The importance of having car insurance in place
February 4, 2008
If you drive a car in the UK it is a legal requirement that you have car insurance in place, both to protect you and to protect others. Car insurance is designed to protect other parties that may suffer loss, damage, or injury as the result of an accident that was your fault, and if you have comprehensive cover your vehicle will also be covered even if the accident was your fault.
There are three levels of car insurance that you can choose from depending on your budget and needs. The cheapest is third party only cover, and this provides protection for a third party if they suffer injury, loss, or damage as the result of an accident that was your fault. Next comes third party fire and theft, which provides the same cover as third party with additional protection for your car in the event that it is dire damaged or stolen.
The most expensive level of cover is fully comprehensive, and this provides all of the benefits of third party, fire and theft, as well as covering the cost of repairs to your car even if the accident was your fault, although this may be subject to you paying an excess depending on your policy. You can also incorporate other benefits into your car insurance cover, such as legal cover, personal injury cover, and breakdown cover, depending again on your needs and your pocket. It is important that you get at least three quotes when looking for car insurance, as premiums can vary widely from one provider to another.
Unfortunately, there are a number of drivers in the UK that decide to use their vehicles on the road but not to get insurance, and this puts other people at risk as well as putting the driver at risk of serious penalties. The police and other authorities have recently announced that they are really planning to crack down on drivers with no insurance in place. Those found to be driving without insurance cover risk losing their vehicle to the crusher in addition to facing hefty fines. This is why all drivers are being asked to think twice before hitting the road without any insurance cover in place.
Drivers that do have insurance cover in place find themselves having to stump up around £30 more each for their policies in order to cover the cost of those that do not have cover. Authorities state that many accidents, injuries, and deaths are caused by uninsured drivers each year, and the costs relating to these have to be stumped up through the extra premiums that honest drivers end up paying.
Police plan to use their powers to seize a vehicle more than ever as part of this clampdown, and many are confident that the threat of increasingly tough punishments will hinder at least some drivers from going on the road without cover. One industry official recently stated: ‘Six points, a £300-£400 bill, plus the inconvenience of being without a car and the cost of buying new insurance adds up into a more meaningful punishment.’
Comments
Got something to say?