A study carried out by Sainsburys Bank looking at data for the last 12 months has shown an increase in car insurance cover of 5.8 percent.
Sainsburys Bank has been studying the data since 2005 and this is the first time that the average annual premium has gone over the GBP500 mark, standing currently at GBP514. Commenting on this increased cost a spokesperson explained that premiums take into account both the cost of vehicle repair and personal injury and as these increase so premiums have to go up to cover those costs.
Car insurance premiums are also affected by the number of claims, something Sainsburys Bank would like to see reduce. They are therefore asking drivers to take more care behind the wheel, avoiding dangerous activities in order to have less accidents which will then lead to a reduction in insurance costs.
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.
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld a complaint from a television viewer that the Churchill Insurance advertisements featuring the talking bulldog are misleading.
The complaint was based on whether Churchill Insurance customers could make a claim on their insurance without having to fill in a form, which the complainant felt was being suggested by the advertisement. Apparently around 20 percent of people making a car insurance claim with Churchill have to fill a form in, which the ASA considers to be enough to uphold the complaint.
Churchill Insurance have now revised their advertising to avoid misleading anyone, and trust the new advertisments are as entertaining and accurate as viewers can wish for.