What are the cheapest second hand cars to Insure in South Africa?

When you decide to insure a car, there are many  things that insurance companies take into consideration before they come up with that final figure. Therefore, the cheapest, used cars to insure in South Africa are largely dependent on a multitude of variables, and not just on the type of car you have in mind:

The driver

Your age, and whether you're male or female has a big impact on the kind of money you’ll be spending on your insurance premium every month. Are you an inexperienced driver and a male? Regardless of how responsible you are, you're still regarded as high risk for the insurance company. A 37-year-old married female is lower risk, even if she pole dances at an exotic nightclub on weekends. If you're a South African citizen with a license not issued before 2004 and you haven't claimed in less than three years, the insurance gods are likely to smile on you as well.

Where and how do you use your car?

Where will your car sleep every night - behind an unlocked gate in an area riddled with crime, or in a locked garage in a security estate in Constantia? What about where you work? Your premium will be higher if your car is continuously at risk of being stolen. Do you only use your car to drive to work or are you using it as a workhorse on a farm? Or perhaps you work from home. These are all things that influence your premium.

The type of insurance you will be needing

If your car is relatively new (less than 10 years old), comprehensive insurance is the most all-encompassing insurance you can get. It will cover you for everything from hailstorms to the guy who runs a red light whilst sending a Whatsapp to his girlfriend. But many of us struggle financially, and if those monthly premiums are a cause for starvation, Third Party or Third Party, Fire and Theft insurance are also options. If you’re unsure of what this all means, have a look on www.carinfo.co.za  where this is explained in much finer detail:  You should also be aware that a low premium quite often means a high excess, which is what will come out of your own pocket if a motoring misshap occurs. It is the uninsured part of your loss.

The car's age, make and person(s) driving

Older cars are cheaper to insure as their replacement value is lower. And if your granny, sister or second-cousin twice-removed borrow your car on a daily basis, this will raise the premium too.

Locally assembled cars are also cheaper to insure due to parts being more readily available. Thus it will cost you more to insure a Fiat than an Opel. You should also remember that as time goes by your car depreciates, so your premiums should drop also. Contact your insurance company every year and ask them about this.

It is a fact that hijackers and thieves favour specific brands and types of cars. Unfortunately Toyotas and Volkswagens feature quite high on their list, as there are so many on our roads and their parts are quite often interchangeable. This doesn't mean you should cross Toyota off your list entirely though, as their reliability and good reputation count in your favour. It's also not all models of Toyota that thieves like to target. Cars fitted with an immobilizer, alarm or tracker should also bring down your premium.

So, which second hand cars are the cheapest to insure?

Some sensible, second hand buys with relatively low monthly premiums include: The Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Auris, VW Polo Vivo Hatch, Opel Corsa, Opel Corsa Lite, Hyundai 110, Ford Figo and Focus. And don't forget the trustworthy Toyota Tazz. Other reliable budget-friendly cars include the Honda Brio, Honda Jazz, Nissan Almera and Kia Rio hatch. Just a note: If you are under 25 you are not covered for high-performance cars.

Where do I go to get insurance quotes?

It makes sense to shop around, so if you stay right here on AutoTrader’s website, you can get multiple quotes from some reputable insurance companies: https://www.autotrader.co.za/services/car-insurance
If you insist on speaking to a human being, simply enter your phone number and email address and someone will call you back. I entered my information and after five minutes I was rung by an authorized representative from First for Women by the name of Kevin Collopen. He was super-informed and extremely helpful.

Based on my credentials, my monthly premium for a 2006 Toyota Tazz 1.3 came to R247, 49 with an excess of R2200. The fact that I work from home, live in a Security Estate and that I use my car less than 12 times a month brings the premium down. But my license is also slightly older and I had a little accident a year ago. The quote includes useful stuff like hotel accommodation if you break down far from home.