If you know which factors car insurers use to generate risk profiles, you can use that knowledge to influence it in your favour.

Naturally, they're quite cagey about revealing ''commercially sensitive'' info about the weighting given to various factors. But with the advice of a couple of insurers and some industry insiders, we can set some general rules to slash insurance payments or at least explain why the bill is what it is.

Because the majority of claims are for glass, Consumer New Zealand deputy chief executive David Naulls reckons it's important to have automatic windscreen or glass cover in the policy. That way, you can get minor repairs fixed without putting your driving record at risk.

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