This news comes despite the conclusions of a separate study into the views of motorists which found that many drivers look for road rage cover on their policies, with older driver over 55 years of age, valuing this cover extremely highly.

The number of policies which do offer cover for road rage is steadily increasing however, as back in 2005, 99% of all motor insurance policies did not offer any kind of cover for road rage incidents.

In 2010 one in eight car insurance policies were found to offer cover for road rage, however there are a number of conditions attached to the policy which could provide obstacles to those wishing to claim.

For example, some policies won’t pay-out if the policyholder says anything to the road rage attacker to antagonise the situation, also another common exclusion is that the attacker must not be a relative or known to the insured person as this could suggest another motive for the attack other than road rage.

In those cases where insurers have paid out to victims of road rage, money is awarded for counselling following the attack, and also for compensation for physical attacks.

While the majority of young people spend hours and hours planning their route before they leave, what countries they want to visit and which sights they need to take it, often travel insurance is left at the bottom of the list.

The advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is to ensure you have the appropriate cover before you leave the country in order to keep you safe while abroad.

There are thousands of different travel insurance policies for long-term travel and all vary greatly in their cover and also their price so it’s essential to shop around in order to get the best deal and the cover most suitable for your trip.

Ensure your policy covers repatriation to the UK as this will ensure you can be flown home by air ambulance should you become seriously ill or if you’re injured while on your travels. If your policy doesn’t cover repatriation home, then you’ll have to fund the full costs of getting yourself back to the UK which could run into thousands of pounds.

Another great tip is to make duplicate copies of all of your important travel documents such as your insurance details, passport, and travel information.

Should you require medial treatment while abroad, the best scenario is to get your insurer to pre-authorise your treatment. If this isn’t possible, make sure you keep a receipt of all medical bills as this will save a lot of time and effort when it comes to claiming the money back from your insurance company.

Although organising your travel insurance isn’t as exciting as organising your gap year adventure, you’ll be glad you invested the time and effort in ensuring you have the correct cover for your trip should you have the misfortune to run into trouble while abroad.

It seems the notion that women haven’t the faintest idea about how to look after their car, and keep it maintained and in good working condition, is very much outdated as a recent survey discovered that over three quarters of female drivers know how to check both their water and oil levels on their vehicle.

The research was conducted by specialist female car insurance provider Diamond and also found that two in five women would feel confident enough in their own ability to change a wheel without any male assistance. Furthermore, the same number of women also said they have the knowledge to jumpstart a car, and change their own windscreen wipers.

Female drivers also take a pro-active approach to basic maintenance of their car with one fifth revealing they give their vehicle an overall check every month, while a third of the 2,500 women drivers who were questioned as part of the survey say they check their engine over before embarking on a long distance journey.

The trend for women taking a greater interest in cars and motoring extends beyond general maintenance of their vehicles with 60% of those questioned admitting that they regularly watch BBC2 motoring show Top Gear.

Carrie-Anne Dudbridge and her new husband Michael were on their honeymoon in Corfu when the horrendous accident, which left bride Carrie-Anne with a fractured spine in three places, took place.

The couple hadn’t taken out a travel insurance policy as they were under the impression that their European Health Insurance cards (EHIC) were adequate cover for their honeymoon trip to the Greek island.

Although the EHIC does cover holders for medical costs incurred, it doesn’t go as far as to cover the cost of air ambulance transport back to the UK should you have the misfortune to become seriously ill while abroad, or suffer a severe accident such as in the case of Carrie-Anne.

Desperate to get his new wife back to the UK, Michael Dudbridge called on the generosity of the couple’s family and friends who were able to club together to raise the £16,000 needed to pay for the private air ambulance in order for Carrie-Anne to be repatriated to Britain.

Luckily the couple were able to raise the money needed, and the newlywed was flown home by private air ambulance and is now said to be recovering in a London hospital.

It’s been estimated that these “cash for crash” fraudsters cost the insurance industry £350 million last year, adding an extra £44 to the cost of each UK motorist’s car insurance policy.

The most common technique employed by these fraudsters is to cause a situation whereby the innocent driver behind them, crashes into the back of their vehicle. It’s generally accepted that the driver who rear-ends another vehicle is in the wrong.

The scammers often set up these “accidents” on clear roads, or at roundabouts. Another trick they use to lead the victim into rear ending their vehicle is to slam on their handbrake so the driver behind won’t be alerted to the fact that the vehicle in front is stopping from the brake lights.

Victims are not chosen at random, instead the scammers single out elderly drivers, and lone parents, as they are less likely to fight the insurance claim. Commercial drivers are also a favourite with the fraudsters as they are less concerned about the damage as their vehicles are owned by their company.

The average amount obtained from each claim was approximately £17,000. This amount includes costs for personal injury, and also the damage to and recovery of the vehicle.

With rising fuel and insurance prices, the cost of driving in the UK has never been a bigger issue. Now Hastings is planning to offer motorists an alternative to forking out on high insurance rates with their brand new no frills car cover policy.

The new bargain policy has been welcomed by some, with the news that insurance rates for cars are set to rise by 20%, however some argue taking out cheaper policy could be a false economy if you are forced to make a claim.

For example, if your car is damaged and you have the repair worked carried out by a professional appointed by you, rather than Hastings, your excess will double.

Another area where drivers could run into difficulty is with windscreen damage as this will affect the policyholder’s no claims bonus. This could prove costly with one expert estimating that windscreen damage affects 6% of drivers a year, and losing a no claims bonus could boost insurance premiums by as much as 30%

The basic policy offers essentials such as courtesy car services, and EU driving, and other cover can be purchased as an optional extra such as no claims bonus cover, and legal cover. Hastings saves money by not covering for third party cover, meaning the policyholder is not insured to driver other vehicles, and nether does it offer cover for personal belongings.