Archive for March 2012

Car insurance can Protect you Financially

Car insurance is a legal requirement, but also a very helpful asset to ease the complications of a car accident. Good car insurance will help you stay on the road when you make a claim, as your car insurance provider may even give you a courtesy car while your car is being repaired after an accident. Your car insurance may also cover personal belongings lost or damaged following an accident. In more extreme circumstances, you can also receive financial compensation if you or your partner are accidentally killed or injured while getting into, travelling in or getting out of the car insured.

But why do car accidents happen?

According to the Department for Transport national road accident survey, there are various factors which can contribute to an accident: [1]

Failure to look: is the most frequently reported contributory factor to a car accident. Failing to look was reported in 38% of all car accidents reported to the police in 2009, and 4 in 5 of the most frequently reported contributing factors to an accident involved a driver's error or slow reaction.

Loss of control: is the most common reported reason for fatal accidents. This is usually when a driver has exceeded the speed limit or has simply lost control of their vehicle due to driving conditions.

Exceeding the speed limit or travelling too fast for the road conditions was reported in accidents which accounted for 27% of all fatalities. It's therefore essential that drivers respect speed limits and always drive carefully in difficult driving conditions, such as rain, fog, sleet or snow.

Pedestrians failing to look: was reported in 58% of accidents where a pedestrian was injured or killed. Drivers should therefore always keep a look out for pedestrians, especially young children, who may not be taking care or have seen your car approaching them.

By being aware of these contributing factors, you could help to avoid a car accident in the first place. Unfortunately, accidents do happen which is why it is important to have good car insurance which will protect you financially from the cost of injury, loss or damage.

Protecting Your Car Even When It Is Parked

26% of claims on John Lewis Car Insurance in 2010 were as a result of an accident involving a parked vehicle being hit by a moving one. This made collision with a parked vehicle the top most common claim for John Lewis Car Insurance customers. You may consider driving at high speeds or driving on roundabouts as dangerous or risky manoeuvres, but safe parking is also an essential part of maintaining car safety.

If your vehicle is hit whilst parked, your car could sustain any amount of damage. You car could suffer damage on the body work, the window screen could be broken, or a long scratch could appear down the length of your car. In more serious collisions, you may even find your car is a right-off after another vehicle collides with your car whilst it is parked.

Car insurance is essential to protect yourself and your vehicle against damage both on the road and whilst parked. Good car insurance should pay for the damage to your car after an accident. Your insurance company may also cover the cost of replacing or repairing your car's audio and navigation equipment. You may find that a car accident prevents you from getting home or to your planned destination; in which case your car insurance could help you complete your journey by providing overnight accommodation or providing a courtesy car whilst your vehicle is being repaired.

As well as having good car insurance, you should try to park your car where it will be safe. Try to park in line with other vehicles so your car is not at risk of being clipped by other passing vehicles and don't park in dangerous or unmarked spots. If you leave your car parked overnight, be sure it is parked in a well lit spot and you can even leave your parking lights or front side lights illuminated if you are particularly concerned about a collision whilst your car is parked.

Car Insurance - Covering the Cost of Repairs to your Bumper

The UK is home to a large number of car insurance providers. If you decide to compare different car insurance policies online, be aware that cheap car insurance policies tend to offer limited cover and may not necessarily include your bumper.

As cars have developed, bumpers have become more effective. They now help to reinforce the vehicle, protecting passengers and engine parts during a collision. There were 170,591 road accidents reported to the police involving personal injury in 2008, 6% fewer than in 2007[1]. One of the reasons why this figure keeps decreasing year on year may be the increased effectiveness of bumpers along with other improved safety features.

However, whilst bumpers are now more effective in serious collisions, they may not fare so well in minor scrapes. The original purpose of bumpers was to protect vehicles going over low speed bumps. This meant that bumpers were relatively simple, unglamorous parts of a car and could be cheaply and easily repaired or replaced.

The ergonomic design of many modern bumpers may increase the overall attractiveness of a vehicle, but this design change also has disadvantages: although bumpers now form an integrated part of the vehicle's overall aesthetic appeal, they no longer function as effectively as sacrificial, shock absorbers.

Rather than cushioning low impact bumps and grazes, modern bumpers are easily marked, scratched, cracked and dented. Although bumpers were originally designed to protect your car, it is now possible to buy buffers to protect your bumper! In addition, because bumpers are now an elegant part of a car's overall bodywork, if you're involved in an accident and your bumper is damaged it can often be more complex and costly to repair.

After an accident if your car can still be driven legally and is roadworthy, reputable car insurance companies will deliver a courtesy car to you when your car is picked up for repairs. In this way, car insurance providers can keep you mobile while your car is being fixed. Before long your vehicle should be back with you, looking as good as ever.