Buying a car was probably one of your most liberating purchases. No more asking for lifts? No more driving your grandfather’s old Volkswagen bakkie. Finally, you have your car and now you want to insure it. But rumour has it that your job title can have an impact on how much car insurance you pay. Could this be true?

What if you just got promoted to a better paying position? Does this mean you have to tell your insurance? Or what if you work from home? What does that mean for your premiums on car insurance?

Well, before you start spinning and doing doughnuts in your car outside on the tarmac – take a breath. This guide will answer all of your questions and have you on cruise control once you’re done. We’ll help you figure out how your occupation affects your car insurance rates and decipher the best jobs for cheap car insurance.

Which Occupation is Cheapest for Car Insurance?

Before we answer the question on everyone’s lips, let’s see if there is any truth to the rumour. Does your job really affect your car insurance? Well, there is data that suggests that some occupations are at higher risk than others. And with that, most insurance companies will calculate that risk before covering your car.

Having the best occupation for cheap car insurance entails factors like what your profession is and how you do your job (like if you’ll be transporting expensive equipment in your car or not).

So, in short, yes your job will and can affect your car insurance premium. From the perspective of the car insurer, it’s their job to assess the risk of your assets. Each insurer makes their own decisions based on their past claims experience and their willingness to cover certain risks.

With that in mind, there are car insurance occupation categories that help insurers charge varying premiums accordingly.

Here is a list of some occupations that may hike up your car insurance:

• Builder’s labourer
• Factory packers
• Painter
• Car valet
• Security guard
• Construction worker
• Delivery courier

Jobs within this category with the addition of journalists and entertainers, tend to be categorized as high risk and can pay higher car premiums. Certain jobs, especially if combined with certain types or models of cars, tend to result in the kind of driving that leads to higher claims.

But, it is important to note that should your job fall under one of the higher risk occupation categories it doesn’t mean you’re more likely to make more claims than drivers in other professions.

Occupations for Cheap Car Insurance

This list differs slightly from the higher risk list in that most of these jobs are stationary jobs or desk jobs and don’t involve a lot of running around or handling any heavy machinery.

In earlier years, insurance companies made sure to give lower premiums to these job titles because they were mainly filled by women. But nowadays, insurers are not allowed to charge women less than men for vehicle insurance, as they once did.

However, should your insurance company categorize these as the cheapest jobs for car insurance, it may be because people within these categories tend not to be fast or unsafe drivers:

• Administrator
• Designer
• Design engineer
• Account executive
• Commercial manager
• Financial analyst
• Engineer
• Secretary and PA

Insurers are also more willing to cover lower-income earners because it’s assumed that those individuals will drive more carefully to avoid accidents or damage.

Is There a Wrong Job for Car Insurance?

There is no need to feel defeated if you don’t fit the cheapest occupation for car insurance list. You are not alone.

So, what options do you have?

When getting a car insurance quote, some people adjust their job descriptions when offering up that information to insurers. But, be sure to state your occupation as accurately as possible and give an accurate description of what your job entails. Be as specific as you can be to avoid invalidating your cover.

For example, a person with an occupation as a Nurse could be offered high or low car insurance premiums depending on their ranking. By describing what kind of nurse they are (ie; an Occupational Health Nurse, Registered Nurse etc) they could lower their premiums. This still fits the frame of their occupation. Veering too far from your actual job could land you in some hot water.

Remember, not all insurance companies ask for the specifics of your employment. It may only be queried when you’re trying to make a claim. What insurers need to know for sure is if you’ve changed your job. By not alerting them of the job change or promotion, you could invalidate your cover or be charged with fraud.

The Best Occupation for Car Insurance Is….

There isn’t a definite answer, unfortunately. Due to the fact that insurers vary so much, in their assessment of the occupations and in the weighting they give to jobs, it can not be perfectly accurate.

But the cheapest occupation for car insurance would be to consider retiring. Insurance companies tend to give retired people the cheapest premiums because they are the lowest risk. Older drivers tend to be more cautious while driving, meaning fewer accidents and if they do crash, the damage is minimal and less severe.

All in all, the decision on who to cover is up to the insurer. Some insurance companies are happier to cover some job titles over others. We suggest you shop around. Remember all the other factors that make up a premium quote, not just your job – and find a quote that fits your budget.