Higher U.K. Premiums

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29245, 1 July 1960, Page 9

Higher U.K. Premiums

With the price of repair work climbing higher and higher and the number of claims steadily mounting, insurance companies in Great Britain have taken steps to safeguard losses which they claim they are already suffering on motor car insurance. There are more accidents involving fatal and serious injuries, and personal claims involve far more than damage to cars. Comparatively small accidents such as dented mudguards and bodywork have also increased, and the problem is made worse by the integral construction oi many modern cars, A relatively minor collision which forces one of these cars out of shape is a most expensive repair job. Alternatives have been tried by the companies to raising the general premiums. More insistence has been placed on sharing the blame between the two parties in an accident, which invalidates two no-claim bonuses instead of one.

The trend to being more selective in the type of person a company is also evident, and some companies refuse to insure a driver who is not .regarded as a good risk. Sports car owners sometimes have difficulty in getting cover, and according to the record o'f the person concerned, may be heavily loaded. Cars more than ten years old also carry higher premiums.