AA offer new insurance products for motor trade

aa_logo

Leading roadside assistance provider, the AA, have launched a new insurance product aimed at the motor trade. The move will see the AA expand their commercial insurance range offering a wider choice of cover and policies aimed at those in the motor industry.

The new range is being offered as part of an arrangement with leading independent business insurance broker, Bollington. The exclusive agreement will see the AA offering a range of services for recovery operators, those involved in the taxi, private hire and motor trade, and also repairers and those operating self drive hire fleets will benefit from the new range of policies on offer.

These newly launched products are in addition to the existing policies offered by the AA which include van and commercial vehicle cover.

The AA have described the move as a “natural extension” of their existing services, adding that there’s a greater need in the current climate to tailor insurance policies to meet the specific needs of the policy holder, and this is especially apparent in the motor trade. The AA believes that the introduction of their new range of policies will enable those working within the industry to tailor their cover to their requirements.

As well as being one of the most recognised roadside recovery agents in the UK, the AA also offer route planner facilities and the latest traffic news to driver, as well as motor insurance for private drivers and those in the motor trade.

Scottish police stage crackdown on car insurance dodgers

car-insurance-keys

The Scottish police forced staged a 3-day long intensive crackdown on car insurance dodgers over the August bank holiday weekend. The operation, which was coordinated in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS), used the very latest technology, including sophisticated registration plate recognition systems, to help seek out drivers using the roads without legitimate car insurance on their vehicle.

With increased police powers, the authorities are able to dole out on-the-spot fines of £200 to anyone caught driving without motor insurance. However the heaviest penalty for anyone caught dodging insurance stands at a fine of £5,000 and also as the addition of 8 points on a licence. In the most serious cases, police can have the uninsured vehicle removed and even destroyed as a result of the driver not having taken out motor insurance.

The tougher penalties for uninsured drivers are part of a UK wide drive to stamp out the practice of driving a vehicle without cover. Recent statistics show that uninsured drivers pose a major safety risk as they are involved in accidents which have caused 160 deaths over the last year, and smashes which have caused 23,000 injuries. Drivers without insurance also cost the economy a whopping £500 million every year.

In addition to the worrying statistics mentioned above, the police have found that uncovering a driver with an uninsured vehicle is often the tip of the iceberg as these motorists are often involved in other criminal activities.

As more and more police forces stage clamp downs on uninsured drivers across the UK, the warning is clear, car insurance dodging will not be tolerated, and those caught doing so will face tough penalties.

Van drivers more likely to keep their vehicles clean says insurer

cleaning-car

Van insurance provider Swinton Commercial has revealed that van drivers are more likely to keep their vehicles clean, and to tidy them more regularly, than car drivers.

As part of an online survey of 1,200 online customers, 45% of van drivers said they would use a bucket and sponge to give their vans a proper clean, whereas only 25% of car drivers would adopt this traditional elbow grease method to clean their vehicle. 27% of van drivers would also use a roadside valet service to ensure their vehicle is spick and span.

The online survey conducted by the insurance company found that van drivers are more likely than any other driver to keep their vehicle clean with 39% regularly cleaning their vehicle, whereas only 15% of car drivers would clean their car this regularly.

Swinton Insurance believes van drivers’ attention to cleanliness is down to the fact that most van drivers and self employed, and so a clean van is a good advert for their business. The insurance provider added that a clean vehicle is a safer vehicle, especially if the rear and front windows are kept clean so visibility is clear, and there is nothing to obstruct the view while driving.

Almost half of motorists at risk of frost jacking attack

car-thief

Almost half of all UK motorists are putting themselves at serious risk of frost jacking attacks as a recent survey found that 47% of drivers regularly leave their car unattended with the keys in the ignition while they wait for their vehicle to warm up during cold weather.

The research was conducted by insurance provider Swiftcover.com and found that 47% of motorists in the UK regularly leave their engine to warm up and windscreen to clear while they wait inside their house to keep warm.

However the insurance company is warning that this practice is extremely dangerous as it estimates that thefts totally £12.7 million occur every year as a result of drivers leaving their cars unattended during icy weather conditions.

What many motorists don’t realise either is, if their car is stolen as a result of their keys being left inside the vehicle, it’s highly unlikely their insurance policy will cover them. This means that a high number of British motorists are leaving themselves open to car theft, and also the possibility of invalidating their car insurance policy as a result of this practice.

Consumer watchdogs and insurance providers are warning motorists to be vigilant in the face of frost jackers and to not leave themselves open to such an attack with lacks security. One of the bosses at Swiftcover believes a “it won’t happen to me” mentality is to blame for the 47% of people leaving cars unattended during the cold, but warned that the threat is very real and can happen to anyone, in any part of the UK.

Changes to car insurance rules could make it illegal to not have breakdown cover

Car-Breakdown

Under proposed changes to car insurance legislation, it would become illegal to not have breakdown car insurance cover in place on your vehicle. At present, it’s considered illegal to keep a vehicle with valid motor insurance, however there are no rules on breakdown insurance.

The new proposals put forward by the coalition government would change the current system by making it a legal requirement to hold a valid breakdown insurance policy on a motor vehicle.

The British Insurance Brokers Association has welcomed the news as they believe it will encourage a responsibility culture amongst UK motorists and also create a “fairer system” for honest and conscientious drivers.

The penalties for being caught in possession of a car without a valid breakdown insurance policy have not yet been specified.

The change would come under the Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) regulations, legislation which the BIBA have been fighting for since 2004.

As well as changing the law on breakdown cover, the CIE regulations are also considering a change to the rules on uninsured drivers which would mean a car owner could be charged for simply owning a vehicle without adequate car insurance, whereas currently, the driver must be caught behind the wheel of the illegal vehicle for police to be able to take action.

2010 was a record year for car insurance price hikes

Brand-New-Cars

It’s official, the figures are out and they have revealed what we all suspected: 2010 was the worst year for car insurance price increases.

On average the figures showed that premiums rose by 38% which translates into an extra £200 being added to the cost of cover. However the situation was even worse for those with Third Party, Fire and Theft policies as these saw an increase of 56% on average.

While the age bracket 17-21 are typically worst hit by price hikes in car insurance, it appears that this was not the case during the last 12 months as the group which reported the biggest rise in car insurance rates was those aged between 51-55 years.

However it’s been suggested that parents adding their children on their car insurance policy were responsible for the majority of these increases, possibility as a knock on effect of the high rates of cover for drivers in the younger age bracket.

The rise in the cost of car insurance during 2010 was triple the increase reported during the previous year. The average cost of annual car insurance across the board of age brackets now stands at £695, which is up £200 on the average cost of car insurance in 2009.

Car insurance price comparison sites are now becoming increasingly popular as motorists are more inclined to shop around for cheaper deals on cover as they attempt to beat the rise in premiums.

Avoid potholes to avoid cars insurance claims

potholes

Following the freezing temperatures which have blighted Britain this winter, the AA is warning motorists to avoid the increasing number of potholes which are cropping up on UK roads as a result of the big freeze if they want to avoid causing damage to their vehicles.

The arctic weather conditions which hit the UK before Christmas are taking their toll on roads as the frozen temperatures have caused surfaces to crumble creating dangerous potholes.

The UK experienced a similarly harsh winter last year, the effect of which was felt by insurance companies who reported receiving three times as many claims between January and March of 2010 for damage caused by potholes when compared to the same time period the previous year.

Some of these car insurance claims have been for as much as £1,300. Problems which arise as a result of awkward collisions with potholes include damage to wheels, suspension, and exterior bodywork.

Experts believe the problem of potholes may be further exacerbated this year due to the backlog of roads waiting to have potholes repaired as the UK has now experienced two successive years of freezing weather conditions.

As a result, insurance companies are now bracing themselves for a flurry of car insurance claims relating to damage caused by potholes.

The advice being given to motorists is to avoid driving through potholes if possible as the after effect of doing so could prove costly.

Crackdown on uninsured cars could spell good news for honest motorists

car-insurance-keys

A planned crackdown on uninsured cars planned for 2011 could spell good news for honest drivers as this has the potential to lead to reduced car insurance rates.

Up to 1 million people could potentially be hit with fines of up to £1,000 during the campaign which will aim to take uninsured cars and their drivers off the UK roads.

If a proposed change in legislation on uninsured vehicles goes ahead, it would be an offence to simply own an uninsured car, whereas currently the owner needs to be caught driving the uninsured car for legal action to taken against them.

The proposed new legislation, known as Continuous Insurance Enforcement, is expected to get the green light within the next few weeks. If this does go ahead, all car owners who are not registered on the Insurance Database or DVLA system will be issued letters warning them that if they don’t get adequate motor insurance in place, the car can be clamped or they will be hit with a hefty fine.

If the scheme is successful, motorists could see the cost of car insurance premiums fall. Car insurance policyholders currently pick up the tab for uninsured drivers as insurance companies pass on the losses they make as a result of accidents caused by drivers without cover to their customers in the form of raised premiums.

Brits miss out on £1.5 billion every year by not shopping around for insurance

car-insurance-keys

Brits are losing out on a whopping £1.5 billion every year it has been revealed by failing to shop around for car and home insurance.

It seems most of us are happy to accept the hike in insurance premiums every year, as opposed to taking time out to look for a cheaper deal. However taking the seemingly easy route of accepting the hike in premiums is costing UK policyholders dear as Virgin Money estimates they are losing £1.5 billion annually.

According to Virgin Money’s study, we’re willing to accept a rise in insurance premiums of 8.13% annually before we look around for a better deal. UK policyholders will accept an increase on all forms of insurance cover from home insurance, home contents, and car insurance.

45% of people admitted that they never shopped around for any type of insurance, instead choosing to accept to the first quote they receive. The 55% of people who did look around other insurers before accepting a deal were found to spend on average 5 and a half hours researching other insurance providers and collecting quotes before signing up to a policy.

However with the growing popularity of price comparison websites, insurance experts say customers should utilise these services to shop around for quotes as this allows people to compare a wide range of quotes in one go.

Car insurance warning to victims of frost-jacking

Snow-windscreen

As the cold snap continues to bite, car insurance companies are warning motorists to be extra vigilant when defrosting their cars in the morning to avoid becoming a victim of frost-jacking.

As the arctic conditions hit Britain this week, so did the frost-jackers. There has been a spate of incidents up and down the country where opportunist thieves have pounced on cars as the owners have left the engines running to warm up before heading off to work.

However car insurance companies are warning that this kind of theft could invalidate your insurance policy. Leaving a car unattended with the engine running is like an open invitation to thieves, and this could potentially leave your insurance cover void.

This week alone, 50 frost-jacking incidents have been recorded in the West Midlands, with 3 attacks taking place within 20 minutes in the Greater Manchester area on Monday morning. Gangs of opportunist thieves are said to be roaming the streets on the prowl for drivers leaving the cars running while they warm up and defrost their windscreens, so it’s vital drivers don’t leave their cars unattended to avoid becoming a victim of this kind of crime.

It’s not just luxury cars such as BMWs, Mercedes and Audis that are being targeted, according to the police cars such as Vauxhalls, Fords and Peugeots are also being taken in frost-jacking attacks.

The warning is, be extra vigilant. If your car is stolen after being left unattended, it’s highly unlikely your insurance will cover you.