers initial renewal price.

A lot of people are put off doing this despite the potential £276 saving which would be experienced by the time that is required in order to enter this information in each individual insurer’s website. However, you need only do this once if you use a price comparison website such as MoneySupermarket.com which compares deals available through over 100 different providers; increasing your chances of finding the best deals out there for your specific situation.

However, one mistake which is often made when utilising such websites is assuming that the cheapest deal is the best one. This often isn’t the case as the cheapest deal will not necessarily be the best value for money; potentially omitting features such as breakdown cover and windscreen protection which you may consider to be of significance.

You can even do this on the move now that the company has launched their very own iPhone app which conducts the same search in any place at any time. It also features a clever number plate detection system, where vehicle details are automatically retrieved from the DVLA database upon a picture of the vehicle number plate being taken; saving motorists even more time in their search for competitive quotes.

2. Named drivers
Car insurance premiums are calculated based on statistics and you are the most influential factor in their determination. As far as insurers are concerned, motorists who are young and male are statistically the most likely to be involved in accidents and hence make claims on their insurance policies. They will therefore be on the receiving end of the most expensive car insurance quotes.

One way of reducing the statistical likelihood in the eyes of insurers of you making a claim is to complete an advanced driving course such as Pass Plus which is available through most driving instructors. This is particularly beneficial with younger motorists as it enables them to experience certain aspects of driving such as motorway usage for the first time with expert guidance from an instructor.

Another tactic which is commonly employed is the addition of older and/or more experienced motorists as named drivers on the policy. Insurers will assume that driving duties are going to be shared between all the motorists named on the policy and this will ultimately reduce the total cost of premiums due to the reduced statistical likelihood of the other named drivers being involved in accidents.

3. Car choice
The next most influential factor in the calculation of insurance premiums is the car itself. Every vehicle is classified in a car insurance group numbered between one and fifty; with cars classed in car insurance group one generally attracting the cheapest premiums. These groups are decided upon based on the performance levels of the vehicle and its overall security features.

Cars with less potential for high speed and greater security protection will obviously be inclined to go into one of the lower group levels. It is therefore advised that you opt for a car in one of the lower car insurance groups if the overall cost of premiums is a concern.

4. Mileage limits
The more time you spend on the road, the more likely it is that you will be involved in an accident. This statistic is recognised by car insurance companies who will offer cheaper premiums to motorists who set a smaller mileage allocation at the start of their policy.

However, remember not to lie to insurers as your policy could be rendered void if you make any claims after you have surpassed that mileage limit initially stated.

5. Parking
Cars parked on a public road are statistically more likely to be vandalised or stolen than those parked securely in a locked private garage.

This is another fact which will have a bearing on premiums, and it is therefore advised that you park your vehicle as securely as possible in order to benefit from the cheapest possible premiums available to you.