Insurers urged to crack down on cheating motorists

Motorists who break the law by using a mobile phone while driving are the biggest menace on the UK’s roads, according to opinion research published this week by the ABI.

Respondents backed insurers taking tougher action to expose dishonest motorists who conceal motoring offences to try to get cheaper motor insurance.

The survey of 2,000 motorists, conducted for the ABI by YouGov, highlighted that:

• Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people think that drivers using mobile phones are most likely to cause an accident, followed by young male drivers (45%), and uninsured drivers (34%).
• Seventy-two per cent of respondents would like insurers to be able to check driving licences for relevant motoring convictions or endorsements.

Commenting on the findings at the ABI’s annual motor conference on Tuesday, ABI’s director of general insurance and health Nick Starling said: “Honest motorists are fed up with drivers who lie and cheat to try to obtain cheaper insurance. We rely on people being honest, but those who conceal motoring offences not only push up the cost of insurance for everyone, but also run the risk of having any claim rejected.

“To protect honest customers, insurers are currently discussing with government whether they would be able to check for relevant motoring convictions and endorsements.”

Other findings from the survey showed that:

• The primary worry for women while driving is the risk of being involved in a staged accident, with a third citing it as their main concern. Male motorists worry most about having their car vandalised (30%).
• Thirty per cent of motorists think that they are most at risk of suffering a serious injury while on the road. Fifteen per cent of women are worried about being injured as a passenger, compared to 7% of men.