Tag Archives: car insurance for young drivers

Confused.com Launches New Travel Insurance Service

Confused.com is launching a new price comparison service that allows travellers with pre-existing medical conditions to get a quick and easy travel insurance policy.

Most travel insurance policies tend to exclude pre-existing conditions; these are medical conditions that have been diagnosed at the time of purchasing a policy. It is important to note that this includes conditions diagnosed a number of years ago that you may continue to have check-ups on. If people travel with a known medical condition without informing their provider, and need to make a claim as a result of falling ill abroad, then any emergency treatment or hospital costs relating to that pre-existing condition would be excluded, leaving the policyholder to pick up the pieces.

Confused.com can find an insurance quote to cover pre-existing medical conditions and also offer cover for non-pre-existing conditions, so when people have an accident they can have the peace of mind that their insurance policy will safeguard them.

Confused.com has teamed up with travel insurance specialists to allow people to compare travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions, meaning consumers no longer have to search hundreds of insurers only to find out they may not insure them.

Comparing travel insurance with Confused.com means people can search the market to find their best quotes available for travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions.

Confused.com’s new service allows customers to select their particular condition, answer a selection of questions on their personal situation and will only show accurate prices by providers who will cover them; saving the customer time.

Those with pre-existing conditions are seen by insurance companies as customers who would pose a greater risk of claiming, resulting in them paying higher premiums and having fewer insurers to choose from. Therefore many people might find it tempting not to declare more minor conditions such as asthma etc., simply to save the hassle or because they are worried about the higher premium but if they then need to claim, the insurer can access their medical records and so will find out that they have a pre-existing medical condition and the policy may become void. This could then result in the policyholder having to pay out for expensive medical bills. This is particularly relevant in countries with higher costs for medical treatment such as the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Spain, Cyprus, Turkey or Malta.

Having travel insurance is very important for people with pre-existing medical conditions and making sure they have the right policy that suits their individual needs is key.

Kate Rose, Head of Travel Insurance said: “At Confused.com we understand that not everyone has a perfect medical record and that shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying travel as much as anyone else. We advise that you shop around and compare with Confused.com to get a great deal on your travel insurance.”

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com Reveals Homeowners’ Most Expensive Possessions Are Not The Most Valuable To Them

Confused.com has revealed that homeowners’ most financially valuable possessions are not the ones which are the most precious to them. Computers and jewellery top the list of the most expensive items owned, but 74% of homeowners tell us that sentimental items such as photos, letters and drawings their child has done are more precious than their most costly items.

In a survey of 2,000 homeowners, Confused.com discovered that nearly three quarters said that the most financially valuable item they own is not the most precious item they possess, with photos being considered the most precious or sentimental items owned by UK homeowners.

Men differ from women with more men (29%) than women (23%) saying that the most financially valuable items they own are also the most precious to them, while women (47% compared to 34% of men) feel that photos are the most precious/sentimental items they own. The second most popular sentimental item for women is jewellery while the second most popular items for men are letters.

Older people (over 55s) are more likely to say that items inherited from a relative are among their most precious items but photos and letters are consistently precious across all age groups.

When it comes to insuring possessions, Londoners are most likely to take the gamble and fail to take out a home contents insurance policy: only 64% of Londoners who own their home tell us they actually have home insurance, compared to a national average of 80%. When it comes to 18-24 year-old homeowners, 16% of these do not even know if they have home contents insurance or not. 30% of 18-24 year-old homeowners say they don’t have a policy.

Despite such a large proportion of homeowners telling us that they do not bother with home insurance, 20% admit that they have been burgled in the past. Jewellery is the top item stolen by burglars, followed by items of sentimental value.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com said: “Home insurance and a good awareness of home security can help to keep property safe. Sadly burglary is a fact of life that one in five of homeowners who we surveyed had already experienced. While insurance cannot replace items such as photos, it is possible to name precious items (that have a value of more than £1,000) on your home insurance policy. This helps ensure that possessions such as jewellery or antiques or expensive technology can be replaced or compensated for in the event of a burglary.”

For more possessions research, Confused.com’s unique infographic can be found here:www.confused.com/news-views/infographics/what-items-people-value-more-at-home-sentimental-or-expensive.

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com Reveals Young Male Drivers Pay Almost Double For Insurance Compared To Women

Confused.com/Towers Watson have revealed that the cost of car insurance for young men continues to go through the roof, with 17-20 year olds paying almost double what women drivers of the same age are paying.

Male drivers in the 17-20 year old age group are suffering as female drivers pay£1,771 less than the men UK-wide: it currently costs an average of £1,959 for women aged 17-20 to insure a car compared to £3,730 for men. These are the findings of the Confused.com/Towers Watson Car Insurance Price Index (Q4 2011), which is based on more than 4 million quotes.

Young people are feeling the impact most, with car insurance for young drivers seeing huge rises from the previous year. Regionally the picture is even more surprising: young men passing their driving tests in inner London can expect to be quoted an average of £5,523 to insure their car if they are aged 20yrs or younger which is more than 48% higher than the average for this group and 5.7% more than they paid in Q4 of 2010 meaning taking the time hunting around for the cheapest car insurance even more worthwhile. Their counterparts in Manchester and Merseyside fare even worse, with average costs of £5,724 facing them to insure their cars when they throw away the ‘L’ plates, a shocking rise of 10.6% year-on-year (Q4 2011 compared to Q4 2010). A 17-20 year old female in inner London can expect to pay £3,261 on average: a rise of 4.4% year-on-year, and they are paying an average of £3,307 in Manchester/Merseyside – a 9.9% rise year-on year. A high cost, but this is still more than £2,000 less than men of the same age.

When a driver adds another person to their comprehensive policy, average costs come down, so a 17-20 year old man pays £3,907 (UK average) as the only driver, but when they add on another driver the costs fall to an average of £3,345, a saving of more than £500. For 17-20 year-old women the UK average is £2,046 if they are the only driver and this falls to £1,819 for 17-20 year olds with another driver on their policy.

Comprehensive car insurance for women across all ages and regions fell marginally in quarter 4 of 2011 (-1.3%), but prices continued to rise for men, although by just 1% in quarter 4. Year-on-year, it was 61-65 year old men who saw the biggest jump in costs, with a 7.4% increase, bringing the average premium for men of that age group to £504. For women drivers it was the 26-30 year olds who saw the steepest jump in prices with 7.2% hikes, giving an average of £789.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance for Confused.com commented: “From December, EU legislation will mean that insurers can’t use gender as a factor in setting prices. The differences highlighted in our report show that there is still a huge disparity between what men and women are being charged for their car insurance. Insurers clearly still have a long way to go to comply with the new legislation. It’s more important than ever to shop around and we’re committed to making it easier for people to save money on their car insurance.”

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com Reveals The Cheapest Cars To Insure For Young Drivers

New research from Confused.com has revealed the cheapest cars to insure for 17-20 year olds. The results showed the Ford Ka2 topping the leader board, followed closely by the Peugeot 107, while the worst car to run for young drivers looking for low insurance prices was the Honda Civic*.

The costs of car insurance for young drivers hit record highs in the second quarter 2011, with 17-20 year olds paying as much as four times the average amount for car insurance.

The Confused/Towers Watson price index showed that motor insurance based on a 17-20 year old male is now £4,006 per year for comprehensive cover, highlighting the need for research when buying a car.

To help young drivers, Confused.com has undertaken research to give teenagers a helping hand and unveiledthe five cheapest and most expensive cars to insure for 17-20 year olds.The research also highlighted that 50% of under-25s could save up to£594 on their car insurance premiums by using Confused.com.

Gareth Kloet, head of Car Insurance at Confused.com said: “Young drivers and learners are telling us that the cost of insurance is the biggest barrier to getting behind the wheel: more so than the cost of buying the car.

“Buying your first car should be exciting, not a worry about whether you can afford the insurance costs. Here at Confused.com we want to offer young drivers the chance to find the perfect car with the cheapest insurance.”

“Once the car has been found drivers should shop around for cover as premiums can vary greatly between providers; a comparison site is a great way to do this.”

Via EPR Network
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Confused.com Reveals Big Rise In Prices For New And Learner Drivers

Confused.com has revealed that newly qualified drivers can expect to pay around £2,000 or more to insure a small hatchback this year as the cost of insurance continues to soar.

This time last year the cheapest premium for a new driver insuring a Ford Ka for a year came in under £900. Now the best quote for a newly qualified driver wanting to insure a Ford Ka has soared to more than £1,900, according to consumer research by the popular comparison site Confused.com.

The Fiat 500 Pop now tops the list of most popular vehicles for a newly qualified driver, based on 6 months of quotes from Confused.com during the first half of 2011. Unfortunately, for many newly qualified drivers it will cost more than £1786 to insure it. The Fiat 500 knocks last year’s favourite, the Vauxhall Corsa, from the top spot, becoming the most popular choice in this Confused.com study of learners and drivers who passed their test within the last 12 months.

Confused.com’s head of car insurance, Gareth Kloet said: “The Fiat 500 is a new favourite with freshly qualified drivers – this model didn’t appear at all in the Confused.com top ten for new drivers last year. The popularity of these cars may have been led by their use by many driving instructors, and also by the relatively cheap insurance cost compared to other small cars.

“Getting reasonably-priced car insurance can be a nightmare for younger drivers but 50% of under 25s could save up to £571 on car insurance* premiums by using Confused.com to find the best deal. With rising premiums it’s more important to compare prices now than ever before.”

Via EPR Network
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