Telephony, insurance, energy… these recurring bills often weigh heavily on a household’s budget. In that of our readers, analyzed in the context of the Finances of a family section , these constrained expenses represent from 40 to 84%.
Spending constraints? These are, according to the official definition of INSEE, those which it is impossible to escape. That they are legally obligatory, such as taxes. Or that you are required to pay them due to a contractual commitment, such as a telephone subscription or rent.
Apart from the official definition, they have in common to be considered as bills rhyming with compulsory charges and not with pleasure consumption. And these day-to-day expenses continue to increase. Starting with those related to housing (rents, loans, charges, maintenance, energy, etc.).
Since they have the possibility of terminating their insurance contracts at any time, the British and the Dutch do not hesitate. They change them every two years on average, and play the competition to the fullest!
A reflex that the French, who for example keep their car contract for more than seven years on average, could quickly adopt if a measure of the Hamon law on consumption comes into force next January.
While today, their registered termination letter must reach the insurer before the annual expiry date of the contract, policyholders should soon be able to terminate their health, car or home contract whenever they want, from its thirteenth month, without charge or penalty. This could force companies, whose premiums have increased by 3 to 5% per year since 2010, to limit their appetite. From this perspective, now is the time to review the good reflexes to adopt in order to lower the amount of your contributions.
2-Insurance: recalibrate according to your needs and save up to 40%
To save several hundred euros per year on all your contracts, remember your insurer if you change age group, if your personal and professional situation changes or if you change your daily habits. .
Are you retiring or have you given up your car in favor of public transport to get to your business? Lower your car premium by arguing that you no longer run any risks when traveling home / work. Is your car only on the road occasionally? Ask for a pay as you drive formula,with a bonus calculated according to the kilometers travelled. As a result, savings of up to 40%! Does your all-risk insured vehicle no longer cost much? Is it not wise to take out a formula with fewer guarantees, or even to settle for so-called third-party insurance? Another example with the guarantees “accidents of life”, promising financial and material support for the vagaries of daily life (DIY, domestic accidents…). Beyond the age of 65, the holder is often no longer compensated in the event of a problem. Average cost of the economy if one thinks of terminating: up to 160 euros per year and per person.
3- Insurance: play the competition and save up to 40%
For years, you have not flinched when the mail for the automatic renewal of your insurance contracts arrives in your mailbox as their anniversary date approaches? Big mistake! “It’s a good idea to bring your contracts back into competition every three years, explains Diane Larramendy, general manager of the comparator LeLynx.fr. Not only do new companies and new offers appear, but new customers always benefit from attractive rates.”
To compare, ask for quotes. There are several solutions for this: go to a branch, pick up the phone or consult specialized Internet comparators (AcommeAssure.com, LeLynx.fr. Assurland.com, etc.). At first, two to three quotes will be enough to negotiate discounts with your current insurers. They resist? Be fickle in favor of a less greedy market player, too happy to count you among its new customers! Send your company a termination request by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt at least two months before the expiry date of your contract.
4-Insurance: get rid of the superfluous and save up to 10%
Another winning strategy to reduce the cost of your insurance by up to 10%: sort it out to keep only the essential guarantees. Starting by removing some comfort options. For instance Because insurers are increasing the limits: compensation cap, high deductibles… As a result, you are generally less reimbursed than you imagined. To be evaluated also, the option of rehousing in a hotel of higher category, in particular in the event of water damage, while the fixed reimbursement, generally of 10% of the guaranteed capital, on presentation of invoices, is more than enough to accommodate you properly for a few days when you cannot be accommodated by friends. To reduce your premiums, another solution: increase your car deductibles, that is to say what remains your responsibility, especially if your vehicle has a few years on the meter. However, this choice is not without risk…