Insurance rules to alter prices

Insurance rules to alter prices: Millions of people will see price changes on their next insurance policy following rule changes that have now come into force.

Female car insurance up 15 per cent ahead of gender ruling

Female car insurance up 15 per cent ahead of gender ruling:
Filed under: Latest News

PA

Car insurance premiums for women are up 15 per cent, or £114, ahead of new EU gender rules kicking in next week.

The average best price for female car insurance premiums has risen from £748 on November 1 to £862 on December 12 according to comparison site Gocompare.com.

With a week to go until the European Court of Justice ruling on gender equality comes into effect, it has long been reported that female insurance premiums would rise to bring them in line across the board, despite statistics which show women drivers have less accidents than their male counterparts.

The comparison website has analysed more than 10m car insurance quotes since January 2011, but says this is the most significant movement in premiums to date. Along with the 15 per cent increase for women, there has also been a slight increase in the best price for 17 and 18 year old females from £1,910 at the start of November to £2,921.

Meanwhile, black box car insurance brand Ingenie, which insures 17-25 year olds, sees the ruling as a "step closer to a future where all young drivers are treated as individuals, with premiums based on how well they drive".

Chief executive Richard King said: "As a specialist brand for young drivers, we know that teenage drivers in particular are often offered expensive quotes - but this isn't always fair. Our experience is that many of our customers actually drive really well.



"With the British Insurance Brokers Association estimating that black box insurance can be up to 25 per cent cheaper than traditional insurance, we hope that young female drivers in particular see black box insurance as a fairer alternative - with their premium based on their individual driving style."

Gocompare.com's head of motor insurance Scott Kelly added: "With the majority of insurers saying they are leaving full equalisation until the last minute we are not going to see the real impact of the ruling on the best prices available until December 21.

"One impact could be that the number of insurers offering cover for drivers of certain ages will fall as companies temporarily exit the market until prices settle down and they can then pick their price points.

"We still don't know exactly how the market is going to look post December 21, but the assumption is that rates for female drivers will continue to rise."

The change in the law comes into force from December 21, 2012.

Top tips for driving in the dark

Top tips for driving in the dark:
Filed under: Latest News

Rui Vieira/PA Wire

With the shortest day of the year fast approaching, tips for driving in the dark have never been more valuable, with more and more motorists finding their car journeys to and from work shrouded in darkness.

And with many parts of Britain's motorways not lit as part of the government's budget-saving moves, road safety charity the IAM has come up with a host of tips to ensure safe driving on our high-speed roads during the winter months.

Planning is key

Driving in the dark can cause fatigue - plan your journey, scheduling at least one stop every two hours.

Take a break

Don't ignore warning signs of fatigue. In extreme cases, have a caffeine drink and sleep for 20 minutes while it takes effect. You can only do this once per journey; it won't have the same effect if you do it more than once.

Share and share alike

Driving with a partner? Share the driving if possible to reduce fatigue.

Clean way

Many stretches of motorway are not lit during hours of darkness - to improve your view as far as possible, keep your lights, mirrors and windscreen clean.

Look out

Watch for brake lights up ahead to foresee any changes in traffic speed or queues which you may be joining.

Break down?

If you break down, pull over on to the hard shoulder and stop as far to the left as you can, pointing your wheels in towards the kerb. When stopped on the hard shoulder, leave your vehicle and get as far away from the road as possible, behind the crash barrier, and up the bank if there is one.

Rodger said: "Although motorways are our safest roads, darkness brings with it additional challenges which increase the risk of fatal accidents. Plan your journey from beginning to end and take necessary precautions to keep yourself and your family safe this Christmas."

Congratulations to Dan

Congratulations to Dan Ewens who passed this morning with a good report.
18 Dec 12

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The number of women drivers in the U.K soar and now outnumbering males!

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