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Car Insurance for Sales people

I am a salesman who drives 50,000 miles per year, and has never had an accident. Why are my premiums so high?

Premiums are based on the risk that insurance companies think you present to them. Sales executives drive long distances, and are also subject to the pressure of meeting targets. This can often lead to speeding offences or other dangerous driving, which increases the likelihood of having an accident dramatically. We would suggest trying the following to reduce your premiums:

  • Take an awareness / advanced driving course, and inform your insurer when you have completed it.

  • Try and group appointments together in the same Geographical area. Most prospects should be flexible enough to allow you to do this. This will have a number of other advantages:

    • Your fuel & hotel bills will be reduced, as your mileage will be much less.

    • Your prospects may know each other, giving you the chance to increase conversions with third party selling.

    • You will have more time to fit in extra appointments, and make more sales.

  • If your appointments are in major city centre locations, or near "Parkway" stations, consider taking the train. Virgin Trains have recently doubled their frequency on many cross-country routes. In addition to significantly reducing your annual mileage, you will also have a number of other benefits:

    • Instead of concentrating on the road, you will be able to catch up with paperwork, make telephone calls, or eat your meals on the move.

    • Train fares, if booked in advance, will be significantly cheaper than your fuel costs, even with a short tube or taxi ride at the other end. The following companies offer substantial advance booking discounts: Virgin, GNER, First Great Western, Scotrail, Midland Mainline.

    • Parking can be significantly easier and cheaper at your local station, compared to in a busy city such as London.

    • Even if you are travelling to an edge of town location, the train can help you avoid busy motorway junctions, where accidents can be more likely. Cities with good edge of town stations include: London (various), Birmingham (International), Warwick (Parkway), Southampton (Airport), and Sheffield (Meadowhall).

    • You will be saving fuel, and helping the environment.


  • If you are travelling up to Scotland, you may find it cheaper to fly for some appointments. A large range of cheap flights are now available from airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair. These are not just restricted to London - good deals are available from East Midlands, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol. This will also take up to 1000 miles per trip off your annual mileage.

  • If you are often rushing between appointments, try doing a few less. Although this may sound impossible, consider that rushing from one place to another massively increases your chances of an accident, and that being late always decreases your chance of getting the sale. Try filtering out some of your weaker prospects to allow more time to concentrate on the stronger ones.

  • When you are driving long distances on sales calls, make sure you take regular breaks. Falling asleep at the wheel is one of the major causes of motorway accidents. You should ideally stop every 2 hours' of driving - even if just to stretch your legs, and take a quick drink.



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