Many thousands of UK motorists unwittingly risk voiding their car insurance every day.
Research from insurer Swiftcover has identified widespread confusion among motorists as to what is and isn’t covered by their policy. Rather than taking time to read the fine print, motorists are mistakenly relying on urban myths, says Swiftcover.
Here are four of the most popular car insurance myths currently circulating:
#1: Multitasking while driving
You all know about the risks posed by mobile phones, but did you know you could be caught for negligence for eating or smoking while an accident occurred, even if the accident wasn’t your fault?
Worryingly, eating while driving is a habit most of us have developed – a Swiftcover poll found that 65% of us do so.
#2: Driving someone else’s car
Nearly one third (29%) of drivers think that they will be covered by their own insurance if they jumped behind the wheel of someone else’s car.
Far from it - most car insurance policies only insure drivers if it's included in the small print, and rarely offer more than third party cover.
#3 Petrol / diesel mix up
Confusing the petrol and diesel pumps when filling up is an easy mistake to make, but can cost anywhere between £150 and £3,000 to repair.
Sadly, the majority of insurers view this as negligence and won’t pay out, despite what 10% of motorists may think.
#4: Underrating your mileage
Failure to notify your insurer when you exceed your mileage can invalidate your policy.
A significant 16.1% of motorists are unaware of this fact however, with a further 25.8% admitting they are unsure of the impact it would have on their cover.
Become a fine print fanatic
The Swiftcover research highlights a high level of confusion over what is allowed under a policy, and no doubt this is compounded by the fact that rules and exemptions differ from one insurer to the next.
The only real way around this is to read the fine print of your policy thoroughly. If it isn’t doesn’t explicitly say you are covered for something, don’t do it. With car insurance getting more expensive by the day, there’s no point in shelling out for decent policy, only for a silly lapse to leave you uncovered.
If you are struggling to find competitive car insurance, read this article on lowering your premiums.
