The annual Kinsey report by Malcolm Kinsey provides an overview of the South African motor vehicle industry, with a focus on the cost of parts for different vehicle models. The latest 2016 report covers 69 vehicles, compares the costs of various parts against competing models, and highlights price increases of parts such as wheel rims, car doors and lights, which are all found in the crash-parts category. 

“From the various costs presented in the report, one can see that not having Car Insurance could lead to significant costs for consumers should they be involved in an accident,” says Derek Wilson, head of online insurance and financial comparison website, Hippo.co.za.  

“If you drive an entry-level city vehicle, for example, a VW Polo Vivo, you could pay up to R14 682 if you have damages to your doors and rear fender following a collision into the right-hand side of your vehicle,” says Wilson, “It could be easier and more cost-effective to simply pay a monthly Car Insurance premium than having to replace parts out of your own pocket following a claimable event”. 

But did you know with just a few simple steps, you can also lower your monthly Car Insurance premiums and save even more? 

Hippo.co.za provides these hacks that could help you save: 

• Insurers are often able to adjust premiums based on lower or higher excesses (the first amount payable by the insured in the event of a claim). If you have sufficient means to pay a higher excess should something happen, you can opt to increase your excess which will lower your monthly premiums.
• Insurers encourage people to cover their goods at the replacement value it would be at the time of a claim, which can be either market or retail value depending on what cover you have. As the market value of a vehicle is lower than the retail value, you could opt to insure your vehicle at market value in order to save on monthly premium costs.
• If you have installed better security features such as a vehicle tracker or alarm system in your car or, for example, you no longer park your car in a car port behind locked gates but in a locked garage, always inform your insurer of these updates as it could lower your premiums.
• Even if you are not looking to change insurers, it always pays to double check that you are not paying too much. Shop around and compare quotes from at least three different Car Insurance providers to ensure you are getting the best value for your buck. 

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), new vehicle sales have seen a year-on-year decline for fourteen months until January 2017 when an increase of 3.7% was recorded. “The rising interest in vehicle purchasing is apparent on our new Car Listings platform, where we have seen an increase of 492% from October 2016 to the end of January 2017,” says Derek Wilson, head of SA’s leading online insurance and financial services website, Hippo.co.za.  

This is not surprising considering that 94% of consumers research cars online before they make any purchases, making online platforms the new dealership window. Here are some tips on what to look out for when looking for cars online.  

Avoid private sales. The first alarm bell that should go off is that you are not protected under the Consumer Protection Act for private sales3. This means that you may have to make provision for legal back up when it comes to binding agreements and contracts between the parties. There are also other responsibilities that you might need to take on and finance in the event of a private sale such as getting an independent mechanical report to ensure the vehicle’s condition is as indicated, and going through the process of registering the vehicle in your name.  

Research online reviews. Before selecting the best vehicle for your needs, ensure that you have at least three top choices in terms of make and model. Visit motoring news sites to compare reviews and recommendations on your top vehicle choices to ensure you select the best option. This reduces the risk of you running into any future issues such as unaffordable service costs, technical malfunctions and factory faults.  

Request a mechanical report before arranging a viewing. If you have come across a good deal online, ask the dealership to email the vehicle’s mechanical report and service records to you so you are aware of the exact condition of the vehicle upfront, instead of wasting time and hassle in arranging a viewing for a vehicle that is not in a satisfactory condition.  

Compare multiple deals from a range of providers. Compare from a range of different providers as this will allow you to negotiate a better cost with the dealership of choice. When going online, ensure that you get the most value out of each session by choosing a site that is credible, secure and provides you with comparing not only cars, but also other things you may need such as Vehicle Finance, Car Insurance, Vehicle Tracking, and Motor Warranty or Service Plans.  

“Our unique responsive internet technology enables us to act as a matchmaker between a car buyer and car dealer, saving both parties time and money. You can also compare all the above-mentioned products whilst visiting Hippo.co.za,” concludes Wilson.

Notes:

Established in 2007, Hippo.co.za is South Africa’s leading comparison website that helps consumers save money by comparing a range of South African providers across financial products such as Car Insurance, Household Insurance, Life Insurance, Medical Aid and more. Hippo.co.za is free to use and saves consumers the time and hassle of shopping around for the best deal since the Hippo.co.za website instantly retrieves real-time quotes from the different providers using the latest Internet technology. You could save hundreds of Rands per month* on your Car Insurance alone by using Hippo.co.za to compare before you buy or switch to a new provider.   Hippo.co.za makes money by simply charging its partners a fee when a customer chooses to find out more about their products. The results consumers see, and the order in which they are presented, are in no way influenced by the fee Hippo.co.za charges its partners or any other factors other than the price of the product being compared.   

For more information, visit us on www.hippo.co.za, connect with Hippo.co.za on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/company/hippo-comparative-services-pty-ltd/, like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/HippoSA, and follow us on Twitter, @Hippo_co_za and YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/hippocompare. Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP number: 16357). Terms and Conditions apply. *Based on 2016 independent market research conducted by Kaufman Levin Associates.

According to the eNatis national driver’s licence population statistics, the number of Code B licensed drivers (driving motor vehicles, including minibuses, buses and goods vehicles, with a gross vehicle mass not exceeding 3 500kg) has increased by 10 631 between December 2016 and January 2017. Even with a significant increase in licensed drivers in just one month, there is still a vast number of South Africans who do not pass the driver’s licence test the first time.  

So what are the main reasons for people failing their driver’s licence test?  

“Many people do not research the driving school or instructor beforehand, are unfamiliar with important driver’s test rules and scoring, experience the test route for the first time when taking the test, or are simply too nervous on the day,” says Derek Wilson, Head of online insurance and financial services comparison website, Hippo.co.za, “These and other factors could be demotivating and costly to drivers”.  

Tips to consider if you plan on getting your licence in 2017:  

• Pick the right teacher — Do your research and ask around to get reviews from others to ensure you have a legitimate, ethical and experienced driving school and instructor.
• Know the rules — Avoid disappointment by familiarising yourself with the immediate fail items (on the K53 website) so that you do not fall victim to unfair failures. If, for example, the vehicle is not licensed or roadworthy, it is considered an immediate fail.
• Don’t rush it — Ensure that you complete a sufficient number of lessons and can successfully complete all the manoeuvres before you even book your test date.
• Practice makes perfect — Keep practising until the test day arrives and ask your driving instructor to take you for a trial on the test route and in the test yard two or three days before your test.
• Stay relaxed and focused — Mentally reassure and remind yourself that you have done it all before and that you can do what is required. Try not to rush things and rather take your time to do it properly.  

“For those who will also be driving their own car once they are legally licensed drivers, remember that insurers factor in how long you have had your licence when calculating your monthly premium. As a newly licensed driver, you will likely be charged a higher premium than someone who has been driving for longer. Ensure you compare from a range of South African providers at Hippo.co.za,” concludes Wilson, “You could save hundreds of Rands per month* on your Car Insurance alone by using our platform”.

Notes:

Established in 2007, Hippo.co.za is South Africa’s leading comparison website that helps consumers save money by comparing a range of South African providers across financial products such as Car Insurance, Household Insurance, Life Insurance, Medical Aid and more. Hippo.co.za is free to use and saves consumers the time and hassle of shopping around for the best deal since the Hippo.co.za website instantly retrieves real-time quotes from the different providers using the latest Internet technology. You could save hundreds of Rands per month* on your Car Insurance alone by using Hippo.co.za to compare before you buy or switch to a new provider.   Hippo.co.za makes money by simply charging its partners a fee when a customer chooses to find out more about their products. The results consumers see, and the order in which they are presented, are in no way influenced by the fee Hippo.co.za charges its partners or any other factors other than the price of the product being compared.   

For more information, visit us on www.hippo.co.za, connect with Hippo.co.za on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/company/hippo-comparative-services-pty-ltd/, like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/HippoSA, and follow us on Twitter, @Hippo_co_za and YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/hippocompare. Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP number: 16357). Terms and Conditions apply. *Based on 2016 independent market research conducted by Kaufman Levin Associates.

Online insurance and financial services website, Hippo.co.za, has won the 2017 Feefo Trusted Service award, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences, rated by real customers.  

Trusted Service is awarded to businesses that use Feefo to collect genuine ratings and reviews. A badge of honour, this accreditation remains unique as all the awards are based purely on the interactions with verified customers. This feedback has been collated by the Feefo review platform, with the accolades being awarded based upon performance.  

In order to win the 2017 award, a company had to maintain a rating of between 4 – 4.5 stars with a minimum of 100 reviews or more between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016. Hippo.co.za maintained a score of 4.4 and received more than 3 000 reviews in the above-mentioned period.  

“Feefo ensures that all feedback is authentic, by matching it to a legitimate transaction; we believe this is the best way to combat the rising issue of fake reviews,” says Andrew Mabbutt, CEO at Feefo.  

Derek Wilson, head of Hippo.co.za commented: “It’s a real honour to receive this award from Feefo. To be recognised for delivering exceptional experiences to our customers is a great achievement.”