Norwich Union's stats show that over 87% of car theft claims in 2007 were for vehicles worth less than £5,000 with cars 15-17 years old more than twice as likely to be stolen than newer cars.

The global rise in demand for steel and other metals has meant a sharp increase in the value of scrap metal, making even the most rusty old banger attractive to thieves.

Technical claims manager at Norwich Union, Martin Smith said: "Opportunist thieves are more inclined to target older cars that are not fitted with immobilisers, rather than take on modern day security systems. Cars most likely to be stolen are older cars that are still around in high volumes, like the Ford Escort for example and the Vauxhall Astra. Low income families are more vulnerable, especially those living in urban areas as they may not have a garage or driveway or may have to park away from their home".

The claims statistics from Norwich Union also revealed that:

• Cars are more likely to be stolen in the winter months, peaking around December and January when you are more than 25% more likely]]> Fri, 1 Aug 2008 13:55:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/motorists-feel-pressured-to-admit-crash-liability.html New research by Norwich Union has revealed that as many as 19% of UK motorists involved in a crash have felt under pressure by the other party to admit liability. What's more, in 71% of cases, the cause of the crash wasn't actually their fault.

  The study surveyed more than 1500 drivers and also found that 40% of respondents had suffered post-traumatic stress symptoms following a crash. These included recurring memories and feelings of distress when recounting the even, related to the facts that they had mistakenly admitted liability.

  Norwich Union is urging drivers to be better prepared should they be involved in a crash after their research also showed that 32% of motorists don't know what to do.

  Commenting on the research he developed for Norwich Union, Dr Cris Burgess said: "It's normal to react differently to how you would usually in a high stress situation like a car crash, because when you're in shock your sense of logic and reason can be impaired. That's why it's so important to be as prepared as possible for a crash - the more you know, the better you'll be able to deal with the situation, whatever your feelings at the]]> Sun, 25 May 2008 22:44:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/over-1-Million-motorists-admit-to-uninsured-driving.html Research from Sainsburys Car Insurance has revealed that a staggering 1.15 million motorists have admitted to driving a car without being insured to do so in the last 12 months. Of these, almost 40% were aged between 17-24 and a further 22% aged 25- 34.

  Penalties for driving illegally without insurance include hefty fines, a lengthy ban from driving and even having your vehicle seized and crushed. Figures from The Association of British Insurers show that the cost of uninsured motorists impacts all responsible drivers as an extra £25-£30 is added to the average annual car insurance premium.

  Shockingly, 19% of those interviewed who admitted driving without insurance said that they did not think it was necessary and 13% said that they forgot to purchase it. A further 19% said they copuld not afford it and 13% also said that they did not have time to arrange]]> Sat, 24 May 2008 22:41:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/a-third-of-drivers-would-lie-to-ensure-a-successful-claim.html This shocking revelation was the result of research carried out by the price comparison site moneysupermarket.com which asked motorists what they would do if their car was stolen because they had failed to secure it properly. Only 36% said they would own up and tell their insurer the truth, with another 33% admitting that they would keep it from their motor insurance provider. In addition, 31% were sitting on the fence, not sure if they would come clean about their mistake

  Director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, Richard Mason said... "It seems many British motorists are ready to cover up their own carelessness, which could have led to the claim for the stolen car in the first place. You may think telling a little white lie, or holding back the whole truth is no cause for concern, but if your claim is as a result of your own wrong-doing, then insurers are likely to see it as fraudulent. I urge all drivers to tell the full truth, but even more importantly, secure their cars. Providers may well refuse to cover you in the future, if you are found out, scuppering your chances]]> Fri, 23 May 2008 22:30:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/government-not-doing-enough-to-tackle-uninsured-drivers.html The Chief Executive of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has criticised the Government for being too slow in creating legislation to tackle the problem of uninsured driving on Britain's roads.

  Speaking at the associations annual conference, Eric Galbraith called on the Government to accelerate the process and to fund publicity to raise awareness of the dangers of uninsured driving.

  Victims of uninsured driving are responsible for 35,000 claims every year against the motor insurers’ bureau, of which 24,000 result from injury costing £417 million. BIBA considers the level of uninsured driving incidents to be unacceptable and is pressing for more resources to create a new enforcement agency to crack down on the problem.

  Speaking at the BIBA conference, Eric Galbraith, commented: "We have seen a great effort from the insurance industry in setting up the successful motor insurance database to crack down on uninsured driving, but eradicating this problem now requires a real commitment from Government. The Government has been dragging its feet on drafting new regulations which are desperately needed to help tackle uninsured driving in the UK. I am calling on Ruth Kelly and her team to do their utmost to set these regulations in motion at the earliest]]> Thu, 22 May 2008 22:35:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/uk-drivers-risk-breaking-the-law-due-to-insurance-assumptions.html A survery by the internet-only insurer Swiftcover has revealed that thousands of UK motorists risk breaking the law because they are unaware of what their car insurance policy does and doesn't cover them for.

  The research found that UK drivers are very confused about the benefits on their policies and could be unwittingly committing a criminal offence by making false assumptions. For example, many drivers are not aware that they could be accused of negligence if involved in an accident while smoking or eating at the wheel; resulting in a drastically reduced payout from their insurer.

  Tina Shortle from Swiftcover.com commented: "While choosing the lowest price car insurance policy is most people’s objective, it is also important to know exactly what is and isn’t covered.  Drivers make a lot of assumptions about their policies, so it’s best to read all terms and conditions carefully and to regularly review the terms."

  The main findings of the Swiftcover survery were as follows:

  Driving other cars

  Driving a friend’s car might seem perfectly innocent but most car insurance policies only cover drivers if it’s included in the small print, and rarely offer more than third party cover. So, check the small print on your policy or contact your insurer to confirm you're]]> Tue, 20 May 2008 22:33:00 GMT