Due to the sky-high hikes in the car insurance industry, young motorists are gradually being forced off the road as they are the one’s who are greatly affected by these hikes. In lieu with this, car insurance companies have been looking at the promise of the black box revolution to bring these young drivers back on the roads.

Often referred to as the black or smart box, this advantageous innovation has the capability to reduce car insurance costs for young drivers. How is this so? Well, the smart box contains telematics technology which has the power to record, store and communicate data from the vehicle to the car insurance providers. Once the car insurance companies have analyzed the data sent by the smart box, they will then charge the driver accordingly to the way he or she drives.

There are quite a few car insurance companies who have been looking at the smart box as a way to provide cheaper rates to young motorists. In fact, some insurers even state that the safest of motorists can take off 1/5 on their car insurance premiums within the span of one year. Some of the car insurance companies about to embrace the telematics technology are AA Insurance and Direct Line Insurance. Hopefully, more car insurance companies will view this technology as a way to keep motorists on the road.

For drivers between the ages 17-23, car insurance costs have been seen to increase by almost 40 %. And male driver’s ages 17-20 pay almost twice as female drivers of the same age do. These figures are in accordance with the statistics revealed by the British Insurance Premium Index last week.

A lot of motorists are seeing their future transport as buses and trains. With the never ending increases in car insurance costs and in petrol prices, a lot of motorists are thinking of giving up their vehicles. Insurers, on another note, are hoping that the new trend of the smart box will remove this dire situation from motorist’s minds. With the help of the smart box technology, policy holders only need to pay for the way they are driving.

According to a certain car insurance expert, “The smart box technology can allow a car insurance company to charge you more accurately because of the data being sent by the smart box. So, if you are a good driver, the insurer will be able to reward you accordingly.”

According to a new survey which one thousand motorists participated in, motorists have been forced to change their driving habits due to the rising costs of car insurance premiums and fuel. More than a decade ago, petrol process used to be at less than 80 pence per liter. Now, a liter of fuel costs twice as much as it used to and there is no signs showing that this trend is about to end sometime soon.

As questioned in the survey, motorists were asked on what they were most likely to do if fuel prices would not stop from rising. From this question, it has been revealed that around 20 % of motorists would give up their vehicles and their driving altogether if fuel prices would reach £ 2/ liter and 12 % of the participating motorists said that they would look into the possibility of getting an electric or a hybrid car. The survey also covered the point wherein motorists would cease to use their vehicles for social functions or events since this is the primary use of their cars. 18 % or drivers said that they would stop going out as much when prices for a liter of fuel would cost £ 1.70, 20 % said they would stop if costs would reach £ 1.60 per liter and 35 % said that they would stop going out when prices would reach £ 1.50.

The results and reactions of motorists to the survey are not truly surprising because of the ever-rising cost for both car insurance premiums and petrol which have been rendering motorists cash-strapped. According to the drivers who participated in the survey, the rising costs for both car insurance premiums and petrol have largely affected their driving habits. 78 % claimed that these exorbitant costs have affected the frequency of their driving while 1% has claimed to have stopped driving altogether. A further 75 % claims that they do not use their car too much whilst more than 7 % have stated that they now drive 100 miles less than they used to. Lastly, 50 % of drivers claimed to have cut back by at least 25 miles each week.

In relation to this survey, the Automobile Association has conducted a survey of their own which also yields similar results. According to their Association, the Government should do their best to stop fuel increases from happening because it is having such a negative impact on the nation. If this would go on, then there just might be no more drivers left on the road.

A recent study will be released within this week. According to the car insurance company that conducted the poll, around £ 1000 are being paid annually in accordance with motor insurance premiums.

A lot of motorists prefer getting a comprehensive insurance coverage because of its broader scope. However, as revealed in the survey, comprehensive insurance packages have increased by almost 16 % during the previous year alone. Because of this 15.3 % increase, comprehensive insurance coverage polices cost almost £ 1000 annually. This increase is the highest ever recorded increase since 1994. All figures and statements have been taken from AA Car Insurance’s British Insurance Premium Index.

The £ 971 figure has been based on the average of the three cheapest rates available on the market for a comprehensive coverage policy. Last week, the Transport Select Committee has stated that the most plausible cause for these increases is the rise in whiplash insurance claims in the country.

In addition to this, certain members of parliament have stated that it is hard to diagnose what exactly are the causes of continuous increases in car insurance premiums. However, the report also revealed that ‘askew practices’ like passing on customer details to other parties is another reason for insurance increases.

Late last year, the MP of Blackburn released scathing facts regarding the payment of personal injury lawyers for customer details. However, with the release of this information, a ban was also released to stop this perverse practice.

As stated in the recent survey, “Car insurance providers, solicitors and insurance claim management companies have all taken part in increasing the cost of car insurance premiums. This is because they have encouraged people caught up in car accidents to immediately make a claim despite the fact that they were just in small-scale accidents.”

“Motorists should not be forced into making legal actions by personal injury lawyers.”

According to the survey, whiplash claims must be given tougher criteria by the Government for approval. If this is done, reducing car insurance costs just might be taken into effect.

Nick Starling of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said that, “The main reason for these increases in ca insurance costs are the rising personal injury claims. This is why referral fees of personal injury lawyers must be placed under a total ban. If referral payments are finally made illegal, motorists just might see a reduction in their car insurance costs.”

“Motorists are tired of getting numerous text messages, voice mails and calls from personal injury lawyers forcing them to take legal action. Also, they are fed up with enduring exorbitant car insurance premiums just because of these ambulance-chasers and claim management firms.”

In lieu with a recent ‘Freedom of Information’ survey, car insurance companies have revealed that motorists could incur a £1,000 fine due to expired photo cards on their driving licenses. The foreseen number of motorists in need of a photo card renewal on December 2012 is at 3 million, more or less. However, it seems like not all motorists are aware of this requirement.

According to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, British motorists are required to renew their photo cards on their driving licenses every decade. Also, British law requires motorists to do this certain driving license update whether or not they still drive. This is hugely because of the hefty fine of £1,000 being imposed upon drivers that will be caught using their expired photo card license. In fact, under the Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 99, even the police can enforce this fine. In regards with car insurance premiums, motorists will not experience any increases unless he or she has been disqualified from driving. Despite this fact, car insurance companies are trying to urge motorists to comply with the regulations set by the DVLA and the Government.

In relation to an expanded survey regarding this issue, it has been found out that 30 % (487,000) of drivers do not even know that their license has expired. 10 million motorists, on the other hand, have no idea as to when their driving license or photo card will expire. And around 235,000 drivers have been maintaining expired driving licenses since three years ago (2009).

It has also been revealed that the majority of motorists do not have any idea as to what penalties they could incur with an expired license.  Around 29 % of drivers claim to be aware of the £1,000 fine that comes with an expired license. 30 % of the latter percentage is men while the percentage for informed women was only at 28 %. In addition to this, there were a relevant 31 % of motorists who believed that being caught with an expired driving license could affect their car insurance payments while 27 % of motorists thought that they could accrue points on their license if they were caught.

According to a car insurance expert, “The driving license containing a photo card was introduced back in 1988. So, it does not come as a surprise to learn that motorists are not quite keen on its ruling and expiration dates. Now that this is out in the open though, car insurance companies would like to encourage motorists to keep their driving licenses up to date so that they would be able to avoid the hefty fine of £1,000.”

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is going to start looking into the excessive increases in car insurance premiums. This is due to the 9 % increase in insurance coverage costs within the first 9 months of this year (2011).

Back in 2010, there was a noticed increase of 12 % throughout the whole year which has already rendered car insurance policy holders strapped for cash. Car insurance providers have stated that the main reason why premiums have risen in the said year is due to the increase in personal injury claims. It is these personal injury costs that have been driving motorists to darker roads.

The investigation of the Office of Fair Trading will focus on third party claims which include car repairs, parts replacement, provisions for alternative transportation yet do not include injuries.

Liberal democrat MP, David Ward, has initiated a campaign that will focus on high car insurance costs and their disadvantages to policy holders. With the investigation of the OFT finally commenced, he promised that a House of Commons Transportation committee will soon follow.

There were more than one thousand respondents who took part in the recent survey initiated by MP David Ward. It was through this survey that annual car insurance premiums were compared. Through this survey, it was disclosed that an average of 63 % was increased on their car insurance premium.

Having seen this staggering percentage in increases MP David Ward decided to commence an online petition which will hopefully urge the Parliament to make an action in creating more affordable car insurance rates. Also, a call for stricter penalties involving uninsured drivers is also prioritized.

InBradford, the premiums are excessively high because this is one of the hotspots for bogus accidents. Due to this, insurance experts fear thatYorkshiremight become a place full of uninsured drivers. In between the months of April and June alone of this year, there has been an increase of 3 % in premiums.

The MP forBradfordhas expressed his delight in the OFT and their commitment to help solve this social issue. As he has mentioned, “This here is a difficult situation and every factor needs to be taken into consideration. If not, it might be possible thatYorkshirewill never see cheaper car insurance rates. In relation to this, the Office of Fair Trading needs to make sure that this kind of behavior is permanently removed. This is to ensure that motorists will be able to get a fair price for their car insurance coverage.”

The British Office of Fair Trading has recently accepted six formal commitments from six established car insurance companies within theUnited Kingdom. Apart from these car insurance providers, there are also two technological companies that have committed themselves to the OFT in regards with lessening the pricing data that is exchanged between the two. With these commitments, the investigation being led by the OFT and other auto insurance associations has been put to an end. This investigation was focused on the possibility of insurance companies fixing the price of car insurance premiums.

The commitment of both industries has been a result of an earlier investigation that was launched by the Office of Fair Trading. The OFT wanted to look into the possibility of exchanges of price data that infringes certain laws in terms of competition.

Clive Maxwell, OFT Executive Director, was caught saying, “An exchange of future pricing information between particular car insurance companies could ruin the competition between the other providers. Thus, customers will not be receiving the best possible value.”

“We have been able to accept commitments from different insurers to make sure that our concerns will be addresses. This commitment will ensure that car insurance companies will not share pertinent data among other companies. Hopefully, this will enable a healthier competition within the car insurance industry.”

These 6 insurance companies are as follows; AvivaUK, AXA Insurance, Ageas,LiverpoolVictoria,ZurichInsurance-UKand RBS Insurance. SSP Limited and Experian, on the other hand, are the two IT software companies that have joined this campaign.

During the previous, year the OFT saw that there would possibly be a price coordination within the car insurance industry. This is because of the market analysis tool which allowed insurers to view the different pricing details of other car insurance companies. This special marketing tool was launched by Experian.

According to the Office of Fair Trading, “The fact that insurance companies were able to see the future pricing details of other insurance providers would clearly raise the laws of competition and it could also be used to coordinate their respective prices. This way, policy holders are not able to seek for the best deal.”

The OFT has not concluded if they will infringe the ‘Competition Act’ for good. Yet with six of the most revered insurance companies in theUKwho are willing to stand by their commitments, the OFT is willing to stop their investigation after almost 12 months.

Hybrid cars have been tested and proven to protect its driver and passengers more thoroughly than non-hybrid cars. This is in accordance with the final report released by an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety affiliate.

Highway Loss Data Institute researches has proven that passengers within a hybrid vehicle are 25 % more protected and are also less likely to be injured during a car crash. Fatalities like death are also significantly lower when a driver is encompassed in a hybrid car. These results are in direct contrast with crashes involving an average non-hybrid vehicle.

It was noted in these researches that the main edge of hybrid cars is its weight. With hybrid vehicles being 10 % heavier than average vehicles, it provides a stronger barrier that buffers the impact of the crash. According to Matt Moore of the Highway Loss Data Institute, “It is the extra mass within hybrid cars that gives them an edge during accidents”. So, when two vehicles collide, the heavier car pushes the lighter one away. It exerts a stronger force unto the lighter vehicle and also unto its passengers.

For an example, a Hybrid Toyota Highlander SUV has an approximated weight of 4,500 Lbs. This is more than 330 Lbs heavier than the average Toyota Highlander. According to the manufacturers, it is the battery and other mechanical components of the hybrid vehicle that adds to its weight.

In relation to the research, the Highway Loss Data Institute has taken a look into car insurance claims from various car insurance companies ranging from the years 2002 until the end of 2010. The HDLI compared 28 situations wherein hybrid cars have an average twin. An example of such a car is the Ford Fusion sedan.

The findings of this crash-testing and highway safety institute contradict the traditional belief of acquiring a higher gas-mileage car means that the car is less crash-worthy.

On the other hand, while the hybrid car is capable of protecting its passengers, it has been found that hybrid cars are more likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents. This is because hybrid cars do not make any sound, especially when they are on their electric-only mode.

Following decreeing action, a sound generator will be developed so that it can be able to be installed within hybrid vehicles. With a sound generator incorporated into hybrid cars, the possibility of these vehicles becoming involved in a pedestrian will be greatly lowered. And with less possibilities of being involved in car accidents, there are is also a lessened possibility of making a car insurance claim.

With young drivers drawing in high car insurance rates, it is no wonder if some of them would work hard in order to lower their insurance costs. In this case, four students from a top university inIrelandhave come up with a brilliant invention in order to lower their car insurance premiums. This certain invention is in the form of a smart-phone application. With the popularity of smart-phones in this current market, it would not come as a surprise if every student would acquire one.

This award winning smart-phone application has the capability of monitoring the driving skills of a driver. It also gives out driving points for following driving rules like sticking to the speed limit and stopping appropriately during the red light. This simple application has the possibility of lowering a car insurance premium by £ 30 and it can also help prevent accidents from happening.

This recent invention was created by four students from the ‘Sligo Institute of Technology’. The main aim of this smart-phone application is by grazing off some of the aggressiveness that most motorists have. Once motorists realize that following street rules is way better than speeding above the allotted limit, the possibility of accidents occurring will most likely decrease.

Since this driving application has the capacity of monitoring your driving skills and techniques, it also has the capacity of reporting your progress for the day. It will record all of your driving techniques, analyze your actions while driving and the road conditions and will eventually report back the results of your driving through a ‘report card’.

On a more technical note, the application will record your engine revs, your speed while driving, your throttle positioning and any G-forces that your vehicle may be under. Hence, it will know exactly when you have gone a little too far with your driving.

The driving monitor application also includes an online leader-board. The leader-board is the part of the application that has the capacity to curb down the aggressiveness of young drivers by providing them with a healthy competition of driving carefully. Car insurance providers can also jump into the loop and provide a discount to the driver with the best ‘report card’.

If all of this actually takes off, these four students may be looking at more than just a lowered car insurance rate. They may be looking at a developer who is willing to take their invention to another level.

In the third quarter of this year, car insurance premiums may have lowered slightly but they still remain at a soaring high amount. AA Car Insurance Company has mentioned that their research shows that the average amount for an annual comprehensive car insurance policy has fallen by £ 2 – £ 921. This slight decrease occurred in the third quarter of this year. British motorists have staggered by the amazingly high cost of insurance for the past two years. In addition to this, increasing costs for auto repair have resulted in another reason for car insurance companies to demand more money from motorists. Within the period of one year starting from the first quarter of 2010 to first quarter of this year, car insurance premiums have shown an increase of up to 40 %. However, this particular increase has shown a slight decline. A decrease in car insurance premiums have been stated to be at 16 % and this has given British motorists some hope that perhaps the worst increases are now at an end.

“Within the past two years, insurers have seen the biggest and highest increases in car insurance premiums while these certain motorists have been struggling to diminish the broad gap between claims and premium income,” said the director of AA Car Insurance Company, Simon Douglas.

He also added that, “Although these sky-high costs have reached a historical high, in 2009 each £100 received in the form of a premium, £ 123 was being paid out in claims and other coverage’s. Something really had to change.”

“Now, however, the broad gap has sufficiently diminished and it has allowed insurers to start becoming more competitive in their pricing and marketing”.

On another note, Simon Douglas has also seen the possibility of the respite being short-lived. This is mainly due to the fact that there are still some inflationary pressures evident in the insurance industry.

“I believe that the evident decreases are just a breather rather than the beginnings of a trend. Car insurance premiums are most likely to backslide next year, yet they might not prove to be as worse as the previous increases.”

Certain statistics and figures have been gathered from the motor association and car insurers and it has been found that the average cost for building car insurance have risen by approximately 14 % in the last year. This would mean that car insurance has been increasing by around £ 150 per year. Also, the cost for a content cover is also up. An average price increase for this particular cover had risen by almost £ 80 or 6 % during the last 12 months.

With the prices of oil constantly going up, a lot of people are trying to adapt to these dramatic changes. Therefore, a lot of British motorists have been forced to change their habits in accordance to how they spend their money, drive their cars and as to how far they allow themselves to go. This is according to new information that has been gathered by the BCA.

The BCA or British Car Auctions have deemed it proper to create a new survey on the changing habits of motorists. Hence, a new study was initiated. According to the new data that was released by the BCA, the gradual rise of the prices of fuel is the main reason why British motorists are changing their driving habits. This also constitutes to their study which showed that there is a dropping number of motorists using UK’s roads.

The survey was conducted with a whopping 4,000 British motorists. These motorists relied that their top priorities in regards with the roads are their fuel consumption and road tax payable. In addition to this, the third priority was deemed to be a motorist’s car insurance costs. These three major concerns of British drivers came from almost 30 % from those whom were questioned.

The communications director at British Car Auctions, Tony Gannon, mentioned that: “British households have been enduring a lot of problems regarding the rising prices of petrol and car insurance premiums. In addition to this, they have also been deciding on some complicated decisions on which car they need to use. Two-car families have been selling off their cars; hence there has been a drop to these kinds of families lately. Ultimately, the car that they decide to keep will just have to work twice as harder to supplicate the loss of the second car.”

With the fuel prices continuously surmounting, it is no wonder why families have decided to sell off their secondary cars. About 25 % of British motorists said that a fuel price of £1.40 per liter would certainly make them change their driving habits.

Member of Parliament, Robert Halfon, has created an online petition to bring down the prices of fuel. This online petition encourages the British public to cast their votes in accordance with a bid to push British leaders and the oil industry for a more affordable price of fuel. As of this today, the number of signatures that are in favor of the e-petition has reached 102,378.