Cut Down On Car Insurance by Stopping to Eat

Did you know that eating while driving can cause you to pay higher premiums for your car insurance? Drivers who are caught munching while driving can face increases of as much as £200 when their car insurance policy comes up for renewal.

This is because many insurance providers realize that eating while driving causes drivers to become distracted and this distraction, if even for a second, can lead to an accident. Some providers are refusing to even cover drivers who have been caught eating while they are at the wheel of a vehicle.

Some of the transgressions regarded as eating at the wheel include drinking from a container, eating a fruit, sandwich or other snack and even reaching over to turn on the radio. Being caught doing one of these activities when driving will result in you being charged and convicted of “driving without due care and attention.” A conviction carries with it a fine of £60 and the loss of three points. There are over 25,000 drivers found guilty of this offence each year.

When you renew a car insurance policy, the provider will ask you if you have been convicted of such a charge. If you have, it is best to tell the truth because if the provider checks and finds that you have lied it could result in cancellation of your policy. Insurance providers call this distracted behaviour or a CD10 offence.

The increase that results in insurance premiums varies from one provider to another, but some of the common increases include 37% by AA, 28% by Sainsbury’s and 17% by Privilege. Other insurance providers judge the amount of increase on an individual policy basis.

Ian Crowther, a representative of AA, which is a broker for more than 20 insurance providers says, “We’re all guilty of eating or drinking behind the wheel but the fact is it can be dangerous. There is a direct correlation between those convicted of driving without due care and attention, and fatal accidents.”

He goes on to say, “Insurance is a very black-and-white issue and the job of insurers is identifying customers who pose as possible risks. The cynical will say it is just a money-making scheme but it’s a financial incentive to encourage drivers to be more careful.”

At the present time the government is taking steps to crack down in incidents of careless driving so the measures being taken by the insurers is in line with government policy. There are plans in the works that will give police the authority to stop driving who are eating or drinking while driving and hand them the £60 fine right on the spot.

Just this month, smart cars in Manchester have been fitted with cameras designed to pinpoint drivers who are distracted. Under this scheme, you could receive a fine in the mail without ever knowing that your distraction has been caught on camera. Other areas, such as East London and Brentwood in Essex, are expected to start using these cameras in the near future.

Some have been critical of the program saying that once a person has been found guilty of this offence the fine should be punishment enough. There is no evidence to suggest that this driver will be a repeat offender.

According to Nigel Humphries, spokesman for the critics, “Insurance firms need to produce evidence which shows these drivers are more risky before they hike up the premiums.”

Insurers on the other hand have defended their move as Neil Walker of AA says, “Drivers with convictions represent an increased risk and will not be able to access the best premiums. We assess each inquiry, taking into account risk indicators including previous claims and convictions, and the driver’s age and experience.”

Mike Quinton, the head of direct business insurance at Zurich, stated, “If customers are convicted of careless or reckless driving, their premiums will be affected. The more serious the offence, the higher the premium.”

This sentiment was echoed by a spokesperson for Kwik-Fit, who said, “‘Premiums are based on many factors, of which motoring convictions is just one. We use a panel of insurers and offer insurance to most drivers but some of these insurers may not quote where a driver has a CD10 conviction.”

Tags: car insurance, Ian Crowther, transgressions, london, individual policy basis, Neil Walker, eating while driving, driving risks