The cost of running a car is at an all time high, so making sure that you are getting competitive rates on the parts that you can influence is mighty important. You may not be able to control the price of a gallon of diesel, but you can make sure that you’re doing everything possible to keep your insurance costs as low as possible.

Here’s Diesel Car’s top five tips on keeping your car insurance premiums in check.

• Pay in one go

Most people don’t have spare cash laying around, however, it’s cheaper to pay for your annual insurance premium in one go, rather than paying monthly. Most insurers charge a hefty interest rate if you choose to pay each month, so why not put away a little extra this year, so you can pay for it outright next year.

• Excess

Volunteering to pay a higher excess in the unlikely event of an accident is a good way of reducing your insurance premiums. Most policies have an excess of £100, but by opting to pay an extra mount could mean that your insurance premium tumbles.

• Experienced Drivers

We all know that young drivers will inflate the cost of your motoring insurance, but did you know that it can sometimes make your cover cheaper if you add an older and more experienced driver to your policy. A family member that has maximum no claims bonus and a squeaky clean licence could pay dividends when it comes to the overall cost. Beware though, make sure you don’t say that they are the main driver, because you could leave yourself open to a fraud charge if it is proven that this isn’t the case.

• Profession

Your job title could be making your insurance more expensive than it is. For instance a journalist will be charged a high premium than a writer, so make sure that your job title actually reflects the job that you do more accurately. It is surprising how much a difference a small tweak can make, but ensure that it is actually true.

• Shop online

Most insurance companies give you a discount for buying your policy online. The cost savings are significant, sometimes as much as 10 per cent, as the insurance company doesn’t have to employ someone to answer your telephone call.