Watch out, Grandad's about! Car insurance for the over 60's. by J Tillotson

The older generation typically get discounts on a lot of things. Car insurance isn't one of them. Statistically, older drivers are the safest, yet once a driver hits 60, their premiums start to creep up.

In fact, the over 80's are considered as high a risk as the under 25's. Their premiums could match that of a 19 year old boy racer - that's if they can find a company that will insure them. Many won't insure anyone over the age of 70.

In the younger generations, women drivers are considered the lowest risk, but after old age hits, that changes. In an elderly man and woman of the same age, the man will typically be more alert and less accident-prone than the woman. Therefore, the older woman gets a taste of higher premiums than her younger counterparts.

So why do insurers seem to discriminate against the elderly? The undeniable fact is that as traffic becomes more and more congested on our roads, older drivers can get confused and disoriented easier. Even a split second hesitation at a busy junction can cause accidents which could otherwise have been avoided.

The best way for an older driver to keep costs down on their motor insurance is to pay for a no claims protection. That way, if they have a small bump, they can pay for it themselves and avoid making a claim.

When using car parks, walk around the car before getting in to take note of how much space and any objects there are around your car. Increasing awareness in your surroundings will help immensely in keeping your no claims bonus.

There are some companies that will offer car insurance for the elderly. Saga is one such company, with the added bonus that a driver can transfer their no claims to their spouse if they decide to give up driving. Some companies have a policy which will pay £250 if a driver is made to stop driving by the DVLA due to health reasons.

So don't lose heart, cheap car insurance can still be yours in your golden years! All it takes is a little time shopping around.