Over the course of many research projects, it has been established that most drivers believe their own driving skill is above average.

Even drivers opting to take a Driver Improvement Course rather than being prosecuted for Careless Driving following their involvement in an accident rated themselves above average*.

Few realise how often their actions whilst behind the wheel could lead to prosecution irrespective of whether they are involved in an accident.

The Road Traffic Act states that it is an offence to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention. Prosecution will surround proving the driver in question was not driving to the required standard.

You may notice that the law states a “mechanically propelled vehicle” meaning the driver does not actually have to be driving a motor vehicle.

Furthermore, the offence does not have to take place on the public road but anywhere where there is public access. 

Drivers could be prosecuted for driving whilst :

• Eating, drinking or smoking
• Retuning their car radio or CD player
• Trying to read
• Playng music too loud affecting other road users and preventing them  from hearing other road noises clearly

Penalties following a conviction for careless driving can vary from a fine, 3 – 9 conviction points put onto the driving licence, and even disqualification at the court’s discretion.

* Source: Department for Transport

Any experienced car owner will know that insurance providers place quite a risk rating on professional sportspersons applying what is known in the trade as a “loading” to insurance premiums.

Christiano Ronaldo may have been lucky enough to escape injury to himself or anyone else for that matter as a result of him losing control of his nice, 2 day old Ferrari 599 GTB worth some £200,000 in a tunnel near Manchester airport but it is predicted he will not be anything like as lucky when it comes to arranging his next lot of car insurance.

The AA have stated that following a quick phone around, they have been unable to find any insurer they work with that would insure Ronaldo following his accident saying:

“We cannot find anybody who would touch him with a bargepole”.

“The minimum age to get insured for that car would be 25 and then the best price we could find would be £44,000 but if the person had had an accident that would go up to around £100,000.”

Yes, in all likelihood, there will be an insurer out there prepared to take on the risk and it will more than likely be at a seriously hefty annual premium, and that’s for anyone, let alone a professional footballer.

When thinking about such high profile occupations and the asociated risks, insurers will consider the likelihood of the car owner having passengers occasionally, equally as high profile, and indeed, valuable (in monetary terms) in the car.

Any accident whilst these people are in the car as well and suffer injury could have seriously damaging personal injuries that say result in them being unable to continue  playing football at the highest level or even altogether and insurers would be paying out for loss of earnings, sponsors for the player being unable failure to fulfil their contracts etc. The costs will just escalate to astronimcal proportions.

However, even at £100,000 per annum insurance premium, it still equates less than 1 week’s salary he receives from Manchester United for Ronaldo. Add all his sponsorhip incomes and it shouldn’t hurt him financially too much, so he won’t need too much sympathy.

Don’t get too upset Christiano, the bottom line is that a car is only a piece of metal/whatever compound it was made with and can always be replaced, albeit at a price.

Life is far more precious.

The cold snaps being experienced of late leaves motorists exposed to potentially having insurance claims rejected.

Insurers impose certain conditions and responsibilities onto policyholders which could, if not adhered to, lead to people having their claims rejected for breaching their policy conditions.

There is always the temptation to go out and start the car up to let it defrost the windscreens and warm up, and return to the house for a few minutes to stay warm ourselves.

However, according to the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA), anyone submitting an insurance claim for their car being stolen with the engine running to warm up the car or even having just left the keys in the ignition, could find their car insurance invalidated.

Insurers are constantly reviewing underwriting criteria and amass an enormous amount of data surrounding claims experiences which is shared with other insurers.

This particular policy condition, although by no means new to the industry is being more rigorously imposed by insurers.

This type of theft is probably going to increase so it is very important to take care and protect yourself against such an incident happening to you by allowing yourself a few extra minutes, particularly in the mornings and evenings when cars are more likely to be frosted etc.

One of the most common injury costs associated with car accidents is that of whiplash, and without wishing to undermine the legitimacy of any whiplash related injury claim, compensation costs have increased, and insurers, safety groups and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) have been campaigning the Government to take action to reduce the number of such accident claims.

Passengers in the vehicle concerned together with any 3rd parties affected that were in  other vehicles involved are entitled to claim such compensation against the driver that is deemed to have caused the accident, even if it was another member of the same family.

Make no mistake, whiplash related injuries can be painful and take some time to dissipate (if at all) and the amount of damages an injured party could receive following such an injury will depend on a number of factors including the severity of their injuries, the likelihood of permanent damage and any expenses which the individual has incurred as a result.

There are many solicitors offering their services on a “no win, no fee” basis along with numerous companies offering Legal Protection Insurance running alongside other insurance policies (particularly Home Insurance policies) all of which will pursue any claim on your behalf.

 
Those considering themselves efficient and confident enough can attempt to negotiate with the driver’s insurance company themselves, but be warned, their claims team will have access to a lot more data at the touch of a button than you will, and their day job is quite simply to negotiate claims down so be prepared for a difficult battle.

The temptation may be there during this current difficult economic period, but any motorist caught omitting key personal information or material facts when applying for car insurance or submitting claims to their insurers could find them refusing to honour claims.

This is the warning being issued by the the Association of British Insurers (ABI) following their discovery that the number of fraud cases appears to be on the increase.

Insurers are uncovering more and more instances where customers have been either “economical with the truth” or out and out “lied” in an effort to secure lower insurance premiums.

One of the main sources of fraud surrounds the inclusion of a young driver on a car insurance policy naming them as an occasional user whereas in reality, they are the most frequest user, or even the only user, which would have attracted a significantly higher insurance premium.

Be warned, this sort of activity can have disastrous consequencs for all involved, and worst of all, in the event of a serious accident, render the individuals involved open to criminal prosecution.

One must ask, how would you feel if one of your family was the victim, and as a result, having little recourse against the offending driver.

Never forget, insurers share information and will pass all such costs onto all car drivers one way or another, so there is not really anything to gain.

Honesty really is the best policy.

If in doubt, disclose the information, let the insurer decide whether it is relevant. Ignorance is no excuse.

It’s just not worth the risk.

It’s cold, and it’s likely to get colder and wetter over the next few months or so increasing the risk of dangerous driving conditions, the potential for accidents and as a result, insurance claims.

According to the Met Office, it was the coldest December in more than thirty years. Indeed, the average temperature for the first ten days of December  was three degrees below the long-term average of 4.7°C.

Current financial pressures are enough for most to cope with so and it goes wihtout saying that the last thing anyone needs during such difficult financial times, is a car accident which pushes up insurance premiums at next renewal.

Low temperatures, combined with shorter daylight hours, make driving at this time of year much trickier. In particular, a sudden temperature drop can lead to ‘black ice’ forming on ungritted roads, which is the cause of many sudden impacts.

As with most things, prevention is better than cure, so it makes sense to prepare for difficult conditions and to drive with extra caution. This is especially the case if you’re driving long distances so here are a few tips on avoiding accidents and risk of injury to you or your passengers.

1. Do not rush – no matter how late you are for your meeting or get together with friends – they will undoubtedly prefer you to get there late than not at all. Just pull up at the side of the road and call them to tell them you will be late – no big deal.

 
2.. It is safer to drive during daylight hours – the roads may be busier but improved visibility more than compensates.

 
3. Make sure that the windscreen is completely clear and clean before setting off, because you can’t drive safely if you can’t see clearly.

 
4. Check all four tyres are in good condition – remember, worn tyres increase stopping distances significantly and if in doubt, get them checked out.

 
5. Make sure that all lights are clean and working replacing faulty or blown bulbs before commencing your journey.

 
6. Make sure you have at least one mobile phone fully charged and operational in case of emergency. If you have one, take an in-car phone charger with you. In seriously bad weather, this could your lifeline to emergency and breakdown services.

 
7. Keep an emergency kit in your car, or at the very least, a torch, preferably one of those which flashes an amber light to warn other drivers of a hazard in the event of breakdown.

 
8. Pack some blankets if you know it is going to be particularly cold.

Some of these suggestions may be blatantly obvious, and others may seem a bit dramatic, but they have all proved valuable to others.

Basically, take as many precautions as possible to ensure your no claims bonus stays intact during any adverse driving conditions.

Like any other business, insurance companies, no matter how large or small they might be, have responsibilities to their both their shareholders and policyholders to ensure they manage their finances efficiently and in a profitable manner.

Whilst there are many legal obligations imposed on insurance companies to assure liquidity etc. so that they will always be financially able to meet their obligations and liabilities to policyholders, the current economic downturn could have wider implications for policyholders.

As consumers refuse to be tempted into buying new  cars, or choosing to hang to their existing car for longer than usual, insurers are going to need to look at increasing current insurance premiums in order to maintain investment returns.

There will of course, be some mitigation in the increase in premiums for consumers as their existing cars will be older and worth less, therefore, attracting slightly lower premiums to offset part of the probable increase.

There is also suggestion following a recent study by Norwich Union that insurance claims may rise in the next few months putting even further pressure on insurers increasing further the likelihood that insurers may need to increase premiums and individuals and businesses alike, should perhaps make provision in the strategic plans to allow for same.

A 28-year-old man was charged with burglary after he stole a Porsche in the Lytham area recently.

The man from Liverpool was also charged with:-

• Taking a motor vehicle without the owners consent
• Driving whilst disqualified
• Driving without insurance
• Obstructing an officer in the execution of their duty.

The theft of the car occurred following a break in at a property in Lytham St Anne’s, where the key to the vehicle together with a laptop was stolen.

An observant resident had contacted the police because they saw what appeared to be some suspicious activity. 
 
Police officers with the support of their forces helicopter tracked the Porsche and the driver was eventually arrested in nearby Warton.

On this occasion, due to the vigilance of a local public spirited resident, police were informed quickly and able to act promptly.

There is no reference to whether there was actually any damage to the vehicle or laptop, but in any event, the thief can now look forward to a hefty fine, penalty points on his licence or a driving ban at the very least. He could even suffer a custodial sentence.

The car owner however, if lucky, gets their car back, damage free, and retains their no claims bonus.

If not so lucky, and decide to claim off their car insurance, their claim will be subject to a policy excess, they could possibly suffer loss of income and compound this with the inconvenience of losing the use of the car whilst it is in for repairs. Finally, they will of course lose some no claims bonus unless it was protected.

Some of these potential losses are insurable or can at least be covered in a car insurance policy. If your livelihood is dependent on your car, make sure you look for insurance policies that offer a free courtesy car whilst yours is in for repair as a result of an accident or claim. 

The additional premium payable may well be worth it.

Theft from vehicles will undoubtedly increase over the Christmas and New Year as revellers who have started out driving their car, get into the mood and end up leaving their cars in and around town centres and pub car parks overnight.

We’ve all done it I’m sure, and we have all at some time returned to our cars the following day either half expecting it to have been broken into or actually finding it gone!

The financial difficulties thrust upon us by the current economic downturn opens up an increased risk of theft, particularly from homes and cars.

It is worthy of a reminder therefore to car owners to remember to ensure that alarms and immobilisers are fully operational and if they aren’t, get them fixed or replaced without delay.

Some vehicles automatically attract a policy condition that demand alarm systems are installed and fully operational at all times. Failure to do so could result in forfeiture of any compensation in the event of a claim or incident.

It is worth noting that domestic burglaries rose by more than a third between 1990 and 1992 and the Government has warned that burglaries and property crime could rise by 7% this year and a further 2% in 2009.

Above all, make sure you do not leave any personal possessions in cars that have some kind of sentimental value – their value is normally immeasurable and absolutely heartbreaking to lose, with absolutely no possibility of replacement.

Insurance fraud is one of those things that just will not go away.

Fraudulent claims absorb a tremendous amount of insurance provider’s money and they are constantly looking at improving ways to deter, prevent and indeed identify  fraudsters.

It has been well publicised the way some groups deliberately slam their brakes on whilst driving along a road for no apparent reason leaving the car driver behind absolutely no option but to crash into the back of their car.

They then fake injury and claim exhorbitant amounts of compensation.

Well, although not well publicised (and for a very good reason), insurance companies use fraud investigators to check out the validity of potential claims.

These investigators go to great lengths to stalk their quarry, hiding in hedges, camouflaged, and hiding up trees with long telephoto lenses on their cameras and videos just to catch would be fraudsters out and reduce the value of claims.

Whilst it may seem an unsavoury job, it is in fact saving genuine insurance policyholders money. Insurers basically have repsonsibilities to policyholders and shareholders and anything that impacts on their profits, will in one or another impact on dividends or premiums.

Fraud investigators undergo intense military-style boot camp training, where they are  assessed in such areas as observation, driving skills and their ability to react under pressure.

Anyone under the illusion that all insurance jobs are dull and boring, should think again!