Groupama applauds Government whiplash proposals
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Groupama applauds Government whiplash proposals
Groupama Insurances’ Head of Large and Complex Loss Karl Parr has welcomed the Government’s proposals to tackle false whiplash claims, and said that they should be applauded. Parr described the whiplash claim record in the UK as entirely disproportionate to the rest of Europe, adding that every policyholder was paying extra because of it. The [...]
£2.4bn of presents to be hidden in cars this year
by Richard Kilner
Story link: £2.4bn of presents to be hidden in cars this year
New research from Allianz Your Cover has found that Britons will hide Christmas presents worth a total of £2.4bn in their cars this year. The survey of 2,000 people found that 30% hid their presents in the car, and 28% left them on display and unsecured in the vehicle, heightening the risk of theft. Toys [...]
ABI welcomes Government moves on whiplash fraud
by Richard Kilner
Story link: ABI welcomes Government moves on whiplash fraud
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said that the Government is on the right track to respond to rising whiplash claims. ABI Head of Motor and Liability James Dalton responded to the publication of a Government consultation to tackle rising whiplash claims by saying the organisation was pleased the Government recognised the need for [...]
Drivers confused about drink drive limits
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Drivers confused about drink drive limits
LV= car insurance has commissioned research which reveals that the number of drivers who have driven whilst under the influence of alcohol has almost doubled since 2009. The vast majority (88%) realise drink driving affects their driving ability, but 15% nevertheless admit to having driven whilst over the legal limit. The rise in drink driving [...]
Telematics insurance becomes more popular
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Telematics insurance becomes more popular
Figures from car insurance comparison website Tiger.co.uk have revealed that telematics insurance policies are becoming increasingly popular with drivers aged 24 and under. Sales data from February to September 2012 indicates that younger drivers are increasingly opting for telematics policies, suggesting that the more affordable pricing weighs more heavily with drivers than the so-called ‘big [...]
One in three use mobile phones whilst driving
by Richard Kilner
Story link: One in three use mobile phones whilst driving
Every year an average of 100,000 motorists are fined for using a mobile phone whilst driving, according to a Freedom of Information request by insurer LV=. However, this indicates that just a fraction of mobile phone use is detected as 33% of motorists admit to using their phone whilst driving. More than three-quarters (77%) of [...]
Parents predict rise in children’s car insurance
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Parents predict rise in children’s car insurance
A third of parents who presently help their children pay car insurance premiums have indicated that they will stop doing so once the new EU Gender Directive comes into force. Research commissioned by Aviva also found that a third of parents would try finding their son or daughter a less expensive car and 44% stated [...]
Gender directive will not make insurance uncompetitive
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Gender directive will not make insurance uncompetitive
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has predicted that the insurance market will remain competitive after the coming into effect of the new gender ruling which will mean that gender cannot be used as a risk category to price insurance. ABI spokesperson Adeola Ajayi said that the organisation had lobbied against the change for almost [...]
ABI launches Campaign for Safe Young Drivers
by Richard Kilner
Story link: ABI launches Campaign for Safe Young Drivers
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has launched the Campaign for Safe Young Drivers to help reduce the number of accidents and casualties involving young drivers. The single biggest cause of accidental death for 15-24 year olds is dying in a car, and last year 5,419 people suffered death or serious injury in accidents involving [...]
Car insurance prices up 1.8% in November
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Car insurance prices up 1.8% in November
Car insurance comparison website Tiger.co.uk’s latest monthly price monitor, Tiger Watch, has revealed that car insurance prices have increased by 1.8% month-on-month. However, year-on-year prices have declined by an average of 5.4%. There is a clear age divide, with older motorists benefiting by prices that have fallen by up to 10%. At the same time [...]
uSwitch warns 24% of women could be priced off the road
by Richard Kilner
Story link: uSwitch warns 24% of women could be priced off the road
New research from uSwitch has found that almost a quarter (24%) of female drivers could be forced off the roads when the EU gender directive preventing gender being used as a risk factor for insurance comes into effect (on 21 December 2012). According to the research 13% of women drivers might be unable to afford [...]
Ecclesiastical withdraws from broker motor markets
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Ecclesiastical withdraws from broker motor markets
Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical has announced that it is to leave the UK broker motor markets across its Ecclesiastical and Ansvar brands, following a review of its UK motor business. The move will affect Ecclesiastical’s fleet and motor schemes books. The insurer will now work with individual brokers to manage the transfer of existing motor schemes [...]
Weak driver eyesight costs £33m a year
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Weak driver eyesight costs £33m a year
The UK incurs a cost of £33m due to the poor eyesight of drivers, according to a new report commissioned by RSA. The report is part of the insurer’s Fit to Drive campaign and seeks to raise awareness of the dangers related to driving with poor vision. RSA has called for the law to be [...]
Car insurance premiums hit two year low
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Car insurance premiums hit two year low
Car insurance comparison website Tiger.co.uk has revealed in its Tiger Watch survey for October that the cost of car insurance has declined by 3% compared to last month. Car insurance premiums have also fallen by 2.7% year-on-year, taking the cost to a two year low. The last six months have seen a significant drop in [...]
West Midlands drivers are least respectful
by Richard Kilner
Story link: West Midlands drivers are least respectful
Research commissioned by AXA car insurance has found that drivers in the West Midlands are the least respectful in Britain. The survey involved 2,000 drivers and found that those in Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton were least respectful and most likely to break rules whilst driving. Sheffield and Newcastle also featured in the bottom five cities [...]
Aviva warns of rising theft on Bonfire Night
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Aviva warns of rising theft on Bonfire Night
Aviva has warned that Bonfire Night is the worst day of the year for burglaries, with 25% more burglaries occurring than on a standard day. Gold and jewellery are particularly sought after, with a 33% rise in claims for them compared to the September/October average. Car thefts also spike during Guy Fawkes Night, during which [...]
Ageas backs calls for minimum road safety standards
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Ageas backs calls for minimum road safety standards
Ageas has announced it is supporting the Road Safety Foundation’s call for the Government to have minimum road safety standards at the heart of any reform following the finance and ownership review of the major road network. The Road Safety Foundation’s annual GB EuroRAP report found that there would be significant economic rewards from low-cost [...]
One in 14 car insurance claims are fraudulent
by Richard Kilner
Story link: One in 14 car insurance claims are fraudulent
The record rise in motor insurance fraud is due to phantom passengers and fake injuries, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Each week 865 dishonest motor insurance claims worth £10.4m are being found by insurers. The figures have been released a week after the ABI launched a new national database to help combat [...]
Car insurance premiums fall in September
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Car insurance premiums fall in September
Insurance comparison website Tiger.co.uk’s car insurance price monitor Tiger Watch has revealed that premiums in September declined by an average of 4% compared to the corresponding period last year. Car insurance premiums are now the same as they were two years ago, with drivers between 35 and 55 seeing the largest falls, with quotes down [...]
One millionth uninsured car is seized
by Richard Kilner
Story link: One millionth uninsured car is seized
The one millionth uninsured car on Britain’s roads has been seized by West Midlands police, Bluefin has reported. The West Midlands force has been utilising automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to help it crack down on the uninsured, and has reported an average seizure rate of one vehicle per hour. Since 2005, when the [...]
