Admiral now penalize drivers on speeding awareness courses.

[Headgardener]

I see that Admiral now penalize drivers who attend speeding awareness courses by increasing their insurance premimums, according to the BBC. Do you think this is a good idea?

P.S. Mods if this thread is in the wrong forum could you please move it. Many thanks. HG.

 

[snorri]

It's a novel way of Admiral raising their profile by getting their name mentioned in the media free of charge.

 

[ColinJ]

A police spokesperson on the news today said that research has shown that drivers who have attended these course are less likely to have accidents than people who have not so their premiums should not be increased.

If drivers are going to be penalised anyway, many will not bother doing the courses since the fines imposed are probably less than the cost of taking time off work to attend a course.

 

[400bhp]

Given that gender cannot be used to rate premiums in a couple of weeks, insurance companies need to be a bit smarter to price more accurately.

If they've got or suspect the stats back up a different risk for people who have been on a speed awareness course, then a sensible move.

I haven't looked at the article, but would be interested to see whether the perceived risk reduced (lower premium) or increases (higher premium) as a result of attending the course...

 

[400bhp]

A police spokesperson on the news today said that research has shown that drivers who have attended these course are less likely to have accidents than people who have not so their premiums should not be increased.

If drivers are going to be penalised anyway, many will not bother doing the courses since the fines imposed are probably less than the cost of taking time off work to attend a course.

Police branching out into statistical analysis now...interesting...

 

[Boris Bajic]

I can only say what my experience has been.

A serial speeder for decades, I took a course (as an option to avoid the points) a year or two back, I arrived full of cynicism.

I did not leave a cynic. It wasn't some sort of Damascene conversion, but I learned a lot there and certainly drive more slowly and considerately now than I did before attending.

I wouldn't much mind if my insurer upped my premium for attending, but on the basis of my own slightly altered views, I'd say it's more about generating revenue and publicity than charging the risk against those more likely to make claims.

 

[ColinJ]

Police branching out into statistical analysis now...interesting...

I have to say that I reckon that a lot of people doing those courses won't listen to what is being said and will be fiddling with their smartphones all the way through, but if there are some real figures to show that the courses work then let's try and get more people to take them!

 

[potsy]

I always thought the point of the course was instead of points on your license, thus your insurance doesn't go up, rather than not getting fined?

 

[oldfatfool]

I was under the impression that if you have attended a speeding awareness course you have not been convicted of a speeding offence so have no duty to inform your insurers. Part of the appeal of paying to attend the course rather than a smaller fine and points is the fact you have to declare points to the insurer and get raped for the next 5 years.

 

[Drago]

Don't speed, problem solved.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Don't speed, problem solved.

That does seem a simple solution. I like it. Will it catch on do you think? I've been solving the problem that way for years. but many drivers seem to think speed limits are unfair. "I was only doing 34 in a 30 zone" etc..

 

[ComedyPilot]

Don't speed, problem solved.

Will you please stop posting things I agree with?

I'll be on here ages pressing 'like' at this rate.....

 

[Nebulous]

I was under the impression that if you have attended a speeding awareness course you have not been convicted of a speeding offence so have no duty to inform your insurers. Part of the appeal of paying to attend the course rather than a smaller fine and points is the fact you have to declare points to the insurer and get raped for the next 5 years.

Insurers have a phrase "uberrima fides" which means "utmost good faith." What they mean by that is you need to disclose anything that might be relevant and they will decide whether to charge you extra or not. If you dont disclose then that is where they will weasel out of paying.

I once bought a Kia Sedona on ebay. I arranged my insurance, collected and paid for it and it had stainless steel bullbars fitted. I drove it for a few weeks, but it was niggling me, so I phoned my insurer. They promptly said it would cost another £400 in premiums. I advised they were fitted already, but I wasn't prepared to pay the extra, so they gave me 24 hours to remove them. If I hadn't told them, and then had an accident they would have been entitled to walk away. It ended okay and I got about £100 on Ebay for them, but I wonder if the new owner told his/her insurer?

 

[Drago]

Will you please stop posting things I agree with?

I'll be on here ages pressing 'like' at this rate.....

I know. Dammit man, you seem to have had an outbreak of common sense yourself!

 

[gavintc]

Similarily, I was in the market for a Vespa scooter and during the early stages of dealing with a seller, I was informed it had an after-market silencer fitted. I told him, I was no longer interested as it would affect the insurance. He was not impressed that I was cancelling my interest based on the exhaust, but my research proved to be subsequently correct. Even fitting a towbar demands you inform the insurance company (and presumably pay a higher premium).