OK let's begin at the beginning.
How does the car insurance industry work? Let's ignore the 'direct writers' such as Direct Line for now and look at how a traditional broker works. The whole industry works on a commission basis - the broker gets you some quotes and if youtake one up the insurance provider pays the broker a commission for placing the business. Typically this is 10% in the UK but ... and here comes Savings Tip Number One ... this varies between brokers. Have you ever wondered why two brokers can get the same product from the same insurer but one will be £30, £40, even £50 cheaper than the other? Chances are they're working to different commission levels. If Broker A places lots of business with an insurer he may get up to 20% commission on the basis that he gives the insurer volume. Brokers are able to 'flex' this commission as they choose and so if Broker A is happy to take only 10% or even less for your business he can pass a saving on to you. Easy isn't it! Brokers will also 'cross sell' you other products such as Legal Expenses and Breakdown cover. These products cost fery little to them and the majority of what you pay is commission! Believe it or not then, some brokers will even work to zero commission for car insurance if they can get your Legal Expenses and Breakdown cover! Many brokers look at 'earnings per customer' and will want say £40 of income to be your broker - this can come from one or any number of products and they can flex their commission levels between these to make their target £40. It's easy to see then how by playing cute and with a little negotiation you can get the same product and cover for a cheaper price.
Read on as I'm going to reveal more - including how to find specialist schemes for yound drivers, how to use the insurance comparison websites to your advantage and how to negotiate a better price at renewal.

For young drivers, getting a good deal on motor insurance is a little tougher than for those with more experience and 'bonus' under our belts. It's not fair to tar all drivers with the brush of 'boy racer' but there are still those out there that earn this title and can spoil it for the rest!
So how can you reduce your motor insurance premium as a young driver? Whilst most insurers shy away from writing this type of business on their standard accounts there are certainly ways to get a better deal and save some money.
First of all recognise that as a young driver you are a more specialist risk. There are brokers out there with special schemes and insurer deals to save you money. Where a broker proves to an insurer they have a good track record and experience of the young driver market they will have better rates available. The market has now segmented further and there are sepcialist brands for young male and young female drivers - the innovative broker Fresh Insurance has brands like 'Ladybird' which are worth checking out. http://www.freshinsurance.co.uk/
Approach some brokers and ask if they offer a 6 month policy rather than annual. At the end of this you can can take out a full year policy and you'll have earnt 2 years bonus in just 18 months. Some brokers have access to 'age accelerator' deals - what this means is if you are 19 but only a few months away from 20 they can 'accelerate' you and give you the price a 20 year old would get - considerably cheaper!
Consider taking the 'Pass Plus' course and exam - http://www.passplus.org.uk/ Many insurers will give you a discount for this. A quick calculation will tell you that the cost may well be more than offset by the reduction in your motor insurance premium. The site lists insurers like Norwich Union and brokers such as Adrian Flux who can offer you premium flexibility with the Pass Plus.
Finally, think carefully about the car you buy if you're at that stage! Insurers have started to take a more sophisticated approach and even if you are a young driver buying a more sensible car says something about you and will be reflected in the price. Buy a hot hatch with go-faster-stripes and super-wide-wheels and you'll pay the price on your insurance!

The appeal is obvious - rather than spending tedious hours ringing around to find the cheapest motor insurance quote you simply log into a site, input your details once and the quote engine does all the work for you. But is this really best way to ensure you're getting the right cover at the right price - and the best value for money? 'Value for money' is the key - what you're buying of course is intangible - it's the peace of mind to know that should your car be stolen or you have an accident the insurance will pay. Unless you use the 'screen scraper' or aggregator correctly you may end up with a worthless policy even if it was the cheapest!
One of the UK's leading insurers, Direct Line, has commissioned research which reveals that 93% of people who use comparison sites believe they should carry warnings about their accuracy. Norwich Union, the UK's largest insurer was recently in dispute with 'Money Supermarket' over the types of customer it was picking up through their 'screen scraper' engine. The whole industry is keeping a very close eye on the way these businesses develop and in their own way via the fees they charge insurers and brokers they are ironically squeezing margins to potentially damaging levels.
So, good or bad news for the customer? Personally I think these engines are great for either 'sense checking' your insurance quotes or testing the market but I wouldn't personally buy online. This is not a concern about security - its simply a case of is the cover right for me. To give you an example, the classic is your 'occupation.' Believe me this is a major factor in underwriting motor and home insurance and if you don't enter into the site what it 'expects' you may well end up with the wrong cover. When it comes to a claim, the insurer may be entitled to void your claim on the basis they didn't take on the risk you led them to believe it was. Any 'quirks' like part-time occupations etc can also be major factors and how you input these accurately onto a screen scraper is questionable.
My advice - use these engines as a test and the start of your journey then either go to the best insurer or brokers own quote engine or better still ring them.
There are far better ways to ensure the cheapest quote - keep reading and I'll reveal more.

Fatal accidents among young drivers are on the increase and the government are working with motor insurance companies to takle the problem.
Statistics do unfortunately prove that drivers under 25 do have higher numbers of accidents. Here's a frightening statistic - one in eight driving license holders in the UK is under 25 but one in three drivers killed in car accidents is under 25. And another one - estimates say that over 38,000 people are killed or injured in the UK in crashes involving a driver with less then 2 years experience.
Statistic like this will of course mean motor insurance for young drivers is more expensive.
In response, the government are considering raising the minimum driving age from 17 to 18 and introducing a training period for new drivers. There are also plans being considered for 'zero alcohol' drink drive limits for the first year for young drivers. Harsh? Maybe not if it creates a generation of alcohol free drivers from this good habit.
It's not all bad news though! If you follow my advice you can still find brokers and insurers willing to provide you with a motor insurance policy at a fair price.