British homeowners face £790 car insurance bill for parking vehicles inside garages

Motorists across the UK could be slapped with higher car insurance prices simply by parking their car in a certain location, new data has found.

Research shows that drivers who park their vehicle in a garage overnight pay £24 more on average for their car insurance.

Despite seemingly being a safer place to leave their vehicles overnight, drivers can expect to be hit with costs of £647.

This is in comparison to the £623 charged to those who usually park elsewhere overnight, according to fresh data from Go.Compare.

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People can face additional costs of £54 more than average when they buy third-party only cover, taking their total to £790.

Motorists who park somewhere other than a garage will pay £736, marking the largest difference of any policy type.

Drivers who opt for third party fire and theft policies will also face more expensive policies, costing around £17 per year, than those who park in a garage.

A small number of drivers seem to be taking note of these changes, with a three per cent drop in car insurance policies for drivers who parked in a locked garage overnight between 2023 and 2025.

Data from the insurance company suggested that homeowners are increasingly looking to convert their garages into extra rooms.

Almost a fifth of people living in a home with a garage say they have converted it in the last five years.

Some of the most common uses for the additional space include a home gym (38 per cent), a utility room (24 per cent) and a home office (23 per cent).

Tom Banks, spokesperson at Go.Compare, said: "Car insurance is often cheaper for those who park in more secure locations, so it might be a surprise to see that those who park in a garage actually end up with higher costs on average."

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He suggested that the reason for inflated costs could be the trend of vehicles getting bigger, with a dramatic rise in SUV sales.

Insurers could be receiving a greater proportion of car insurance claims for scrapes and bumps when parking in a garage, prompting prices to rise.

"While parking in a garage could lead to more expensive premiums, we'd still suggest that drivers prioritise their vehicle's security when choosing where to leave their car overnight," Mr Banks said.

While they will need to pay slightly more, the added security benefits could save them money in the long run, especially if their car is stolen when parked on a driveway or the road.

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The most common parking spot remains the driveway, with almost two-thirds using the space in front of their house to leave their cars overnight.

One in five admitted to leaving their vehicle on the road outside of their homes, based on annual payment purchases between January 2023 and December 2025.

Mr Banks concluded: "If you have to claim, your premiums will likely go up as a result, meaning you could cancel out any savings you made by parking elsewhere in the first place.

“Ultimately, you should pick your parking spot based on where it's least likely to be damaged or stolen. If that means leaving it in the garage, even if it results in a slight rise in your premiums, it could be the better option in the long run."

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