Insurance news

Car insurance uncovered

10 July, 2007

New research from online price comparison and switching website, uSwitch.com, reveals that 10 per cent of drivers have provided inaccurate crucial information such as their age, address, no claims bonus , and previous driving convictions in an attempt to save money on the cost of their car insurance.

Aron Thompson, Head of Insurance at uSwitch.com, said: “With many consumers seeing car insurance as a grudge purchase, it’s no great surprise to see people either withhold or knowingly provide inaccurate, crucial information in order to get cheaper cover. To the consumer, this may seem like a little white lie to save money. In reality, it could end up teaching the driver a costly lesson, on average £1,636, as the provider is under no obligation to settle a claim based on a policy which is inaccurate.

Car insurance: Get a quote from Barclays

“However, our research has also shown that it is not always an intentional ploy to save money as many people simply do not understand the questions asked or the implications of their answers during the application process.”

A simple journey to work could be a costly exercise with 2.3 million commuters holding back the full truth about what they use their car for. Six out of 10 drivers use their car for at least part of their journey to work, yet up to two-fifths do not have sufficient cover for the commute as they have only opted for ‘social, domestic and pleasure’ cover, not commuting.

Thompson said: “There seems to be a great deal of confusion amongst consumers around the issue of commuting which, for example, is driving to the station, leaving your car and continuing your journey by train.

“One reason insurers need to know if you use your car for commuting is that by leaving your car in a public place it is at greater risk from theft or damage. In this example, by not discussing the right information to your insurer about your journey to work, your policy will be invalid and in the event of submitting a claim the insurer is under no obligation to settle the claim.”

Car insurance: Get a quote from Barclays

Surprisingly, of the 15 per cent of drivers who said that they were aware that they had provided inaccurate information to their insurer regarding the use of their car, 76 per cent were seemingly prepared to take the risk, and did so in the knowledge that it could impact on the validity of their car insurance.

Of those who were aware of the consequences, one in 10 said they did it to keep the cost of their cover down. Over a third of people claim that it was a genuine mistake and 16 per cent said that they didn’t understand the questions in the application.