Having been a long time reader of HJ in the Telegraph, I have picked up lots of money saving tips and hints so really should have been signed up here before.

In his latest column in the Telegraph an item called "Mum's the word" suggests that if a couple have two insurance policies and are slowing down and coming down to one car then they need to pick one of the policies and use it alone.

With our policies, originally both policies were in my name. While still with two cars, what we have done is use Aviva (they were cheapest so this was not the underlying reason for insuring with them, other companies may do similar) who after a couple of years allowed me to change one of the policies into her (my wife was a named driver) name. We now have two insurance policies in different names. When the time comes and we decide we neeed only one car then (as both NCDs are over 9 years) we will use the policies in alternate years (2 years until a NCD expires) until such time as one of us gives up driving. That way we keep both our respective policies alive and do not run the risk of having the wrong person give up motoring first. Unless someone knows why this would not work.

It does work - during my working career, I seemed to alternate between company car and own car, so we alternated between one and two cars - to keep both NCDs, we alternated each year during the single car periods - once I retired, we again came down to one car so did the same in case we changed back.