Motors Car insurance costs set to rise

Car insurance costs look set to rise following a move by Norwich Union, the UK's second largest car insurer, to raise its rates by an average of 16%.

The firm said its hand had been forced by a similar rise in claim costs over the past two years, during which time insurance rates had remained static.

Norwich Union said claims for personal injuries had been the main reason for the rise in its costs.

Insurance for riskier customers, such as young men, will rise by up to 40%.

bold highlights are mine

Full story here

This just **** me off no end. Insurance is already such a rip off in the UK, and now this rise...it's no wonder we have so many uninsured drivers on the roads - in fact out of the 5 or so years I've been driving I've only dropped my pants to be raped twice, and never again. (I am insured on my bike though, since that's only £53 a year )

It's funny how they always use uninsured drivers as an excuse as well, I am waiting until all information is centralised, making it almost impossible to get away without paying insurance, who wants to bet the premiums will carry on going up...pathetic

 

Damn you beat me to it! I was just about to post this.

Thank you, compensation nation. FFS.

40%?? Get the hell out! I already pay £850 on a car worth 50p as it is.

 

Indeed, besides, from my own driving experience the most dangerous drivers are retards, not 'young men' - I vote for insurance based on IQ, not age.

 

Well this time they're using claims for personal injuries as the excuse, and that I can understand thanks to every city in the country now having a few ambulance chasers in it. I say we round them up, throw them off a bridge, and everyone except for the scum who sue for every accident can be relieved at having lower insurance premiums.

 

You've got my vote. It pisses me off how a load of chavs that throw themselves into walls and other cars make it worse for the rest of us "young men".

Ive lost count of the number of old people that have either nearly hit me or caused serious danger to those around them in the last few months when they think "sun = out and about". Mandatory driving tests and reaction testing should be started for the over 60s.

 

The government say you must have insurance, ergo they should provide it. It'd be non-profit (any gains would result in a tax reduction/surplus), and you wouldn't need to mess about with getting quotes / dealings between companies. For every accident you cause, your premiums go up.

All that and it'd mean not a single more advert for car insurance. Especially Sheila's wheels.

Some of this kinda makes sense too.

 

Either that, or the insurance companies need to start cracking down on ambulance chasers and people who try to claim personal injury from accidents. I think you should only be able to claim for an injury if you're actually hospitalised or suffer verifiable long-term effects from an accident.

 

This just in... Insurance is a rip-off, especially for young men... more at 11.

Other breaking news... smoking is bad for your health

 

The government doesn't force you to buy cigarettes...

 

That's a good idea but there's just one problem...the UK government would make such a huge cock-up with the IT systems / bureaucracy / pathetic management / etc. that the costs involved would be so high we'd end up paying even more than we are now

 

or drive. thanks for that.

 

I think you missed my point, that things don't have to be that way.

There are fairer ways to charge for insurance, and the government's made no attempt to introduce them.

 

We had a talk about this at work, and the general feeling is that if you get hit by an uninsured driver then they have to pay for the repairs out of their own pocket or perform some form of community service.

 

well next year for my 18th i'll be getting me driving lessons and a Toyota Paseo, a small coupe with a small but nippy 1.5l engine, around 90-100bhp.

Car value= £2k for a good one

Insurance= £2k. + 40% = £2,400. **** right off.

 

That is quite a big engine for a small coupe. 1.1 / 1.2 L engines are classed as small. If it is your first car id not get anything bigger than a 1.2 as the insurance is gonna be hell.

Not worth going above 1.4L until your over 21 or have some no claims to you name if you dont fancy paying stupid amounts for insurance.

 

Um, yes it does, considering the alternative.

 

I have to say that I am not surprised with the rise in insurance, it was bound to happen, after more and more tabloids are covered with headlines such as: "boy racer kills 3", "carnage on the roads" etc etc The belief in that car deaths and deaths caused by drivers are on the increase, especially from the younger generation with suped up and modded cars. Whether it is rising or not, the consensus of the general public is that its dangerous to be a pedestrian these days...

 

Thank God I'm old...

It's a PITA that prices will go up - for everyone, not just 'young men'. I do take offence that I have to pay for the uninsured chumps out there though. But what's the solution?

There's always going to be people who don't have insurance (and I assume that those people don't tax their cars either). You can very easily get rid of Car Tax, by putting up the tax on fuel - you can't very well dodge car tax that way. But you couldn't do the same for insurance.

Whilst we're on the subject of things that piss motorists off, I'm royaly peeved over that Copper who got of scot free doing over twice the maximum legal speed limit on any road (158mph) - becuase he'd 'suffered enough.'

Hah! not even any points. Whilst, I - average joe driver - get twanged for doing a couple of mph over 30. Do I get let off, 1st offence and all that - No. Invitation to speed workshop? not likely. 3 pts and £60 if you please, Mr GOO, and just you be thankful we didn't take you to court...

 

Did you hear his "excuse" of "seeing what the car could do?"

Get the **** out. The least he could have done is lied that his wife was seriously ill and that having an advanced driving cert etc enabled him to do 158mph safer than other people.

Olly: It IS dangerous being a pedestrian! /Bindi - knocked down once.
I still agree with Lord A that tax and insurance should be directly correlated to IQ.

 

got my vote to... think how many people would want to be educated just because of being able to driver around for cheaper... We'd all be better off...