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Many people look at their car tax renewal form and despair at the cost involved. It seems to rise every year, and of course it’s an unavoidable expense. It’s frustrating to think the only thing you can do to influence the cost is to buy a smaller car with a lower rate of duty. And that only involves more outlay; it’s a vicious circle which we can do very little about.

There are plenty of people who also take an in-depth look at their petrol and diesel costs, especially in the midst of an economic recession. Switching filling stations may save a few pennies here and there, but not much more than that. The difference in price is never going to be enough to make a big difference.

Although maintenance costs may change slightly, it’s not easy to know in advance how much repairs and servicing will cost; most people are in the dark when it comes to keeping the car running. As long as it goes from A to B, they wouldn’t want to know the ins and outs of the engine.

However, there is one area in which significant savings can be made - car insurance; indeed, thousands of people every week are discovering that it pays to go online and compare providers. There’s no need for any technical knowledge, and it takes just a few minutes. Specialist websites will do all the legwork for you in no time.

Many people find substantial reductions with only a few clicks of a computer mouse, and you could be one of the thousands of delighted users who have saved themselves a small fortune.

You simply need to input a few details about yourself and your car to bring up a long list of appropriate quotes. There are so many variables when it comes to car insurance, so the information you enter is of great significance.

If you have a clean driving record, you will be paying far less than someone with previous motoring convictions and endorsements. Younger drivers, especially if they’re under 21, will need to spend more, as will people who live in areas with a high rate of crime. Usually, women pay less than men because they are statistically a lower risk.

You can expect to pay more to insure a high-powered super-car than a little runabout or a family saloon. Anything with a powerful engine will be more expensive, although having an immobiliser, alarm or tracker device will bring the cost down a little. If your car is stored in a garage overnight, that will also bring a small discount.

It’s vitally important to compare car insurance at the moment; the Christmas period has left many people struggling for money, so any opportunity to save some needs to be taken. Switching to a cheaper policy could be the first step on the road to a little more security, so take it wisely.