A garage is convenient for storage, but as life becomes increasingly cluttered, it is easy to start storing so much in there that there's no longer any room for the car. If you're lucky enough to have a garage, you should make sure you and your car get the most out of it - we look at why that's so important when it comes to your car insurance.
Garages can easily end up looking more like a bric-a-brac sale than a space for storing a car. Before you know it, lurking in the depths of the family garage there lies an extra freezer, the odd pair of skis, some tools, old plant pots and maybe a few bikes kicking around. There can be so much stuff crammed onto shelves and into boxes that there's no space left for the car. Some families may even opt to knock down their garage, in favour of using the land to improve the property - with an extension perhaps.
Cheaper Car Insurance
Before you make it impossible to store your car in your garage all together, it is worth knowing that your insurance premium could be affected by where you store your car at night. Insurance providers will usually be able to offer you a cheaper car cover [http://www.greenbee.com/car-insurance-quote] premium if your car is kept in a garage rather than on the street, for example. However, it's worth remembering that all car insurance policies are different and in certain circumstances a policy may exclude theft cover at pre-defined times if the car isn't locked in the garage.
Protect Yourself from Car Crime
The Home Office reports that car-related crimes account for 13% of all recorded crime in England and Wales, and nearly 1.5 million vehicle-related thefts were recorded in 2007-08. The Home Office recommends that when parking at home, you should always use a garage if you have one, and lock both your vehicle and your garage. If you don't have a garage, they suggest parking your car in a well-lit, open space to reduce the risk of crime.
It's not just the outright theft of your vehicle you need to guard against. Your car will also be safer from accidental damage if it is kept in a private garage. A car parked on the street could easily be clipped by a careless driver or become victim to a random act of vandalism. If you live on a busy road, there will probably be a heavy flow of traffic perpetually passing your car and that means an increased probability of damage. Although your car may look safe parked outside your house, it is exposed to considerably more risks than if it was locked away in a garage.
If you do decide to change where you keep your car at night, make sure you let your insurance provider know. Although it can be convenient to store the rubble of family life out of sight in the garage - consider using your garage to keep your car safe too. If you want your car to be safe as houses, it's best to keep it as close to home as possible.
Garages can easily end up looking more like a bric-a-brac sale than a space for storing a car. Before you know it, lurking in the depths of the family garage there lies an extra freezer, the odd pair of skis, some tools, old plant pots and maybe a few bikes kicking around. There can be so much stuff crammed onto shelves and into boxes that there's no space left for the car. Some families may even opt to knock down their garage, in favour of using the land to improve the property - with an extension perhaps.
Cheaper Car Insurance
Before you make it impossible to store your car in your garage all together, it is worth knowing that your insurance premium could be affected by where you store your car at night. Insurance providers will usually be able to offer you a cheaper car cover [http://www.greenbee.com/car-insurance-quote] premium if your car is kept in a garage rather than on the street, for example. However, it's worth remembering that all car insurance policies are different and in certain circumstances a policy may exclude theft cover at pre-defined times if the car isn't locked in the garage.
Protect Yourself from Car Crime
The Home Office reports that car-related crimes account for 13% of all recorded crime in England and Wales, and nearly 1.5 million vehicle-related thefts were recorded in 2007-08. The Home Office recommends that when parking at home, you should always use a garage if you have one, and lock both your vehicle and your garage. If you don't have a garage, they suggest parking your car in a well-lit, open space to reduce the risk of crime.
It's not just the outright theft of your vehicle you need to guard against. Your car will also be safer from accidental damage if it is kept in a private garage. A car parked on the street could easily be clipped by a careless driver or become victim to a random act of vandalism. If you live on a busy road, there will probably be a heavy flow of traffic perpetually passing your car and that means an increased probability of damage. Although your car may look safe parked outside your house, it is exposed to considerably more risks than if it was locked away in a garage.
If you do decide to change where you keep your car at night, make sure you let your insurance provider know. Although it can be convenient to store the rubble of family life out of sight in the garage - consider using your garage to keep your car safe too. If you want your car to be safe as houses, it's best to keep it as close to home as possible.