A well known car insurance company has said that men are more likely to have a crash in the summer than woman.

Sheilas’ Wheels, which offers car insurance for woman, says that of the men they questioned, nearly one third said that they could not keep their eyes on the road if they spotted women wearing revealing summer clothes.

The research, which surveyed 1,300 men and women, revealed that in the months of June, July and August, men made nearly 20% more claims than women.

But it wasn’t just scantily clad women that worried the nation’s male drivers. They also get worked UP about the heat. One in five of the men questioned said that they became more aggressive as it got hotter.

A quarter of the men admitted that they had suffered at least one crash in the summer months in the last five years, whereas only 17% of the women questioned said they has suffered a similar summertime accident.

Sheilas’ Wheels spokeswoman Jacky Brown said:
“In the age of air conditioning, you might expect all drivers to be equally chilled out in summer, but men are significantly more likely than women to claim. We urge all motorists to keep their eyes on the road regardless of distractions.”

Well said and Donna Dawson, a behavioural psychologist, added:
“Research shows men are far more easily distracted behind the wheel than women. Distractions such as billboards or an attractive woman walking down the street can quickly take their attention away from driving. Testosterone also plays a part as it makes men more prone to aggression, especially when frustrated by a confined space such as a car – and men are quicker than women to expose such irritability in hot weather.”

The research points out that not a lot has changed since 1994 when the famous ‘Hello Boys’ posters featuring supermodel Eva Herzigova caused a number of distracted drivers to have crashes.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Gongs handed out by the 2010 Moneywise Customer Service Awards included two for M&S Money which was named not only the ‘most trusted motor insurance provider’, but also the ‘best travel insurance provider for service.’

The awards for most trusted motor insurance provider and the best travel insurance provider for service were handed out in front of nearly 300 guests at a gala dinner held in the City of London.

And the awards for most trusted motor insurance provider and the best travel insurance provider for service come from, claim the organisers, the biggest customer service survey of its type held in the UK. The figures were compiled by the Moneywise magazine and their website, Moneywise.co.uk following around 10,000 responses. These were then given to CoreData research for analysis who were used to identify those companies which, according the UK public, offer not only the best service, but also those who are the most trusted.

Apart from the main awards, M&S also walked off with two highly commended, one in the ‘most trusted travel insurance provider’ and the other, ‘best motor insurance provider for service’ categories.

On opening the gold envelopes and barely holding back the tears, a triumphant M&S Money Chief Executive said about the awards, including most trusted motor insurance provider:
“All our insurance policies are designed with the M&S customer in mind, and we are delighted that M&S Car and Travel Insurance have been recognised at the Moneywise awards.”

It also gave M&S a chance to remind people about their polices, including their role as most trusted motor insurance provider. They pointed out that their M&S Premier Car Insurance protects not just their car, but the policy holder. What’s more, it also includes RAC breakdown cover, a hire car for up to 14 days and motor legal protection.

So, when it comes to looking for the most trusted motor insurance provider, and indeed, the best travel insurance provider for service, then have a look at M&S. It’s not only good underwear they sell, but also good insurance apparently.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The modern phenomenon of drive-texting is on the increase says a leading insurance company.

Drive-texting is when a driver at the wheel of their moving vehicle uses their mobile phone to send texts; a practice regarded by safety experts as very dangerous and one that is strictly prohibited by law, and one also causing insurance companies some concern.

And in a recent survey conducted by one of the world’s largest insurance companies, the Prudential discovered that drive-texting is on the increase. What’s more, drivers who break the law in such a way, are 23 times as likely to be involved in an accident than those that don’t indulge in drive-texting.

But what worries the experts most of all, is that when it comes to drive-texting, it doesn’t really matter if the person involved in the accident was using a handheld phone, or one with a hands-free kit. The survey statistics didn’t really see a distinction, meaning that hands-free kits are not the answer everyone thinks they are.

The guilty party behind the drive-texting accidents is incidents of divided attention and mental distractions. Which puts the blame squarely on the shoulders of the act of operating a phone which causes the distractions; it’s not a question of by what means the phone is used.

The drive-texting report, conducted by Prudential Insurance, says:
“When sending a text message, motorists travelling at 55mph could cover the length of an entire football pitch in the space of a few seconds. Combined with not looking at the road while texting, this is a lot more dangerous than making a phone call while behind the wheel.”

The Prudential Insurance is quick to remind people that those that get caught drive-texting will be liable, as a minimum, to a £60 fine and three points on their licence. Should the case be serious enough to go before a court, then this could rise to a fine £2,000 and a ban from driving.

When he was road safety minister under the previous Labour government, Paul Clark said of drive-texting:
“Tough penalties and hard-hitting campaigns have got the message through to the majority of drivers. But some are still needlessly risking their own lives and putting others in danger for the sake of a text or a call. Our message is simple: don’t use your mobile when driving.”

He may no longer be in power, but its likely the same sentiments about drive-texting will be expressed by the new Government.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Pressure on car insurance premiums is unrelenting and one top motoring organisation has recently weighed in with the idea that older motorists need an urgent review.

The costs of car insurance does decrease with age for most people, but this new report from the RAC does raise the worrying spectre of an increasing number of older motorists using the roads.

But far from being antagonistic to such courses, the 2010 RAC Report on Motoring discovered that some 85% of questioned motorists aged 70 or over were in support of refresher driving courses. What’s more, some 70% of all motorists said they were in favour of compulsory medical checks at the age of 70 and over.

The RAC point out that over the next 20 years, the number of older drivers is set to double, to over six million.

And the RAC has won the backing of one venerable driver, Sir Stirling Moss, OBE. When talking about driving at an older age, he said:
“As an 80 year old driver, I can clearly relate to the topic of elderly motorists and I support the idea of tests for the older generation. So many things have changed since we first started driving: road layouts have been altered and the density of traffic has risen enormously, especially in the cities.

“The statistics show that although as a group we are less likely to be involved in an accident, we are more likely to be the cause of an accident, whether we are caught up in it or not – a sign that our reaction times are not what they once used to be. We do not need to give this generation a full driving test again, however, perhaps just a simple competence test every three to five years from the age of 70, to make sure we are still capable.”

The report went on to show that around 80% of people over 70 have been driving for well over 30 years, whilst some 45% have clocked up 50 years of driving experience. But of those two groupings, virtually all of them (nearly 90%), have no assessment, or other driver training, since passing their original test.

And of the 85% who thought that some form of refresher driver training was a good idea, with the most popular supplements to what’s included in the standard driving test being:

• winter weather driving (53%);
• night driving (45%);
• how to park properly (44%);
• how to drive on motorways and dual-carriageways (43%);
• how to cope with junctions (40%);
• learning about the car itself (33%).

David Bizley of the RAC said:

“The Government must consider the impact on motoring of our ageing population as part of its wider strategy for dealing with the retirement of the baby boomers. Motorists of all ages clearly believe in the value of refresher courses to improve old skills and learn new ones.
“Reviewing this now will save considerable pain in the future and continue the journey towards safer roads for everyone.

“Older motorists have the challenge of personal mobility and independence and RAC would welcome Government initiatives to help them to continue to drive safely. We need to take an evidence-based approach as to what checks should happen and at what age. Older motorists are resistant to any compulsory checks understandably, but they are also much fitter and healthier now than ever before – 70 could well be the new 60 for motorists’ health.”

So this can only be good news for all those people out there worried about car insurance costs.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

There’s a new motor insurer in town and its unique selling point is that it charges its customers only by the number of miles they clock-up and the way they drive.

The new motor insurer is called insurethebox and it’s being launched via the web comparison site moneysupermarket.com.

And the new motor insurer insurethebox is targeting young, recently qualified drivers because it believes that the way it’s structured will incentivise good drivers.

What’s more, the new motor insurer believes it offers the cheapest premiums to around a fifth of the motorists in its targeted sectors. This equates to savings of around £200 a year for many young drivers. These figures were calculated after the team at insurethebox analysed tens of thousands of quotes on the web comparison site moneysupermarket.com.

The heart of the new motor insurer’s package is its technology which effectively acts as a ‘spy-in-the-car.’ Known as a ‘Clearbox’, it is a small device which is fitted by insurethebox at the company’s cost at a location of the motorist’s choice. The Clearbox monitors the location of the car and how it’s being driven on a real-time basis. This information is shared by insurethebox with the driver via the company’s website. They can then see how well they are driving when compared to their peer group.

The new motor insurer concept is built around a driver paying for a fixed number of miles. This is typically 6,000 miles and once this ceiling is reached, they can buy additional miles by credit card, or via their bank accounts. They are reminded that they have reached their allocation of miles by email messages.

Although if the driver is handling his, or her car, correctly, and is judged to be driving well, then a bonus of up to 100 free miles will be awarded.

Head of Car Insurance at moneysupermarket.com, Steve Sweeney, said: “The benefits of insurethebox are clear and I believe this insurer could really help keep motoring costs down and successfully promote safer driving.

“insurethebox is one of the most innovative car insurance propositions we have seen for a long time. The industry has been crying out for a new concept that really works and while ‘ClearBox’ technology certainly isn’t new, insurethebox is more sophisticated in its design, making it a more sustainable scheme.

“It caters for low-mileage drivers by only charging them for the miles they drive, which is a great way to keep costs down. Similarly, it will suit younger drivers who struggle to find competitive insurance quotes. For parents, who often pay for their children’s car insurance, insurethebox will also relieve their concerns as they will be able to keep an eye on where their children are driving and how safely too.”

The ClearBox has another key role as well, one which will be fully utilised by the new motor insurer. The box alerts the service centre when the vehicle has experienced a g-force greater than 2.5. As soon as they get the alert, the service centre contacts the driver and helps organise help if needed, including the call-out of emergency services.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Nearly half of all parents are illegally fronting car insurance policies for their children, even though they know it to be illegal.

Figures from The Co-Operative Insurance show that 41% of parents are illegally fronting car insurance on a regular basis.

Fronting car insurance is when a driver within a higher risk category – most often a younger driver – is added to a car insurance policy as an added driver, even though they might own the vehicle, or in fact be the main driver.

And as regards fronting car insurance, The Co-Operative Insurance goes onto reveal that 61% of parents who are currently ‘fronting’, would happily do so again in the future.

What’s more, 57% parents know that fronting car insurance is illegal.

But when parents know that fronting car insurance can save them nearly £200 in premiums, the incentive is there to continue.

And the research also found out that 33% of parents know roughly two others who are fronting car insurance policies, or have done so in the past.

The conclusion of the research questions whether parents taking such actions really understand the consequences of fronting car insurance policies. Should they be discovered, the claim might be refused, the policy cancelled, or even a prosecution for fraud might be brought by the insurance company.

Chief Operating Officer at The Co-operative Financial Services, Tim Franklin, said:
“The view that motor insurance fronting is harmless and doesn’t hurt anyone could not be further from the truth. Parents who believe they are helping their children to save money by fronting are not only risking prosecution, but harming their chances of obtaining insurance in the future.

“We recognise that the current economic situation may be acting as a catalyst for motor insurance fronting and we are continuing our work to ensure younger drivers have access to competitive and fairly priced motor insurance. Through our partnership with the Road Safety Charity, Brake, we continue to educate young drivers about the importance of responsible driving through our interactive 2Young2Die website and resource materials.

“There are equally a number of things which young drivers can do to help reduce their premiums such as researching the insurance banding of vehicles before buying and ensuring that immobilisers and alarms are fitted. The quicker younger drivers start earning no claims discount by being the main driver, the more affordable this makes insurance for them in the long-run.”

The message is clear, think before you consider fronting car insurance policies.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Specialist car insurance company Admiral has discovered that each year, the total number of miles driven by UK motorists would take them to the moon and back, not once, but over half a million times.

Admiral, which is one of the largest specialist car insurance companies operating today, examined the average mileage driven by some two million drivers. The figure came to 7,755 miles. Admiral took the figure, then multiplied it by the number of full car driving licence holders in the country, some 34.5 million. The total was then divided by the official estimate of the distance to the moon, a total of 238,857 miles.

The specialist car insurance company Admiral points out that since 2000, and despite efforts by environmental groups to reduce the number of miles driven by people around the world, not just the UK, the average mileage has increased by 4.5%.

Managing Director of the specialist car insurance company Admiral, Sue Longhorn, said:
“When you see the total mileage we drive it’s staggering, especially when you consider there are only around 246,000 miles of road in the country. It’s no wonder our roads seem so congested!

“Most motorists don’t realise just how far they drive each year as you don’t tend to stop and think about it. Indeed many motorists underestimate their mileage. However, with the price of petrol at an all time high, I’m sure the cost of all these miles would certainly make them stop and think.”

There’s a serious side to the research conducted by the specialist car insurance company Admiral of course; it says that average mileage is one of the biggest guides for car insurance companies when it comes to leveling premiums. Statistics prove that those with too high an average mileage have a higher risk of being involved in an accident. Yet those with too low an average also have a higher risk of being involved in an accident, because it can mean they lack the experience to cope with modern driving conditions.

So take notice of the specialist car insurance company Admiral: if you’re driving to the moon and back, it’s more than likely you’ll have the odd bump, or two.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Recognition has gone to Saga Motor Insurance from the readers of This is Money, The Daily Mail’s personal finance website.

They voted Saga Over 50’s Motor Insurance as the motor insurance provider with the best customers service. The number of participants was 5,000 people and they were responding to a survey to find the best customer service offered by the UK’s financial companies.

And as well as scoring top marks in the motor insurance category, Saga also picked up second place for best home insurance provider in both the most trusted and best customer service categories.

Andrew Goodsell, Executive Chairman of Saga Insurance, trumpeted: “Doing things properly is at the heart of everything we do. It is wonderful that our customers have recognised this by voting for us. To be awarded the UK’s best motor insurer for customer service is something that we take great pride in.”

Andrew Oxlade, editor, This is Money, reinforced the decision with:
“Saga should be delighted to have won the best customer service award for motor insurance. Our readers make it their mission to meticulously sift through all the players in the personal finance industry to find the best – they’re a very choosy lot. For Saga to have won them over is quite an achievement.”

Saga is of course in the happy position of being able to target a well-defined market, only dealing with people who are over 50. As such, they are able to target their products to a savvy and experienced group of consumers who usually have high disposable incomes and are regarded, in many areas of insurance, as being low risk.

The number of Saga Home Insurance and Saga Motor Insurance customers out there in the UK, over 50, is over two million. And the over-50 sector represents a growing area of the market.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

The insurance industry took a £650 million hit in December last year as the coldest winter in 30 years took its toll on the British people.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said that the industry had had to deal with around 335,000 claims in December 2009 alone, amounting to some £650 million being paid out.

Damages were spread across homes, businesses and vehicles as the prolonged bursts of snow and ice wreaked havoc on a country no longer used to such bouts of dismal conditions.

Most of the money went to insured motorists. They were awarded some £395 million as many claimed for accidents involving slippery conditions as the snow and ice made driving treacherous. The amount of claims numbered 268,400.

There were a lesser number of property damage claims – around 66,000 – but there was still a substantial £255 million paid out to homeowners and business customers. This was in fact double the number of claims that the insurers would usually see in December. Of the 66,000, most (a touch over 62,000) were claims that involved damage to houses and the cost of these repairs (many involving snow on roofs) were put at £194 million.

The ABI also highlighted the cost of the flooding in Cumbria which amounted to some £200 million.

Nick Starling, the Director of General Insurance and Health of the ABI, said:
“Insurers will always respond quickly to the large number of claims that often result from bad weather. From dealing with snow damaged roofs, burst pipes, to repairing or replacing vehicles damaged by treacherous driving conditions, insurers helped their customers get through the snow and the freezing temperatures. Insurers have paid out nearly £1 billion to customers following bad weather this winter, as the heavy snow came weeks after the flooding in Cumbria, which led to insurers paying out £200 million in flood claims.”

Guest Article by Neil Camp

In a frightening piece of research from Marks & Spencer Car Insurance, it was revealed that many drivers who pick up their shiny cars from the garage forecourt do not fully understand how they work.

The research coincided with the new ‘10’ registration plate vehicles which were out on sale on 1 March, 2010.

And Marks & Spencer are worried.

A spokesperson said:
“Whether it’s a brand new car or a used vehicle, most garages should talk you through a vehicle before you drive it away. To avoid taking risks and potentially causing an accident, it is important to take time to familiarize yourself with the features of a car that’s new to you.”

Their report shows that only just over 10% of drivers will fully examine the car’s manual before setting off for the first time.

What’s more, well over a third of drivers taking their new car out for a first spin, don’t even turn one page of the manual. And just over a half give if the merest glance whilst flicking through the pages.

And what might surprise many, is that women and more guilty of this than men. The research found out that some 40% of woman drive away without consulting the manual, as opposed to around 30% of men.

Such is the supposed confidence of many men, some 20%, that they rely on figuring out the controls as they drive, which does little for concerns over safety as they no doubt drive whilst ‘fiddling’ their way around various essential items like windscreen wipers, lights and music player.

But the research goes on to point out that perhaps a little more manual studying might be a good idea, because a list was created of the top ten issues that car drivers have to grapple with when they get into a new car, or indeed, one that is unfamiliar to them.

The top of that list is headed by that old chestnut of trying to find the handle to release the bonnet, which can try even the most determined of drivers.

Next comes the in-car music centre, which in some modern cars can take a day’s reading of its own manual just to get working properly.

A little less irksome, but still trying, is how to alter the drivers seat position, which many drivers appear to try and adjust whilst moving; never a good idea.

Fourth is trying to find the switch to operate the side lights and headlights and fifth is locating the windscreen wipers.

So be warned, if that car in front has just been bought, then give the driver plenty of room.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

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