There are over 25 million cars on the road in the United Kingdom; and with an estimated population of just over 60 million (according to the July 2007 census) that makes an average of 1 car for every 2.1 people (again, an estimate taken from the year before the census). With many families having more than two cars, it seems like us Brits can’t get enough of motoring, no matter how often we sit in sweltering traffic jams and tailbacks or develop symptoms of road rage every time someone cuts in front of us a little too sharply.

With all these vehicles on the road, the least thing we can do is ensure that they are safe to drive and that we are also protected to drive them. Passing a driving test does not make us immune from the vagaries and vicissitudes of the road. Accidents come with the territory: and with so many cars on the road, the UK can expect a lot of them.

So how can you make sure that you remain protected, physically and financially, from the unforeseen dramas of motoring? The obvious, and essential solution, is of course car insurance. Whilst a vehicle still drives without insurance, it certainly won’t drive so well after an accident without any insurance provider to cover your losses. But make sure you get the right deal: there are several different areas to look out for when it comes to selecting a provider.

A car insurer’s main responsibility is to calculate a policy and payment whose total corresponds to the likelihood of you running into any trouble with your vehicle; but there is more to it than that. After all, different drivers are more or less likely to require a hefty insurance pay-out. If you have been paying insurance for years but never made a claim, you can benefit from a substantial no claims discount (NCD).

A provider such as the Cooperative offers NCDs of up to 70%; further, it is one of the few companies to also offer NCDs for named drivers. If you are a young driver, or are just buying a new car and swapping your policy, this is great news. Also look out for free accident recovery and breakdown cover: and don’t forget that you can often save a further 10% by going online. Not only does this save you time, effort and money, it also reduces environmental impact by saving on paper and needless printouts.