So I've seen a few comments around the forums explaining how insurance works in different countries and thought it might be an interesting read to have a thread where we can all explain how insurance works for us/ or in our country

In Australia we have two types, fully comprehensive and third party. Third party is generally the same premium no matter what car you drive but dependent on your age category/ location so there isnt too much movement there. I tried insuring my Fiesta and then a brand new Golf and got the same figure.

Fully comprehensive has huge price differences though. If you are under 25, male and insuring the car in your name you can expect huge premiums and the only way to get that down is increase your excess, make no claims or decrease the value of your car. The insurance is purchased for the car so anyone driving it is insured the only thing is, if they fit into certain categories such as under 21/ under 25/ unlicenced/ unnominated driver there will be additonal charges ontop of your excess as a sort of penatly. Before I got the Fiesta off my mum, she insured it for $400 AUD/ £215 and for me to do it, it was $3000AUD/ £1600

Neighbourhood and street or garage parking make marignal difference to your premiums I have found. We also dont have blackboxes or dash cams to bring down premiums (if someone wants to expain how they work/ and what they are for that would be cool). I have also made a few changes to my Fiesta, and havent said anything to my insurer and so far it is all fine - I have only used genuine Fiesta parts though

A black box is a telematics system.

It records speed, accelleration, deceleration, lateral movement (sideways g force) and various other driving data.

The data can be uploaded to enable someone to see driving style and whether you're hooning it around corners on two wheels or driving like Mother Teresa.

A camera would record pretty much the same but by video/audio instead which will show dangerous driving or near misses.

In the case of a collision this would show clearly who is at fault.