Bad driving will become fixed penalty offence

The Department for Transport has published a consultation paper which includes a proposal to make careless driving a fixed penalty offence and open to the offer of education training.
According to Transport Secretary, Mike Penning, with careless driving, the current enforcement process is time consuming and inefficient and the proposals will provide greater flexibility in dealing with low-level careless driving behaviours.
The paper also includes proposals to raise the level of many motoring fixed penalty notices from £60 to £90, although there are no proposals to make changes to penalty levels for parking restriction offences.

More than $15 million recovered in 2011

The amount of money recovered for consumers in 2011 by regulators in Louisiana, North Dakota and Arizona totaled more than $15 million, officials in those states recently reported.
Each state in the U.S. has an insurance department charged resolving disputes over claims and business conducted between insurers and policyholders. Many of those resolutions result in settlements or refunds for consumers.
Louisiana regulators returned more than $5.3 million to consumers in 2011 from about 13,200 inquiries and 3,400 complaints. Of the recovered funds, the state’s Office of Property /Casualty returned the second-highest amount of almost $1.7 million.
In North Dakota, regulators reported that they handled 7,200 phone inquiries and 214 formal complaints, recovering more than $5.6 million from those cases. The total included $1.4 million in “suspicious claims.”
Regulators there dealt with 75 complaints about auto insurers, by far the highest amount compared with other coverage types. Monies recovered in auto-related disputes was the second-highest dollar total, at about $66,100, compared with $69,700 recovered from disputes over homeowner’s coverage.
Regulators in Arizona recovered more than $7.5 million in 2011 from about 9,000 complaints from consumers. Audits of insurers in the state resulted in an additional $278,990 in consumer restitution and $873,000 in fines and penalties against insurers.
The reasons for complaints were largely because of delays in claims or claims processing, making up 35 percent of all inquiries, followed by in inadequate settlement offers, which made up about 1 in every 10 complaints.
Arizona’s breakdown of complaint types aligns with national data that showed that, between 2009 and 2011, the majority of complaints stemmed from consumers upset with denial of their claims or delays in their reimbursements, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Consumers who get car insurance quotes online or through an agent may typically look to the cheapest company as their choice, but a company’s history with state regulators is just as important. Rock-bottom prices may mean higher customer dissatisfaction with claims at that company, so consumers should check this listing of state regulators and contact their state’s department for more background on the complaints and inquiries filed against their insurer.

Swinton is warning low riders

Swinton Insurance is warning young male motorists about the dangers of not using the correct seating position in the driver's seat after it was revealed that nearly 20% of drivers prefer to have the backrest at a dangerously low position.
The UKs leading high street retailer of car insurance surveyed 1,200 male online customers aged 17-23 and found that 19% lowered the backrest on the driver's seat. The most common reason for doing this was 'it looks cool' (27%) followed by 'it is more comfortable' (21%).
Swinton is warning young male motorists that they could be putting themselves in danger and risking serious back, head and neck injuries in the case of a collision with a lowered down backrest.
Swinton is offering the following tips to motorists to ensure their backrest, headrest and seat are in a safe and correct position for driving:
-- Move your seat forward or back so that you have a slight bend in your knee when you are pressing the pedals -- The same applies to your elbows and will ensure the airbag will have enough room to expand -- Ensure you can see all the way around including past the end of the bonnet -- Adjust the headrest so that it supports your head well when you lean back. A properly adjusted headrest can be life saving in the event of a collision. -- Always check the position of a seat before you set off to drive, especially if you share the car with another person.
Steve Chelton, Insurance Development Manager at Swinton said, "Young male motorists need to ensure they have the correct seating position when driving, it could be the difference between life and death in the event of a serious accident."

Alliantz launches Your Cover on Moneysupermarket.com

Allianz Insurance has announced its new Your Cover insurance is available on Moneysupermarket.com.
The product provides customers the flexibility to build their own policy and choose the level of cover to suit their individual lifestyle and needs. Customers can purchase a basic level of comprehensive cover and then add up to 14 optional insurance covers such as Foreign Travel, Breakdown and Roofbox and Trailer Cover.
Policyholders can also select the level of excess that is right for them and, unlike many motor insurance providers, Your Cover does not charge administrative fees for any changes made to policies.
Andy James, head of direct customer marketing for Allianz Retail, said: "Your Cover insurance gives consumers exactly what they have been asking for - the flexibility to build a tailor made policy with a level of cover to suit individual needs - this flexibility ultimately allows customers to have more control over their premium costs."
"Moneysupermarket.com is the UK's leading finance price comparison website and is an excellent platform for Allianz Your Cover insurance. Allianz always strives to meet consumer demand and appreciates that comparison sites present a popular way to buy insurance products."

Increasing prestige car collections

A new research from Aviva indicates that the number of people with four or more prestige cars is on the increase, with some clients owning more than 30.
According to the insurer, a recent surge in the popularity of prestige car collections could be linked to the current economic climate, with investors looking for new ways to secure returns on their money.
Unique and collectable cars tend to hold their resale value, with some changing hands for millions.
The study also suggests that the average annual mileage for such a vehicle is 5,000, while the typical value of the prestige car portfolio is £350,000.
According to Aviva, Porsche is the most popular prestige car manufacturer for insurance quotes on its Distinct contract, with Bentley, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Jaguar completing the top five.

Put the Car Keys Away If You Raise Your Glass for Holiday Cheer

As Canadians gather with family and friends to celebrate the holidays, MADD Canada is asking everyone to help make this holiday season free from impaired driving crashes.
"Our wish this holiday season is for every Canadian to make a commitment to safe and sober driving," said Denise Dubyk, MADD Canada's National President. "No one should have to deal with the tragic effects of this violent crime. If everyone does their part, we can stop impaired driving."
At this time of year especially, the consequences of impaired driving are particularly difficult to bear. Friends and families gather together to celebrate the holidays, but someone very special is missing. For Denise, that someone special is her son-in-law Darryl who was killed in an impaired driving crash in 2000.
Darryl was a passenger in a pick-up truck being driven by an impaired driver. He was killed instantly when the pick-up hit a parked commercial moving van. In that moment, life changed forever for Denise, her daughter Tammy, and for Tammy and Darryl's two young sons who would never enjoy another holiday with their Dad.
"These tragic losses do not need to happen," added Ms. Dubyk. "Every year, hundreds of people are killed and tens of thousands injured in impaired driving crashes that are completely and entirely preventable."
This holiday season, MADD Canada and its community partners, led by Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, ask Canadians to do their part to stop impaired driving.
"Every single person has the power to stop impaired driving," said Chris Kiah, Allstate Canada President and Chief Executive Officer. "We join MADD Canada in asking everyone to help keep our roads safe from impaired driving, throughout the holiday season and all year long."
About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads.
About Allstate Insurance Company of Canada
Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is one of Canada's leading producers and distributors of home and auto insurance products. "The Good Hands Network(R)" enables consumers to contact Allstate Canada through one of 93 community-based Agencies, directly online at www.allstate.ca and through the Customer Contact Centre at 1-800-Allstate. Allstate Canada is committed to making a positive difference in the communities in which it operates and has partnered with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada), Crime Stoppers, United Way and Junior Achievement. In 2010, Allstate Canada, in partnership with the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), created the Allstate All-Canadians program, a mentorship program designed to guide the next generation of Canada's hockey youth. Learn more at www.allstate.all-canadians.com.

Greater Restrictions for High-Risk Auto Insurance Group Enacted

Michigan’s governor last week signed into law greater restrictions on how and when beginning motorists in the state can drive legally. OnlineAutoInsurance.com commends the Michigan legislators for successfully pushing for greater road safety.

With the new restrictions, motorists in stage two of the graduated licensing process can only drive between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. and can carry only one non-family passenger under the age of 21.

The changes were implemented in response to negative teen crash statistics from Michigan and around the country that have led insurance companies to mark this demographic group as a high risk, which has subsequently made it difficult for teenage drivers to track down affordable auto insurance premiums.

Teenagers remain statistically more likely to be involved in an auto accident than any other age group. And although the annual number of fatal crashes involving 16- and 17-year-olds has been on the decline in recent years, the numbers are still unsettling. Between 2004 and 2008, there were 294 fatal crashes in Michigan alone that involved a 16- or 17-year-old.