According to a survey undertaken by Young Marmalade (who are an insurer specialising in young motorists), one in five young motorists have considered breaking the law by driving without insurance to avoid having to pay increasingly higher motor insurance premiums.
Most young drivers feel that they are being priced off the road in view of the soaring cost of car insurance, with the young driver market feeling the pinch most with huge insurance quotes being reported.
The AA report that a male driver aged 17-22 can expect to pay an average of £2,872 per year while a similar aged woman would pay on average £1671. Of course this is likely to change due to a recent decision where females who were previously seen as a lower risk category should not be charged less than their male counterparts.
The survey also noted that 30% of young drivers would be willing to alter certain information they provide to their insurer in order to obtain a reduced quote.
All of this is very concerning, when it is a legal requirement for all information that is provided to insurers when seeking a quote to be wholly accurate and any incorrect information provided to the insurer could render an insurance policy void.
From the perspective of the general road user, the increase in motor insurance cover for young drivers and the potential knock-on effect of more people being tempted to drive without insurance, could this mean that more accident claims will have to be directed to the Motor Insurers Bureau? The MIB is an organisation funded by the insurance industry and the government to deal with accidents involving uninsured and untraceable motorists.
A further knock-on effect of this is that the MIB may take an increased length of time to deal with claims as they are faced with a greater influx of work, but more importantly the fact that there may be more people at risk of being injured or killed by an uninsured motorist.
By personal injury expert and Stephensons' Associate, Rebecca Dawber
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