Yes Insurance Media Centre for Insurance News

'Six million have switched car insurance in last six months'

08/05/2008 15:21:25

More than six million people have decided to change their car insurance cover provider over the last six months, it has been reported.

According to research from MoneyExpert.com, some 14 per cent of motorists have moved companies in pursuit of a better deal in the previous half-year.

It added that £682 is the average annual amount paid for a car insurance deal in the UK, with a ten per cent increase expected in the next 12 months.

MoneyExpert.com founder Sean Gardner commented that in car insurance "loyalty does not pay".

"With over 35,000 people switching car insurance provider every hour it seems that the nation is catching on to the situation and voting with their feet," said the expert.

Meanwhile, recent research from Motorpoint found that 60 per cent of people looking to purchase a new car will be buying a vehicle more environmentally-friendly than their previous model.

Speeding crackdown catches out Suffolk drivers

08/05/2008 11:35:24

Motorists in Suffolk have been caught breaking the speed limit as part of a rogue driving crackdown by police, according to a local news source.

The Suffolk Free Press has stated that more than 1,800 drivers were found to be in breach of road rules during the week-long initiative.

Van drivers who are caught over the limit may receive a fixed penalty notice, which could in turn affect the cost of their van insurance policies if cover firms see them as a risk.

Sergeant Steve Knight from the county's roads policing unit commented that the campaign's aim is to improve safety in the area.

He said: "The campaign was well-publicised and there still seems to be a significant number of drivers who have failed to grasp the concept that speed kills."

This comes as rapper and movie star DMX was this week caught breaking the speed limit and behaving recklessly on an Arizona road.

Leeds officers target rogue parkers

08/05/2008 09:50:30

Police officers in Leeds have motorists parking dangerously in their sights, according to a local news source.

The Yorkshire Evening Post has stated that drivers in the area are continuing to leave their vehicles in an inconvenient manner despite warnings from officials.

It may be that those caught out find that their car insurance policies become compromised, as cover firms could consider a roads conviction indicative of a dangerous motorist.

Leeds North West Inner Neighbourhood Policing Team inspector Ian Croft commented that some drivers have been blocking disabled access to area.

He added: "We will continue our work over the next few weeks and want to warn motorists that this type of offending will be dealt with positively."

This comes after the news source earlier this month revealed that 13 motorists are found by police using a mobile phone behind the wheel every day in the region.

MoT 'failed by 20% cars under three years old'

07/05/2008 14:49:12

One in five cars less than three years old fails its first MoT assessment, new figures have shown.

IAM Motoring Trust has pointed to statistics from the Freedom of Information Act which show that 21.6 per cent of automobiles did not pass the test first time around.

Failing an MoT test could hamper a motorist's chances of picking up a cheap car insurance policy, as firms could judge their vehicle to be dangerous and increase prices.

According to IAM Trust director Neil Greig, British motorists could be getting a poor deal when it comes to the assessments.

He said: "The high UK failure rates may argue against relaxing our MoT testing regime from three to four years on road-safety grounds. But do we have the full picture?"

UK law states that it is illegal for motorists to take to the road in a vehicle which has not passed its MoT assessment.

Motorists 'could save under new government plan'

07/05/2008 11:40:37

Savings could be made by motorists in the UK under new plans set to be introduced by the government, it has been reported.

This week, transport secretary Ruth Kelly met with officials from the car insurance industry to discuss changes to the requirements before people are awarded a full driving licence, the Times has reported.

According to the news source, motorists who continue to take lessons to improve their road skills after they pass their test could save money on their car insurance policies.

However, it added that fewer than 10,000 of the 500,000 who pick up their full licences each year choose to do so.

"We want people to go on improving their driving skills throughout their driving careers. This is about creating the right sort of education and incentivising people to do it," remarked a Department for Transport source.

The Times this week reported that teenagers will soon be able to take a BTEC in driving science.

It is hoped that the initiative will cut road safety collisions involving young people.

North Devon police launch anti-litter crackdown

07/05/2008 10:38:58

Council officials in North Devon have launched a scheme in order to tidy up roads in the region, according to a local news source.

The North Devon Gazette has reported that the district council has set up teams in order to clean up the A361 close to Tiverton.

It may be that drivers caught throwing rubbish from their vehicles find that they pick up a more expensive car insurance policy in the future, as cover firms could view their actions as dangerous.

According to councillor and lead member for waste and recycling Rodney Cann, the highway marks an "important gateway" to the area and should be kept in order.

"We have worked really hard to clean up the road in time for the busy holiday season but some drivers are continuing to act irresponsibly and undo all our hard work," he said.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England recently claimed that litterers are causing Chester to become an eyesore, the Chester Chronicle has reported.

Police report more than 40,000 north-east drivers without cover

06/05/2008 11:46:23

More than 40,000 motorists are taking to the road in the north-east without a car insurance policy, it has been claimed.

Northumbria Police have produced the statistics, claiming that the number has quadrupled over figures from 2004.

In addition, last year there were 3,198 collisions on roads in the region involving vehicles without car or van insurance.

Furthermore, the constabulary commented that one in five automobiles travelling in the area did not have cover.

Martin Cull from Motor Insurers' Bureau stated that cost should not be an issue when taking out car or van insurance.

"Some of them say their car isn't worth very much, so there's no point in insuring it ... But insurance is not about value, it's about the risk of injury to yourself and others," he said.

Last month, officials in Darlington ran Operation Siren, in which drivers were given the option of viewing a road safety presentation if caught breaking road rules, according to the Darlington and Stockton Times.

Insurance industry 'will be aided by technology'

02/05/2008 16:17:23

The insurance industry will be making use of the latest technology in order to move forward in the future, an industry body has claimed.

According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), black box technology which records a driver's movements has already been launched in Staffordshire.

The group commented that such technology could soon be used across the car insurance industry in order to ensure that motorists receive the right premiums to suit their driving.

Malcolm Tarling, spokesman for the ABI, remarked that this method would be of benefit to safer drivers and a hindrance to dangerous road users.

He said: "Insurers will certainly use advances in technology and the goal that they are always trying to achieve is to ensure that the price that they charge for insurance reflects the actual risk."

Meanwhile, Moneyexpert.com has stated that there has been a rise of six per cent in car insurance premium costs across the sector.

Merseyside motorists caught using phones

02/05/2008 16:16:00

Police in Merseyside have revealed the number of drivers it caught breaking the law by using a mobile phone behind the wheel in 2006.

The constabulary has stated that it found 8,800 people violating the rules in such a manner during the course of the year, according to the Liverpool Daily Post.

Department for Transport officials last year introduced new legislation under which motorists can be hit with a £60 fine and three-point driving licence penalty if they are found using their phone behind the wheel.

And it may be that a conviction has a serious effect on a car insurance policy, as cover firms could choose to increase costs if they see a driver as a liability.

"By alerting motorists to the dangers of driving while using a mobile phone, we hope to show the motoring public our commitment in enforcement of road traffic offences," commented chief inspector Chris Markey.

Figures from the Department for Transport show that 3,150 people were killed on highways in the UK during 2006.

Credit crunch 'defied by smarter car buyers'

01/05/2008 15:52:10

British motorists are defying the credit crunch by picking up deals which protect the value of cars they purchase, it has been claimed.

Car supermarket company Motorpoint has stated that Personal Contract Plans (PCP) - finance deals guaranteeing the value of a vehicle over a fixed term - are a popular choice among buyers.

It may be that such long-term savings prove to be a sensible option - helping motorists when it comes to paying for a car insurance policy or road tax bills.

Motorpoint spokesperson John Gillespie commented that vehicle depreciation is usually a shock for motorists.

"A good PCP scheme enables a customer to budget precisely and means that market forces that the customer cannot control will not leave them out of pocket when they come to change vehicles," said Mr Gillespie.

Meanwhile, Car Parts Direct has commented that a two or three year old car could prove to be a more cost-efficient option for buyers than a new vehicle.

Face-to-face travel planning 'preferable to some'

01/05/2008 15:51:03

People looking to book a holiday this year may find booking through a travel agent a more desirable method than going online, according to new research.

The 'human' approach is preferred by one-fifth of holidaymakers in the UK, consumer body Which Holiday? has stated.

It may also be that a more personal approach to booking is also the best way for travellers to take out a travel insurance policy.

Katie Shipp, researcher for the group, commented that the face-to-face method is best for those who are not tech-savvy and comfortable when it comes to using the internet.

She said: "There are still people out there who like to use a travel agent ... They just prefer to deal with people face to face."

Meanwhile, research from TravelMole has shown that Tunisia and Egypt are becoming more popular with British holidaymakers than destinations on the continent.

A year of lessons for young drivers, says ABI

01/05/2008 10:11:00

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) believes that motorists new to the road should undertake a year of lessons before attaining their driving licence.

According to the national insurance body, drivers should learn to get to grips with varying conditions over the 12-month period in order to ensure they are ready for the highways.

It may be that such precautions keep people from claiming on their car insurance policies in the future.

Malcolm Tarling, spokesperson for the ABI, commented that the group is to lobby very hard for changes to be made to the law.

"What we'd like to see is young drivers getting more experience before they actually sit their driving test, rather than taking their driving test and then, in effect, learning to drive," commented the official.

The ABI recently claimed that the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving are "very clear".

Trees 'can pose problems to homeowners'

30/04/2008 14:57:42

People who own homes in the UK have been warned of the danger trees can cause to their property.

Sainsbury's has advised homeowners to make sure that they plant vegetation a suitable distance away from the building.

It added that only the most appropriate trees should be picked for a garden - which is as much aesthetic advice as it is practical.

However, it may be that such tips save people money, as the company has revealed that the industry pays out nearly £5 million per week on subsidence home insurance claims.

According to Neil Laird from the company, a "well thought-out garden can also add significant value to your property".

He said: "It's great news that so many of us are good-intentioned when it comes to planting trees, but it's important that we don't put our properties at unnecessary risk of subsidence."

Last year, research from Sainsbury's asserted that the number of people taking out insurance policies online is growing.

Small car users 'may be at risk'

30/04/2008 14:54:28

People in the UK driving smaller vehicles may be at a greater risk of being injured in a collision, new research has indicated.

According to a study from Thatcham, city cars give motorists the least amount of protection from debilitating whiplash injuries they can pick up in a crash.

It added that 25 per cent of smaller vehicles have inadequate seat design, which may be good news for people driving larger vehicles such as vans who are looking to preserve their van insurance policies.

This may mean that people in smaller cars are more likely to compromise their car insurance policies as a result of their vehicle choice.

Research manager at Thatcham Matthew Avery remarked that good seat design should not be limited to high-value vehicles.

"This latest set of results will hopefully act as a catalyst for vehicle manufacturers to look at improving seat and head restraints design within this important and growing sector," said the official.

Earlier this year, Thatcham was awarded the Best Safety Initiative prize at the Fleet News Awards for its Body Repair Kitemark scheme.

Advice issued over pet insurance

29/04/2008 15:23:06

Potential pet owners have been told to seriously consider the cost of looking after an animal before taking the plunge by a consumer group.

Sainsbury's Finance has completed analysis which found that owning a dog bought in 2007 cost just under £9,000.

Factored into the cost is food, pet insurance and any equipment that may be necessary, including a kennel or lead.

Steve Johnson, head of pet insurance at Sainsbury's Finance, commented that it is "important" that people think about the money involved before picking up a pet.

"The good news is that owners can help alleviate some of the financial burden and cost of veterinary bills by purchasing pet insurance at the point of buying their pet. Pet insurance need not be expensive," he said.

Meanwhile, a community centre in Spire has offered sponsored dog walks as a way to fund repairs at Wroughton Parish Hall, according to the Swindon Advertiser.