4×4 vehicles are great for on the road, but sometimes you want to see how your car will fare on rugged terrain. You should make sure you’ve got appropriate car insurance for whatever you want to do.
Own a 4×4? It’s only natural to want to test it out off-road.
But does your car insurance policy cover you for everything you want to do?
You’ll need to check your car insurance policy for:
Windscreen cover
With trees and branches likely to hit and scratch your windscreen you could make significant savings if you look for a car insurance policy that doesn’t charge for scratches or chips to be fixed.
Off-road cover
Standard car insurance policies don’t usually include off-road use, so check with your insurer.
Green Laning cover
Slightly different to off-road, this covers you for damage when you drive on unsurfaced roads or tracks.
Legal expenses cover
Legal expenses cover can come in handy if you accidentally damage someone else’s car.
That said it also applies to damaging their land or property – which could be useful when you’re driving in the rough stuff.
Remember, for your car insurance to be valid you need to be driving legally.
You need permission from the landowner to drive your 4×4 on non-public land.
Equally with public land you need to be “road legal” to drive your 4×4 on it – you can check this with the local police.
Ways to make your 4×4 car insurance cheaper
For a number of reasons, 4×4 car insurance tends to be more expensive than standard car insurance, but you might be able to bring the cost down by:
- storing your car in a garage
- joining a 4×4 club – often you’ll be able to arrange a special discount as it shows you’re serious about looking after your 4×4
- increasing your excess – this is the amount you’re willing to pay towards any claim, and your car insurance premiums will probably come down if you agree to a higher excess
Key Points To Consider:
- Get covered: if you’re planning to drive off-road check your car insurance covers you.
- Drive within the law: 4×4 car insurance will only cover you if you’re driving legally, so if you go off-road make sure you have permission.
- Join a 4×4 club: it can help bring the cost of car insurance down.