The AnswerBank Articles

Women Over Charged For New Cars

Women are charged on average over £500 more than a man when buying a new car, What Car research has revealed. Fully living up to their Swiss Tony reputations, What Car caught secret footage of dealers charging more and pressing harder for sales when speaking to women than to men. Despite the fact that women sa...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Plate Recognition Cameras Faulty

High tech number plate recognition cameras being used by the police to crack down on drivers without motor insurance cover and crooks are misreading plates, the home office has admitted. A Home Office minister has revealed that one in five readings is currently coming up wrong, meaning thousands of drivers are being w...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Fake Crash Fraudsters Netting Millions

Criminals are staging car crashes to defraud motor insurance firms of tens of millions of pounds every year, says the motor insurance industry. The scams are easy to carry out and often feature fake witnesses and passengers to add to their authenticity. Catching the gangs involved is almost impossible say the police. ...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Midwinter Advice For Motor Insurance

A sudden cold snap may catch many drivers by surprise; say motor insurance companies, leaving a string of flat batteries and frozen cars in its wake. Motor insurance companies say that calls to service help-lines can increase seven fold in cold weather, with battery problems alone up by 75 per cent. It can work out t...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Car Key Theft Beaten

Ever since modern immobilisers were invented, cases of key theft have risen, with motor insurance policies often taking issue with payouts in cases where they judge drivers to have been careless with their keys. A welsh electronics firm has come up with an answer to the problem, however, with a transponder device that...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Motor Insurance Companies Warn On Tyre Wear

Motor insurance firms and safety campaigners are warning motorists that the increasing safety and toughness of new cars may actually be making them more dangerous. This is because while the average service period of cars has grown considerably, some components, such as tyres, may well wear out between times say motor i...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Volvo Wins Top Marks For Safety

Volvo has scored top marks in the motor industry's anti-whiplash ratings. Alongside Saab, Volvo was one of only two manufacturers to receive the top motor insurance rating. Volvo achieved an ‘All Good’ rating, with top ‘Good’ scores for every model tested. The vehicles were tested by Thatcham o...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Research Suggests Third Of Speed Gun Convictions Wrong

New research has suggested that almost a third of readings from speed guns are wrong. The findings mean that thousands may have wrongly received licence points, had to pay higher motor insurance premiums, or even lost their licences over faulty equipment. Researchers testing the handheld radar devices found that nearl...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Dodgy Bumpers Costing Motorists Unnecessary Millions

Dodgy designs of car bumpers are costing UK motorists £250 million every year, says recent motor insurance research. This could lead to higher insurance premiums, loss of valuable no claims bonuses and unnecessary inconvenience. The motor insurance industry testing discovered that under all the secure plastic an...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

BT Launches Vehicle Satellite Tracking

BT has launched an innovative scheme that uses satellite tracking to locate stolen cars. Users of the BT Trackit system use a special smartcard to 'login' when they start the ignition. If someone does not use the smartcard, a transponder concealed in the car alerts a BT call centre and the satellite tracking is turned...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Deflating Tyres Leak Pennies

Drivers who do not regularly check their tyre pressure could be wasting £6 on every £50 fill up, motor insurance companies have warned. There are also less tangible costs, with tyre life reduced by almost a third when they are run under-inflated. "While the safety message surrounding driving with the...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Massive Decrease In Car Theft Reported

Motor insurance theft claims have halved in the past five years says the motor insurance industry. The fall is nothing to do with a decline in the number of would-be car thieves, say motor insurance companies, but modern cars have far more sophisticated security systems. Typical types of modern security include GPS tr...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Creature Comforts Essential Say Business Drivers

Car gadgets that help ease the stress of driving, improve safety and cut motor insurance quotes are becoming more and more essential to business drivers says a new report. Almost two thirds of business drivers polled told motor insurance researchers that their car was a home from home as they spend more time behind th...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Millions Of Kids At Risk In Cars

Millions of parents are putting their children's safety at risk in the car, says recent motor insurance research. Motor insurance researchers found that over half of all parents would not check a child seat after they had an accident, compared to 92 per cent who said that they would remember to check their lights. Al...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

New Car Prices May Rise Under 'Super Dealers'

What Car has warned that drivers could face higher prices for new cars if more motor dealerships merge. The consumer watchdog has issued its warning after a national dealer group announced that it was considering the purchase of one of its largest competitors. If successful, the merger would create a massive network...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Drinkers Warned Of Bogus Cab Drivers

Safety organisations and motor insurance companies are warning drivers who wisely leave their cars at home while having a drink to beware of bogus minicabs. The drivers of these vehicles may be on the lookout for vulnerable women or be driving without motor insurance, campaigners warn. A safety campaign has suggested...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Learner Drivers To Receive Eco Testing

Learner drivers are to face a new challenge when they sit their driving test: they will be judged on how environmentally friendly their driving is. In a departure from traditional motor insurance concerns of safety, drivers will be judged on their ability to conserve fuel while driving. This will be doing things like...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Dangerous Driver Training "Doesn't Work"

Dangerous drivers who are given extra training instead of being prosecuted for driving offences show no improvement in their driving, Fleetnews Net reports. Research by the Department of Transport found that drivers who undertook the two-day motor insurance recommended National Driver Improvement Scheme (NDIS) were no...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Driver Association Accused Of Encouraging Speeding

The AA has been accused of encouraging speeding by selling devices which alert drivers of nearby speed cameras, the Independent has reported. Although the organisation does not sell radar or camera detectors, it retails navigational devices which can warn drivers of speed cameras which lie ahead. The list of cameras ...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010

Small Accidents Lead To Bigger Accidents

Drivers who regularly bump or scrape their cars are more likely to go on to have a serious crash say motor insurance companies. The finding has led to calls for those who have a series of a small motor insurance claims to be treated in the same way as someone who has had one large accident. After causing a major acci...15:36 Mon 24th May 2010