Careless winter driving ups car insurance claims

Many motorists are putting themselves at risk by failing to adapt their driving style to compensate for the weather, a car insurance provider has warned.

According to Sainsbury’s Car Insurance, 33% of drivers do not bother to check the weather forecast before heading off on a journey, while 18% have ignored warnings against driving in inclement weather on at least one occasion.

The insurer estimated that around 800,000 people have had an accident after ignoring such advice and has advised drivers to pay more attention to the weather.

Ben Tyte, manager of Sainsbury’s Car Insurance, said that British motorists have a “typically stoic approach” to driving in wintry conditions.

“If they start to become complacent and think the worst weather is behind them, they could increase their chances of having an accident in the coming days and weeks,” he warned.

Mr Tyte also urged drivers not to leave their engines running if they are not actually inside the vehicle.

“If their car was stolen with the keys in the ignition, they would most likely not be covered by their insurance policy,” he explained.

Meanwhile, a separate study by Virgin Money has revealed that a disproportionate number of car insurance claims are made for vehicles that are five years old.

Cars from this age group account for 10% of all claims, the company revealed, while those aged between three and six years old account for nearly two-fifths of all car insurance claims, even though they make up just 24% of all vehicles.