Plan ahead

You might be cutting back at the moment but when confidence returns you’ll almost certainly want to pursue long-term goals that have been shelved for a while – recent research for the online credit monitoring service CreditExpert discovered that 75 per cent of us have either postponed or cancelled our most important plans, from buying a home or car to getting married and starting a family. Use the coming months to reassess your priorities and get your credit status into the best possible shape, so if you’re planning to borrow you can access the money you need to achieve your ambitions.

Get an overview of your finances

Before you can move ahead, you need to know where you are, so take time to go through your bank statements and check your credit report. This is the personal history of your credit accounts, such as loans, cards and utility contracts, and your repayment history. It gives you an instant snapshot of what you’ve borrowed and how well you’re managing.

Learn from the past

Think back to when times were really good. Your best memories are unlikely to be of expensive shopping trips – it’s far more likely that your remember having fun with family and friends. Learn from that experience by looking through old bank and credit card statements to see how much you spent and whether it was, with hindsight, worth it. Then reassess your priorities to focus your spending on the things which matter.

Look for support

Homes and cars are the biggest purchases most people ever make. First-time home buyers may be able to benefit from the government’s HomeBuy schemes, so investigate what you need to do to maximise your chances. Homes costing less than £175,000 are also free from Stamp Duty until at least the end of 2009. Meanwhile, the government’s scrappage scheme for old cars that you’ve owned for at least a year could get you £2,000 off the price of a new one. You can find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

Claim what’s due to you

Many people are feeling the pinch but are not claiming all the benefits they qualify for. Make sure you get what’s due to you – it could help you get through the current downturn and see you in better shape when the upturn arrives. Try the benefits checker at www.entitledto.co.uk

Clean up your credit history

If you do need a mortgage or loan, lenders will look at your credit report when they decide whether to make you an offer and how much interest to charge. They want to see that you’re a responsible borrower, so a clerical error indicating something as minor as a missed repayment could make a real difference. Take time to go through your credit report carefully and if you think any entries are incorrect, query them with the relevant lender and ask for them to be amended – you’ll find contact details in your Experian credit report.

Make yourself attractive

Now your credit history is accurate and up to date, it’s time to make it look even better. Start by registering to vote at your current address – lenders check the electoral roll as a precaution against fraud, to see that you live where you claim you do. Close unused credit accounts – lenders take into account the total amount that you could borrow, not what you actually owe, so too much available credit could make you look overstretched. If you’ve neglected to close any joint accounts with a previous partner, you should do that too – if they get into financial trouble, their credit history could drag you down.

Pay your debts

It may seem bizarre but, with interest rates on savings so low, you could be better off if you focus on clearing high interest debts before you start to build up the fighting fund that will make your dreams a reality. You’ll liberate more money for everyday life in the process and your credit rating could also improve.

Save for a sunny day

If your debts are under control, take advantage of the recently-raised ceiling on tax-free ISA’s to shelter your nest egg. From 6 October, the over-50s can save up to £10,200 every year tax free and younger people join them from 6 April 2010.

Keep on top of your finances

Getting ready for the upturn isn’t a one-off, short-term project – it means making financial management part of your routine. Keep on top of your spending, invest time in researching your options and check your credit report regularly to see how well you’re doing – and where you can make improvements. You can see your Experian credit report online whenever you want.

Prepare to congratulate yourself

When credit starts to flow again, you could be at the front of the queue and ready to start your new life. Give yourself a pat on the back – and look forward to the future.

If you want a card that gives you a great introductory offer on both balance transfers and purchases then look no further. The Halifax All in One Credit Card offers a fantastic 0% for 9 months on purchases and on balances transferred within the first 90 days (3% balance transfer fee applies). A typical rate of 15.9% APR (variable). Apply today! 0% p.a. for 9 Months on balance transfers

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top of that, there is a free 24-hour worldwide telephone helpline and online banking service that provide control and flexibility in managing your account. What more could you ask for? Apply today!

Here are some of the risk factors you could be facing – and some advice on how to avoid one of the boom crimes of the 21st century.

Risk factor: Renting
The study found that people who rent – whether they are young professionals, singles in council or housing association flats or high-flying graduates who are saving for a deposit on a home of their own – are most likely to have their personal data stolen and used to apply for credit, run up debts or clean out their accounts.

These groups are around twice as likely as the average Briton to have their identities stolen and misused, largely because rented homes frequently have communal halls where all the post is delivered, making it easy to intercept. Once a fraudster has a copy of your bank statement, for example, they could have enough information to hijack your identity.

Frauds using current address are the most common, at 36 per cent of the total reported to Experian in 2008. Fraud as a result of forwarding post comes third, at 29 per cent of all cases. You should always report missing post to the Royal Mail and to organisations such as your bank and credit card issuer.

Risk factor: Big city or commuter belt living
London is the nation’s identity fraud capital. Residents are almost four times as likely to be targeted as the average man or women – and Kensington is the riskiest place in the country, with a risk factor six times higher than average. Other top target areas range from Cheapside, Chelsea, Chiswick and Clapham to Victoria, Wandsworth, the West End and Wood Green.

The pattern is repeated in Scotland, where Edinburgh and Glasgow are identity fraud hotspots. But living in the leafy outskirts is no protection – respectable St Albans, Slough, Guildford and Windsor top the out-of-London league table, where they are joined by desirable locations including Tunbridge Wells, Oxford, Winchester and Maidenhead.

Risk factor: Moving home
No matter what your reason for moving – whether you’re pursuing career opportunities, moving in with a partner, upsizing or downsizing – a change of address makes you vulnerable to ID fraud.

Protect yourself by getting the Royal Mail to redirect your post for at least a year after moving. It’s not simply a matter of telling your bank, utility companies and credit card issuer – even a stray catalogue carrying your account number and credit limit can lead to problems, so it’s best to ensure that nothing lands up in the wrong hands.

You should also deregister from the electoral roll at your old address and register to vote at your new home as soon as possible. If you’re not on file, then a criminal can register in your name and use this as proof of residence when applying for anything from a mobile phone contract to a major loan.

Risk factor: Success
Just because fraudsters are taking advantage of the comparative vulnerability of renters, they haven’t abandoned their most lucrative targets. The CreditExpert research cites company directors and business owners, high-earners with premium city homes and successful professionals as having an above-average risk of becoming victims of identity fraud.

With high credit ratings, savings, investments and multiple credit accounts, they are especially attractive to identity thieves and should take special care to check statements carefully and shred sensitive documents before binning them – although this applies to all of us, however much or little we earn.

Risk factor: Carelessness
Anyone can fall for a confidence trickster using cold calls or phishing e-mails but new research for the Office of Fair Trading uncovered psychological traits that make some of us more likely to give away too much personal data. Living alone, being impulsive and even a history of being scammed are all key factors among the one in 15 of us who fall victim to this kind of identity fraud each year.

The simple advice is never to part with personal information, let alone financial details, to unknown voices on the phone, e-mailers or websites. The same principle applies on social networks – sharing details such as dates of birth, pets and children’s names could give criminals a clue to your PINs and passwords.

Risk factor: Not paying attention
In 2008, most people discovered for themselves that they had become a victim of identity fraud – 63% of people first found out they were victims when they checked their credit report. Your credit report is the personal history of your credit accounts, your repayment record and – crucially – recent applications for new accounts. Checking your credit report regularly is recommended by the Home Office as an effective precaution against identity fraud.

For ongoing protection from identity fraud, use the CreditExpert service from Experian and receive e-mail alerts when new credit applications are made in your name. You can sign up and try the service today with a free 30-day trial at creditexpert.co.uk

If you’re unlucky enough to become a victim, often the first time you’ll discover that your identity has been stolen is when a card purchase is declined or a new credit agreement – such as a new mobile phone contract – is refused.

These tips can help to keep you safe while you socialise.

1) Phishing – don’t take the bait

Most of us delete e-mails from banks and other official-looking organisations that ask for updated login details in order to “restore access to your account” but you should also watch out for unexpected pop-ups that request personal information from links on your friends’ social networking pages. If any include a request for personal or login information, be on your guard – a fraudster could be trying to steal your details.

2) Watch what you post

Try to avoid putting your e-mail address, date of birth, contact numbers and your pet’s or any family member’s name on your networking pages. If fraudsters get enough of this information it can enable them to set up a new credit account or make a guess at the passwords protecting your bank and credit card accounts. Use your network settings to restrict access to your closest friends. Don’t put up anything you really want to keep private and consider restricting who can post messages about you – your friends might inadvertently post something that might be useful to a criminal.

3) Be wary of invitations to download files and videos

File sharing is a great way of passing on pictures, music and video – but files can contain hidden viruses. One tried and tested scam is an invitation to download a software update. While it can look like the real deal, it could be a Trojan virus that takes confidential information from your computer. Viruses can be hidden in any type of file, so check before you click to download – even if it comes from someone you know. You wouldn’t open an attachment if a stranger e-mailed you out of the blue – nowadays, you can’t be certain that a message in your inbox has really come from the person it says it’s from.

4) Go for quality rather than quantity

It’s good to stay in touch with friends and can be fun to have more contacts than anyone else – but some requests to join your network might not be genuine. The more people you blindly trust, the more likely it is that some of them will be there to gather information on you. If someone claims to be a friend of a friend, check. Never accept an invitation from someone unfamiliar.

5) Don’t share passwords

It doesn’t happen often but some people do share passwords – don’t.  And don’t be tempted to give out a password to anyone, even to allow a real friend or family member look at your photos or check messages for you.  It’s unlikely that someone you know well will abuse your trust but it can happen, even it’s only done for fun.

6) Regularly check your ID is safe

Just because you take precautions, don’t assume that your personal information is safe – there’s always a chance that someone has enough data about you to steal your identity. For peace of mind, use an online service like creditexpert.co.uk to keep an eye on your credit report. This is the personal history of credit you have taken out, such as loans, credit cards, mortgages and mobile phone contracts. Crucially, it includes new applications for credit. Lenders search it and leave a record whenever you apply for credit, so if anyone has been trying to borrow money or buy things on credit in your name, you’ll see and can bring the scam to a halt.

CreditExpert, the UK’s leading credit monitoring and identity fraud protection service, alerts you by text or e-mail whenever there is any significant change to your credit report that could indicate attempted identity fraud – and if the worst happens, there are free helplines staffed by credit and identity fraud specialists to help restore your name.

Identity fraud has been a boom crime in the 21^st century, taking place when criminals get hold of sufficient personal details to impersonate their victims, apply for credit accounts in their names, run up debts or take over existing accounts.

“Everyone should be aware that they are vulnerable to identity fraud,” says CreditExpert director Darryl Bowman. “Criminals are still interested in stealing the identities of the richest people but now they are increasingly focusing on less well-off people whose lifestyles make their personal information more vulnerable.

“Whoever they target will suffer many months of disruption and stress while they struggle to set the record straight. It can take a long time to get your money back and restore your credit rating – and in the meantime you can come under extreme financial pressure.”

At-risk groups

If you’re a young professional living in a major city such as London or Glasgow and rent your home, then you’re now part of the group most likely to become a victim of identity fraud and are more than twice as likely as average to be targeted.

Young, single people working in service industries and living in flats that are usually rented from housing associations or councils and graduate high-flyers renting in good areas of cities are also prime candidates for identity fraud, ahead of the wealthy, high-earners and professionals who have previously been top of the criminals’ hit-lists.

“The reason is simple – people in rented accommodation are more likely to have shared hallways, which makes it easier for crooks to intercept mail,” explains Mr Bowman. “They also move home more often than wealthier and more settled groups – if they don’t redirect their post for long enough, it can be picked up and used by the wrong people. If you’re worried, check your Experian credit report and see if anyone has applied for credit in your name.”

Hitting the fraud hot spots

The analysis of frauds reported to Experian during 2008 also identifies the areas that contain the highest proportion of at-risk residents – and London is the capital of identity fraud Britain.

Londoners are almost four times as likely to have their identities stolen and misused as the average person across Britain. If you live in Kensington, the nation’s hottest spot for identity fraud, you are more than six times as likely to suffer – a distinction shared by eight other areas of the city; Victoria, Wandsworth, Hammersmith, Queensway, Chelsea, Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate, Stratford and Putney.

In Scotland, this metropolitan bias is repeated, with Edinburgh and Glasgow top of the identity fraud league.

Elsewhere, Birmingham is the only major city to figure in the top 25 targets, with criminals generally focusing on the potential of affluent commuter belt towns such as St Albans, Guildford, Windsor and Maidenhead.

How they do it – and how to stop them

The most common way to steal an identity is to hijack a victim’s current address, which accounted for 36 per cent of all cases in 2008. Close behind came frauds using the victim’s previous address, at 30 per cent, while in 29 per cent of cases crooks forwarded post.

“This underlines the watching out for regular items of post, from bank and credit card statements to catalogues, and alerting the senders and the Post Office if items do not turn up,” says Mr Bowman. “You should always get your mail forwarded by the Post Office for at least a year when you move home – it may seem like an unnecessary expense but it could save you a huge amount of trouble.”

In fact, we are becoming more identity fraud-aware – the study found that almost two-thirds of victims discovered the crime themselves when they checked their credit report and found fraudulent activity, such as accounts in their names that they had not opened.

“The Home Office recommends regular checks on your credit report as an effective precaution against identity fraud and the message seems to be getting through, “ Mr Bowman adds. “Because it lists all your credit accounts, from mobile phone contracts to mortgages, you can easily spot unfamiliar accounts and new applications for credit you didn’t make. That means you can stop trouble before it has a chance to escalate.

“For ongoing protection from identity fraud, try the CreditExpert monitoring service from Experian. It gives you unlimited access to your credit report and includes regular e-mail alerts whenever there are significant changes to your credit report – such as a new application for credit. Try the service free for 30 days at creditexpert.co.uk”

Other precautions include:

• Registering to vote at your current address: the electoral role is used by lenders to check your residential status – if you’re registered, then a criminal can’t register in your name elsewhere

• Destroying documents a crook could use: shred, burn or otherwise destroy all financial documents and anything carrying your full name and address, date of birth or any account number

• Keeping your information up to date: remember to tell your bank, card issuer, utility providers and anyone else you can think of when you move home. That way, sensitive information should not fall into criminal hands

• Install a personal mail box: if you do have a shared delivery point for post, try to get individual mail boxes installed, so your personal documents stay personal

• Don’t give your identity away: be wary of cold callers, e-mails asking for personal data and even what you give away on social networking sites. Even the names of your pets or your children’s birthdays could be a clue to your passwords or PINs for a watchful identity thief

Here are some of the risk factors you could be facing – and some advice on how to avoid one of the boom crimes of the 21st century.

Risk factor: Renting
The study found that people who rent – whether they are young professionals, singles in council or housing association flats or high-flying graduates who are saving for a deposit on a home of their own – are most likely to have their personal data stolen and used to apply for credit, run up debts or clean out their accounts.

These groups are around twice as likely as the average Briton to have their identities stolen and misused, largely because rented homes frequently have communal halls where all the post is delivered, making it easy to intercept. Once a fraudster has a copy of your bank statement, for example, they could have enough information to hijack your identity.

Frauds using current address are the most common, at 36 per cent of the total reported to Experian in 2008. Fraud as a result of forwarding post comes third, at 29 per cent of all cases. You should always report missing post to the Royal Mail and to organisations such as your bank and credit card issuer.

Risk factor: Big city or commuter belt living
London is the nation’s identity fraud capital. Residents are almost four times as likely to be targeted as the average man or women – and Kensington is the riskiest place in the country, with a risk factor six times higher than average. Other top target areas range from Cheapside, Chelsea, Chiswick and Clapham to Victoria, Wandsworth, the West End and Wood Green.

The pattern is repeated in Scotland, where Edinburgh and Glasgow are identity fraud hotspots. But living in the leafy outskirts is no protection – respectable St Albans, Slough, Guildford and Windsor top the out-of-London league table, where they are joined by desirable locations including Tunbridge Wells, Oxford, Winchester and Maidenhead.

Risk factor: Moving home
No matter what your reason for moving – whether you’re pursuing career opportunities, moving in with a partner, upsizing or downsizing – a change of address makes you vulnerable to ID fraud.

Protect yourself by getting the Royal Mail to redirect your post for at least a year after moving. It’s not simply a matter of telling your bank, utility companies and credit card issuer – even a stray catalogue carrying your account number and credit limit can lead to problems, so it’s best to ensure that nothing lands up in the wrong hands.

You should also deregister from the electoral roll at your old address and register to vote at your new home as soon as possible. If you’re not on file, then a criminal can register in your name and use this as proof of residence when applying for anything from a mobile phone contract to a major loan.

Risk factor: Success
Just because fraudsters are taking advantage of the comparative vulnerability of renters, they haven’t abandoned their most lucrative targets. The CreditExpert research cites company directors and business owners, high-earners with premium city homes and successful professionals as having an above-average risk of becoming victims of identity fraud.

With high credit ratings, savings, investments and multiple credit accounts, they are especially attractive to identity thieves and should take special care to check statements carefully and shred sensitive documents before binning them – although this applies to all of us, however much or little we earn.

Risk factor: Carelessness
Anyone can fall for a confidence trickster using cold calls or phishing e-mails but new research for the Office of Fair Trading uncovered psychological traits that make some of us more likely to give away too much personal data. Living alone, being impulsive and even a history of being scammed are all key factors among the one in 15 of us who fall victim to this kind of identity fraud each year.

The simple advice is never to part with personal information, let alone financial details, to unknown voices on the phone, e-mailers or websites. The same principle applies on social networks – sharing details such as dates of birth, pets and children’s names could give criminals a clue to your PINs and passwords.

Risk factor: Not paying attention
In 2008, most people discovered for themselves that they had become a victim of identity fraud – 63% of people first found out they were victims when they checked their credit report. Your credit report is the personal history of your credit accounts, your repayment record and – crucially – recent applications for new accounts. Checking your credit report regularly is recommended by the Home Office as an effective precaution against identity fraud.

For ongoing protection from identity fraud, use the CreditExpert service from Experian and receive e-mail alerts when new credit applications are made in your name. You can sign up and try the service today with a free 30-day trial at creditexpert.co.uk

A high credit score suggests to a lender that you are a safe risk and will be able to borrow and make repayments reliably, so you’re more likely to get the deals you want. A lower score suggests you may struggle to make repayments and possibly even default on a credit agreement, which could mean you find it difficult to borrow.

So it makes sense to understand your credit score – and take steps to ensure that it says the right things about you.

Where your credit score comes from

Lenders use two main sources of information to calculate a credit score – details from your application form, such as annual income, and information from your credit report.

Your credit report shows how you’ve managed credit in the past and is the personal history of your credit accounts, from loans, cards and mortgages to utility bills and mobile phone contracts and even some catalogue accounts.  As well as basic personal details, such as name, address and date of birth, it lists how much you have borrowed, your repayment history and other details that help lenders to assess how well you are coping with your current financial commitments. These range from recent applications for credit to court judgments against you for non-payment of debts and any late payments on your existing loans. Bankruptcies and IVAs are also listed and stay on your credit report for six years.

How your credit score is calculated

Points are allocated based on the information on your credit report and application form and these are totalled to calculate your credit score. Different lenders use different formulas to calculate credit scores and some lenders even use different formulas for different products. You should also be aware that your credit score changes over time as your financial circumstances change. For example, clearing a debt or getting a pay increase could see it rise but skipping some repayments or making a number of credit applications in a short time could bring it down. All this means that your score can change every time you apply for credit.

Know your score

If you are preparing to make a new credit application or are curious about how a lender would view an application from you, it’s worth getting an idea of what your credit score is. During your free trial of CreditExpert, you can order your Experian Credit Score for just £5.95. It’s based on the data held by Experian, the UK’s largest credit reference agency, so it will give you a good indication of how most lenders will regard you.

If you don’t score as well as you’d hoped, there’s advice on what you can do to improve your credit score before you make any more applications. And armed with a better credit score, you will increase your chances of being accepted and getting the deal you want.

How you can boost your score…

You can maximise your credit rating by making sure your credit report is in good order.

Steps to take include:

• Registering to vote at your current address: lenders use this information to confirm that you live where you say you do – it helps to prevent fraud.

• Always making repayments on time and in full: lenders want to be sure that you are not overstretching yourself and can comfortably repay what you owe.

• Closing unused accounts: your current commitments will be based on the total amount you could potentially borrow, not how much you actually owe.

• Correcting any errors: even a minor clerical error or piece of out-of-date information could give the wrong impression and affect your credit score.

• Paying special attention to joint accounts: if you’ve still got an account with an ex-partner, make sure you close it. Your names will be linked on your credit report so if your ex-partner has problems, it could affect your credit score.

• Checking you credit report regularly: this should be part of your financial routine. A monthly check means that you know everything is accurate and up to date and allows you to spot suspicious entries, such as unfamiliar new applications or accounts, that could indicate you’ve become a victim of identity fraud.

…reasons why your score may be lower

• Skipping repayments: missed payments stay on your credit report for three years, suggesting to lenders that you are not reliable. IVAs and bankruptcies will bring your credit score down for even longer – they remain on your report for six years.

• Making too many credit applications: each application leaves a record, or footprint, on your report. If there are too many, lenders may think that you are desperate for money or that someone is making fraudulent credit applications.

• Living beyond your means: if you’ve taken out too much credit and are struggling to pay it back, there’s nowhere to hide – it will all be on your credit report.

• Lying on your application form: lenders will discover the truth sooner or later – and it’s fraud, so you’ll be making things harder for yourself in the future.

Take control of your credit score today, use the CreditExpert service from Experian and receive e-mail alerts when there are significant changes to your credit report.

1. You have:
a) A mortgage and one credit card that you pay off every month – it’s easier to keep on top of things if you have fewer accounts
b) A car loan, a personal loan and two credit cards that you juggle, generally successfully
c) So many cards and loans that you’ve lost count – you never know when you may need more credit

2. When mortgage, loan or card repayments are due, you:
a) Always pay on time and in full – you’ve set up direct debits
b) Pay on time but sometimes can’t manage the full amount
c) Skip a month every now and then, when money’s tight

3. If you want to borrow, you:
a) Research the marketplace and ask for a quote before applying
b) Do your research and then apply
c) Send off lots of applications, hoping that one lender will say yes

4. When they calculate your credit rating, lenders:
a) Check your credit report to see your credit history, as well as using information from your application
b)  Base decisions on your application form and supporting documents
c)  Are only concerned that you earn enough to make repayments

5. You check your credit report:
a) Regularly, to make sure that everything is up to date and accurate – you don’t want a clerical error to spoil your chances of accessing a good deal
b) A few years ago, after you were turned down – why bother unless there’s a problem?
c) Never – you don’t want to be reminded how much you owe

6. Your credit rating:
a) Can improve if you can show you’re a responsible borrower
b) Is all about your position today – past problems don’t count
c) Must be OK – look at how much credit you’ve already got

Mostly As
You’ve got a great chance of passing a credit check with flying colours. You may get peace of mind from checking your credit report more frequently, which would not only help you to stay on top of your finances but also protect you from identity fraud and allow you to spot any suspicious applications. You can see your Experian credit report online as often as you like with the CreditExpert service, try it free for 30 days and see how it could help you.

Top tips:
• Always check your credit report for accuracy before applying for credit
• Close joint accounts if you split with a partner, or their credit problems could affect you
• Protect your identity – criminals can borrow money in your name and damage your credit rating

Mostly Bs
A few years ago, you’d probably have got through most credit checks and been approved for credit. In today’s climate, you may be able to save money by improving your credit history. See how you can manage your Experian credit report with a free 30-day trial of CreditExpert.

Top tips:
• Always make repayments on time or evidence of your unreliability will be on your credit report for at least three years – and could depress your credit score
• Talk to your lender if you have a problem – you may be able to reschedule your payments so you can afford them comfortably
• Add a note of explanation to your credit report if circumstances, such as an illness or accident, explain previous problems

Mostly Cs
Times have changed but unfortunately your attitude to borrowing hasn’t – to be in with a chance of passing a credit check you need to give your finances a major overhaul. A good place to start is by managing your credit report. This will give you a clear overview of how you’re coping, and if your report needs improving there’s advice on how to do it. Take a free 30-day trial of the CreditExpert service and see how you can better manage your Experian credit report.

Top tips:
• Identify which debts are costing you most and target them first
• Close down unused accounts, register to vote at your current address and challenge any errors in your credit report – it could help to boost your rating
• If you think you are in trouble, get expert help – Citizens Advice at www.adviceguide.org.uk, National Debtline at www.nationaldebtline.co.uk and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service at www.cccs.co.uk are all free

Now this may be a bone of contention for many, but statistics prove that it is, in fact, correct; women have fewer accidents than men because they (a) have a tendency to observe speed limits and (b) tend not to try risky manoeuvres on the roads.
Not surprisingly, many motor insurance companies do take these differences into account calculating premiums for motor insurance. This is something that comparison websites including gocompare.com go to some lengths to help with.

Unlike several car insurance quotation services, Gocompare allows for the quoting of motor insurance policies for women separately from men. They will only display those female insurance quotes from companies who deal exclusively with women drivers – or have a higher number of women drivers on their books.

Gocompare provides the individual requesting a car insurance quote with all the help and advice he or she needs when first arriving at the site. This is a really useful service to provide as many people find searching for insurance quotes tedious and, at times, somewhat confusing.

Then there are those individuals out there who like to ‘pimp their rides’ as it were.
The phenomenon of taking one’s old Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo and adding spoilers, alloy wheels and glowing underside lights has become something that insurance companies now have to take very seriously indeed. The majority of these ‘pimped’ up vehicles have been modified by younger drivers, and it has to be said without appearing sexist, 99% of these drivers are male.
Gocompare.com, like other comparison websites, deals with the issue of modified vehicles and can help you source a quote if you have made modifications to your vehicle.

The main reason a specialised policy is required for these modified vehicles is that they become something of a conspicuous piece of road-going equipment and something that the most hardened car criminal would find hard to resist. Joyriding, sometimes termed Taking and Driving Away, causes much heartache amongst performance car owners and car insurance companies pay out millions each year in claims for these vehicles.

Gocompare.com gives you the opportunity to list the modifications made to your vehicle and will help you find those insurance companies in the market place that will be able to underwrite your claim for the least cost.
It is important though to remain honest when making your submission for a quotation; remember gocompare, like any other price comparison website, can only point you in the direction of the cheapest insurers if you provide them with the correct information. The consequences can be dire if false or non-disclosed information comes to light at point of claim.
So if your car has a nitrous oxide kit that makes it positively set fire to the road as it tears along, then you should specify this when using gocompare.com or any other car insurance quotation website.