Direct Line, a leading provider of car insurance, has asked that the new careless driving law should also encompass those drivers who are uninsured.
The new law, which came into force today, means drivers can be charged with death by careless driving, with a maximum penalty of 5 years in jail. Drivers who cause death through driving without car insurance, having no licence or having been disqualified face up to two years in jail according to Direct Line.
A spokeswoman from Direct Line felt that this situation should be reviewed as a matter of urgency since it appears somewhat unfair that the person who is breaking more laws gets a lesser sentence than the more law abiding one.
Endsleigh Insurance is warning homeowners that getting repairs and home improvement work done by non-approved people can mean home insurance is not valid, leaving the consumer unprotected.
Should the design or workmanship of a home improvement project be below the typical standard, or if unsuitable materials or tools are used, Endsleigh Insurance will not pay out for any claims made. They, along with many other insurers, will also refuse to pay when structural modifications that have been done on a DIY basis, lead to a buildings insurance claim.
The view of the insurer is that they are basing their premiums on the perceived risk of the property as described. If this changes, through a home improvement project for example, the insurer, be it Endsleigh home insurance or any other, needs to know about it, and to what standard it was done, so they can re-evaluate the risk profile.
More Than Insurance has confirmed what most parents already knew, that they show less patience than their children on car journeys over the summer.
Data gathered from the survey found about 10 percent of parents feeling the first signs of impatience and irritation in the first 10 minutes of a journey. More Than Insurance also found the average time parents can manage before they want the journey to end is just 24 minutes. Children on the other hand managed a full 90 minutes before feeling they needed to get out. Children do have the benefit of MP3 players, books and games in the car that greatly helps on the journey.
From a car insurance perspective it is important for parents to remain calm so as to retain full control of the vehicle and maintain their levels of alertness toward other road users. More Than Insurance hope this recent survey will highlight this need for parents, leading to safer and more relaxed journeys.