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News in Car Insurance
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Drivers warned to watch out for cyclists
Motorists are being warned to watch out for cyclists as research has revealed that many bike riders are jumping red lights.
A survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) found that 57 per cent of cyclists admitted to jumping red light once, while 14 per cent said they did it on a regular basis.
Despite the number of road deaths being at an all-time low, statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) showed that pedal cycle fatalities rose by seven per cent in 2009 and the IAM wants motorists to be aware that some cyclists may flout the rules.
The main reason for jumping red lights was to get ahead of traffic, which 38 per cent of cyclists admitted to, however 54 per cent of bike riders wanted others to abide by the Highway Code.
IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "Cyclists are right to feel that roads are not cycle friendly enough, and this is reflected in their behaviour. But while poor junction design, inconsistent cycle paths and inconsiderate drivers put cyclists at risk." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 16 May 2012
Motorists urged to haggle over car insurance
Getting the best deal on car insurance is imperative for British motorists and drivers are now being encouraged to haggle with providers to ensure they get value for money.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has advised car owners to shop around for the best deal or try haggling with their current policy holder to see if they can get a more attractive agreement on their vehicle's protection plan.
Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the IAM, believes that motorists can reduce their premiums by either taking the company's certified test, increasing their excess or cutting back on their annual mileage.
Chancellor George Osborne announced in his spring Budget that there was set to be a 3p rise of fuel duty in August forcing drivers to look at ways to make savings.
Mr Greig said: "When buying insurance the key is to shop around or haggle with your existing supplier. All companies are competing for business and you should never accept the first figure." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 16 May 2012
RAC: Black box could benefit younger drivers
Help could be at hand for younger drivers as a new black box telematics device could be a factor in reducing car insurance premiums, according to the RAC.
Many new motorists are struggling to afford the upkeep of a vehicle due to rising fuel prices and the cost of insurance premiums, however the RAC believes that the black box 'trackers' could significantly help drivers to afford a car.
The telematics devices assess motorists' performance and rewards them for good driving habits and can lower car insurance prices accordingly. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Tue 15 May 2012
Motorists leaving the car at home due to rising fuel tax
Rising fuel tax is causing motorists to take fewer journeys and forcing some off the road altogether, according to a new survey.
A poll by the Post Office found that Brits are now looking to make savings wherever they can and using their car less is one of the ways in which they are attempting to preserve valuable funds.
According to the survey, 46 per cent of motorists are now not going out in their vehicle as much as they used to, with the rising price of fuel being highlighted as the main cause for concern, swiftly by high insurance premiums and uninsured drivers.
In chancellor George Osborne's spring Budget he revealed that there is set to be another rise in fuel duty in August, which will see prices rise by 3p.
Gerry Barrett, head of insurance at Post Office, said: "For many drivers, their car is their lifeline and many people rely on their car every day. It is not surprising that motorists are becoming increasingly worried about rising fuel prices and the general cost of running their car." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Tue 15 May 2012
Fifth of vehicles fail first MOT
Purchasing a new car can be a joy for many Brits, but new research has found that the feeling can turn to disappointment if it fails its first MOT.
Consumer group website Honest John studied 24.5 million vehicles and discovered that one in five cars bought in 2008 failed their first MOT three years after the original purchase.
Of the cars researched, the company found that French manufacturers such as Renault, Peugeot and Citroen performed the worse. The former's Megane model, registered in 2008, only had a pass rate of 71 per cent, while the likes of Honda, Lexus and Suzuki were all top performers.
The price of petrol is due to take another rise, by 3p, in August putting car owners under more pressure than ever before and the last thing a driver wants is for their vehicle to fail its MOT.
Daniel Harrison, editor of honestjohn.co.uk, said: "Hard-pressed families can take this information and use it to ensure that they’re not failing a MoT on something that can be easily fixed beforehand." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Mon 14 May 2012
Satnavs most important gadget for drivers
Conventional map reading is now considered a thing of the past as drivers cannot live without their satnavs.
In Auto Express Product Awards' the navigational system scooped the Readers' Award as many motorists are throwing away their old A to Z books, which have been lifesavers in the past, and turning to digital devices.
The satnav was voted as being the must-have in-car gadget ensuring that motorists do not get lost while driving along Britain's highways. Among the gadgets the Garmin nüLink! 1695LMU was voted as the best device.
According to a survey by Saga in February, satnavs were voted as the top device that older people take on holiday with them to help avoid taking a wrong turn while abroad. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Thu 10 May 2012
Drug-driving targeted by the govt
Driving while under the influence of drugs is being targeted in a new initiative by the government.
As the part of the Queen's Speech, legislation will be unveiled for harsher penalties and making drug-driving an offence while ridding the current regulation where police have to prove that narcotics have affected a driver's performance.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has already backed the initiative with the organisation's chief executive Simon Best claiming that the introduction of a "drugalyser test" would help but needed a form of impairment to go alongside it.
Road safety minister Mike Penning said: "Drug drivers are a deadly menace, they must be stopped and that is exactly what I intend to do. The new offence sends out a clear message that if you drive whilst under the influence of drugs you will not get away with it."
Offenders could now face up to six months imprisonment and a potential fine of £5,000 under the new rules. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Thu 10 May 2012
Brake supports new law on drug driving
Road safety charity Brake has added its support to the announcement of a new law on drug driving. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Tue 8 May 2012
Road safety falls down the council agenda
Road safety is seemingly dropping down the list of priorities for councils across England as many are slashing the budget of this sector. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Fri 4 May 2012
Classic car owners urged to take out right paperwork
Classic car owners are being warned that they could potentially be breaking the law if they do not have the correct paperwork in place.
Research by insurance broker Footman James revealed that 35 per cent of owners could be at risk of prosecution if they take their vehicle off the road without applying for a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN).
A survey conducted by the company asked 3,500 classic car owners if they were aware of the implications and process involved when taking a vehicle off the road and found that eight per cent admitted to not knowing what action needs to be taken and therefore had not applied for a SORN.
Brits love their classic cars, with website Savvy Row putting the likes of the Jaguar Mk II and Bentley S3 among the nation's favourites, adding further weight to Footman James' advice to protect their vehicle.
Andy Fairchild, Footman James' managing director, said: "We hope the owners are retaining their existing on-road insurance policy particularly if they are only planning to take their pride and joy off the road for a few months as otherwise they are in danger of breaking the law." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Thu 3 May 2012
Whiplash claims hitting drivers in the pocket
The UK's whiplash culture is costing motorists as insurance premiums soar as a result of increased claims.
Research by the AA has found that for every whiplash case adds £90 on to the average car insurance price and costs the UK's insurers £2 billion a year and it has prompted the group to call upon the government to put a stop to this trend.
It comes after ministers met at Whitehall to reveal new reforms which aims to put a definitive end to those taking advantage of these injuries. The main threat is from people falsifying claims and reporting that a greater injury was caused when in reality it was only a minor problem.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said: "The present dysfunctional system has also spawned a fraudulent multi-million pound 'cash for crash' industry. Reform can't come soon enough. It is wrong that injury claims are rising while the number of accidents on Britain's roads is falling."
In February, prime minister David Cameron vowed to end the culture which he believed made the UK the "whiplash capital of Europe". More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Thu 3 May 2012
GEM looks improve the courtesy on Britain's roads
GEM Motoring Assist has added to its Courtesy on the Road campaign by including guidance on mobile phones. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 2 May 2012
Driving on the phone can see insurance soar
Many Brits regard their mobile phone as one of the most important gadgets in their life, but chatting away while behind the wheel could have major consequences.
The act is a criminal offence and research by the AA has found that insurance companies take a dim view of a mobile phone related conviction and premiums could rise by as much as 20 per cent as a result.
In the UK, 170,000 people are caught every year on their phone while behind the wheel and it comes with a fine up to £1,000 as well as a potential driving disqualification.
The AA revealed that insurers punish motorists more for mobile phone offences than speeding fines which would only result in a 9.3 per cent rise in the cost of premiums.
Ian Crowder, AA spokesman, said: "It might seem severe but when operating a mobile phone you don't have both hands on the steering wheel, you aren't looking fully at the road and can’t change gears safely." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 2 May 2012
British drivers choosing smaller cars
When it comes to buying a car, size matters for UK motorists as a survey has found that the smaller the vehicle the better.
Confused.com revealed that Brits are becoming more fuel conscious and the car they choose to buy is a direct cause of the rising cost of petrol. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Mon 30 Apr 2012
Young drivers distracted by smartphone apps
Smartphone apps maybe all the rage at the moment but they are becoming a distraction for younger drivers.
A recent survey by RoadSafe has found that 58 per cent of youthful motorists believe that the apps can become distracting. With the temptation of Facebook, Twitter and even the popular Angry Birds game just the tap of a finger away, many drivers cannot help but check their phones while behind the wheel.
RoadSafe's survey found that 40 per cent had replied to a message while driving, whereas one in six males have had a crash due to using a mobile phone on the UK's roads.
Hands-free kits are widely believed to help reduce this problem but 53 per cent of young drivers admitted to having longer conversations while using these devices.
RoadSafe chief executive Richard King said: "We're in the middle of a perfect storm, where the rapid growth of social media and mobile is creating a new breed of in-car distraction." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Fri 27 Apr 2012
Brits flouting traffic offences
While the sight of a parking ticket can be one of the most infuriating things for any drivers, many are managing to avoid paying them.
A survey by Sheilas' Wheels has found the one in 12 Brits successfully manage to appeal a parking ticket with the most common excuse being that the "regulations were not clear" enough.
However, while this reason may seem innocent enough there are some UK drivers that are far sneakier, dodging any parking regulation, and 22 per cent believe that flouting the rules is not an illegal offence.
As many are suffering from the rising price of fuel, which is due to be bumped up again in August, people are looking to cut back on costs associated with running a vehicle.
Men were found to be craftier in their attempts to avoid fines with an alarming 11 per cent sticking a parking ticket on their windscreen in a bid to dodge any further charges.
Jacky Brown, at Sheilas' Wheels car insurance, said: "Flouting parking regulations has become a game of cat and mouse between many motorists and parking wardens and often involves people who would never consider themselves as law-breakers." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Fri 27 Apr 2012
Worn tyre dangers exposed
Motorists are being urged to check the amount of tread on their tyres as they could be putting their own lives in jeopardy.
Campaign group TyreSafe has issued a warning to all drivers that by travelling on part-worn tyres they could be running the risk of a serious accident as the wheels may not be able to grip the road properly during poor weather conditions.
The organisation underwent an investigation that involved purchasing 50 random tyres and found that one third of all those they bought contained potentially dangerous forms of damage or non-compliance.
Despite the amount of road accidents in 2010 being at their lowest ever level, TyreSafe has warned motorists about the dangers of driving of poorly maintained tyres.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of the campaign group, said: "Not only are drivers putting their own lives at risk, but they are also endangering their passengers, which in many cases may be their children, and other road users." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Thu 26 Apr 2012
Car insurance prices begin to slow
Motorists feeling the pressure of affording the up keep of their vehicle have been given a boost as car insurance premium hikes have slowed.
According to the AA's British Insurance Premium Index, the typical Shoparound policy quote had fallen by 1.1 per cent to £1,132 while the "market average" stood at £1,452.
At the year ending March 31st premiums had risen by 7.7 per cent over the past 12 months, which represented the smallest increase since 2008, providing great news for those that have been struggling to afford the costs associated with their vehicle.
Many motorists have had a tough time recently with the price of petrol soaring past the 140p barrier with a further 3p fuel duty rise due to be implemented in August.
However, the AA warned that these positive figures will not last forever.
Simon Douglas, director of the company, said: "I can't see this drop in premiums being sustainable for long. My fear is that if prices do continue to drop, we'll see a repeat of 2009, when industry losses led to premiums suddenly rocketing up following a long period of little movement." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 25 Apr 2012
Drivers need to be more aware of motorbikes
Motorists are being advised to be more conscientious of other road users while out on the UK's highways.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) Drive & Survive's latest guidelines are offering advice on how car owners can live in perfect harmony with cyclists and motor bike riders while on the road.
According to Simon Elstow, the group's head of training, if drivers keep an eye out for cyclists it will help reduce the amount of accidents that happen each year.
Mr Elstow also highlighted that mirrors are the key weapon in helping to maintain a harmonious road network, with drivers told to watch out for other motorists when making movements, especially on the motorway.
He said: "Sharing the road is an inevitable part of using it, as is the frustration that sometimes goes with that. But most road users don’t only use one mode of transport, so use that knowledge to be a bit more patient."
On the M62, one of the busiest roads in the country, chevrons have been painted on the surface in a bid to reduce collisions and to ensure that cars keep the correct distance apart. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 25 Apr 2012
