The worst time of day to buy car insurance

Around 8.7 million people, or 27% of the workforce, are night-time workers - who don't follow the 9-5 routine, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

But if you tend to do certain 'life admin' tasks - such as shopping for car insurance - at odd hours, there's a chance you could be paying a hefty penalty. 

Here, we'll show you how much extra you could be paying if you buy cover in the middle of the night, and how else your timing can affect your quote.

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How prices change overnight

Using a leading comparison website, we ran eight sets of quotes for a London-based driver across a 24-hour period. 

We were offered our cheapest prices during the daytime. 

They then rose, peaking at 3am-4am - when they were £81 (18%) higher than prices we'd received between 9am and 6pm. They'd dropped again by 6am the following morning.

While the cheapest prices we were quoted rose by a fifth, other policies seemed more dramatically affected by the timing of the quote. 

The price of the AA's Silver policy rose by 109% from £515 (between 9am and midnight) to £1,078 after 3am - halving again by 6am the following morning.

There were similar (though smaller) patterns with quotes from the UK's two largest car insurers - Admiral and Direct Line (via its Churchill brand).

• Find out more: Best car insurance companies in the UK 2025 

Why the small hours bring big prices

The AA - which functions as an insurance broker - told us fraud was more common at unsociable hours, so some wary underwriters either don't offer quotes at those times, or raise their prices.

A spokesperson said 'We know there are legitimate customers entitled to good value throughout the day, including during unsociable hours,' adding that the industry is trying to resolve the issue by tackling fraud.

Meanwhile, Admiral, whose prices rose less sharply (up £78 - or 18% - between 6pm and 3am), confirmed 'The time of day someone gets a quote is something we consider when calculating a premium and it can have an impact on the price returned.

'Our extensive previous claims data shows that people quoting late at night or in the early hours of the morning have historically had more claims and claims of a higher average cost than someone who quotes during the day, hence why the price we quote may be higher.'

However, the spokesperson added that the time of day a quote is run won't necessarily have the same effect on all drivers' quotes - as it 'will depend on all the other rating factors, none of which work in isolation.'  

'You might see prices increase by up to 123%'

Not all insurers hike their prices late at night, but comparison websites we spoke with confirmed that prices generally rise in the small hours.

Quotezone said that average prices obtained between midnight and 6am are 22% higher than quotes offered at other times - and that this pattern holds for drivers of all ages. 

Confused.com also told us its data 'shows that the cheapest car insurance premiums are often available between 7am and 9am. Conversely, if you're getting a quote between midnight and 2am, you might see prices increase by up to 123%.'

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'An indicator of higher risk'

Both comparison sites pointed to various factors that could account for some of these trends. 

Some changes in average prices can be explained by the profiles of customers who more often run quotes at certain parts of the day or night - for example, those who use their cars for different purposes or have different kinds of job.

Changes in demand for cover at certain times, concern around fraud by insurers, and fewer returning quotes can also tie in. 

However, Quotezone's Greg Wilson speculated that insurers may have identified the time of day customers run quotes as 'an indicator of higher risk', and advised that 'it's best to compare quotes during normal daytime hours, in a bid to find savings.' 

How else the timing of your quote matters 

Avoiding unsociable hours when shopping around for cover isn't the only matter of timing that can affect your insurance price.

Generally speaking, the more last minute you are about buying your car or home insurance, the costlier it will be. 

According to research from Go.Compare, the cheapest day to buy car insurance is 26 days in advance of your renewal date. 

For the average driver, this is over £200 cheaper than cover bought on the day it commences.

• Find out more: See our packed guide of ways to get cheaper car insurance.