Bradford drivers suffer biggest insurance hikes

Car insurance premiums have risen faster in Bradford than anywhere else in the UK, according to a report by one of the city’s MPs.

The draft report by Bradford North East MP David Ward cites figures from the Towers Watson survey showing that the West Yorkshire city has seen the biggest increase in car insurance premiums since it began producing its Insurance Price Index in 1997.

The Liberal Democrat MP has carried out an investigation into the issue after being besieged by constituents angry about escalating motor premiums.

According to a survey carried out by Ward, constituents have been quoted up to £20,000 for motor policies.

A draft report, findings from which are due to be outlined at a special conference Ward is holding today on the issue at Bradford Town Hall, says: “While the combination of factors pushing up insurance costs in Bradford is broadly similar to other parts of the UK, this report finds that some of these are unusually acute in the city. The result is premiums which are exceptionally high.

“In an area where average incomes are relatively low, this means that car insurance is, for an increasing number of Bradford residents, unaffordable.”

Exploring the roots of the problem, the report says Bradford had the 5th highest level of ‘cash for crash’ insurance fraud in the country, citing one taxi driver’s comment that such scams are “big business in Bradford.”

The report also cites the Motor Insurers Bureau finding that the city’s BD3 is the postcode area with the highest number of uninsured drivers in the UK for the 13th consecutive year, with drivers nearly seven times more likely to be uninsured than the national average.

According to a survey carried out by Ward, the “vast majority” of constituents, irrespective of age, said rising premiums would have a “serious impact” on whether they would continue driving or not.

Given the reliance of many Bradford residents on their cars for getting to and from work, the report warned that rising premiums threatened to help nip in the bid the city’s fragile recovery from the recession.