Annual mileage calculator
Overestimating your annual mileage when getting an insurance quote is easy to do, but it could mean you're paying too much for your car insurance. Use our calculator to work out your annual mileage and make sure you're paying the right amount.
How to use our annual mileage calculator
Simply tell us how many miles you drive during a typical weekday, at the weekend and factor in any one-off longer journeys, and we’ll crunch the numbers to tell you your annual mileage. You can then use that figure when getting a car insurance quote.
What happens if I underestimate my annual mileage?
Insurers use annual mileage to assess risk so if you underestimate your mileage significantly your insurer will assume you are at lower risk of having an accident and price your premium accordingly.
However, if you have an accident and need to make a claim then your insurer may not pay out when they find out your true mileage and your insurance might be cancelled. If your insurance is invalidated you aren’t legally allowed to drive and you may find it more difficult to get cover.
If, on the other hand, you’ve only underestimated your mileage by a small amount, say a few hundred or a thousand miles, then your insurer is likely to simply amend the policy and may require you to pay a higher amount to cover the extra miles.
Does overestimating my annual mileage affect my premium?
Yes, overestimating your mileage could increase your car insurance premiums. Ultimately, if you’re driving more miles, you’re more likely to have an accident, so it’s worth being as accurate as possible. According to our data, making sure your mileage is accurate could save you up to £414* versus stating a mileage that's too high.
Why do I need to know my annual mileage?
Annual mileage is an essential piece of information which you will need to provide to generate a car insurance quote and, ultimately, get cover. Insurers use the number of miles you drive each year (along with lots of other factors such as your age, where you live, your job, your claims history and the car you drive) to calculate risk and the price of your premium.
MoneySuperMarket data shows that if you’re a high-mileage driver (driving more than 20,000 miles a year), you’ll pay more for your car insurance. That’s because the more time you spend on the road the more likely you are to be involved in an accident, which means there is a greater likelihood your insurer will need to pay out.
If you know you’re a high-mileage driver you can take steps to reduce your risk such fitting telematics to your vehicle or simply driving fewer miles by walking, cycling, using public transport or using video conferencing instead of a face-to-face meetings, if possible. This may then lead to lower car insurance premiums.
Can I update my annual mileage if my circumstances change?
Yes, if your circumstances change - say, you move house or get a new job, which affects how many miles you drive - you should inform your insurance provider. They will then be able to calculate what impact, if any, this has on your car insurance premium. If you switch to working from home and do significantly fewer miles or stop doing business mileage so you no longer need business cover then it’s in your interest to let the insurer know as they may give you a rebate or reduce your monthly premium.
