Police officers have arrested hundreds of motorists during a drink and drug-driving crackdown, including one driver who was allegedly more than three times over the limit.

Surrey Police arrested more than 200 drivers on suspicion of drink or drug-related offences during December, as part of a national campaign dubbed Operation Limit.

One driver, who was stopped on the A3, is reported to have blown 119 on a roadside breath test - which is three times over the legal limit.

This campaign, which spanned from December 1 to January 1, saw a total of 208 arrests made by officers in Surrey, marking a 43 per cent increase over the previous year's 145 arrests.
Officers also made more than 5,000 vehicle checks during this period, serving as a deterrent for potential lawbreakers and generating awareness of the hazards associated with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

More than 50 collisions were reported during the campaign, highlighting the risks posed by drink and drug driving.

Chief Constable Tim De Meyer said: "Our campaign highlighted the dangers of drink-driving as well as the very easy steps people can take to prevent it from happening."

Suggestions included pre-booking taxis, opting to walk or designating a sober driver.

Chief Constable De Meyer said: "We are pleased that the public have shown support for our campaign, including where they have reported intoxicated drivers to us to help prevent a tragic collision.

"The increase in arrests also demonstrates the determination of our officers to catch offenders and ensure our roads are safer."

Rachel Glenton, Surrey and Sussex Police's Head of Roads Policing Superintendent, added: "Officers across the force took part in this year’s campaign, and our officers continue to patrol the roads 24/7, every day of the year, to prevent offenders from causing harm to themselves and others.

"But hundreds of motorists still took the selfish decision to drive or use a vehicle after they had consumed alcohol or taken drugs."

Consequences for those found guilty of drink or drug-driving are severe, with the potential for a 12-month driving ban, unlimited fines, imprisonment, a criminal record that impacts employability, and elevated car insurance costs.

There is also the risk of causing serious injury to yourself or other.

Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend condemned drink or drug-driving as "appallingly selfish acts that can, and do, kill".

She added: "The results of Operation Limit show just how seriously our officers take offending like this, and I'm very proud of the work that has been done to stamp out drink and drug driving."

Statistics from Surry Police showed that there were 526 drug wipe tests carried out, with 120 returning positive, and 2,746 breath tests conducted, with 78 that were positive, refused or failed to provide.

https://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/24052339.a3-driver-caught-surrey-police-drink-driving-crackdown/

On 16/01/2024 09:54 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> Police officers have arrested hundreds of motorists during a drink and drug-driving crackdown, including one driver who was allegedly more than three times over the limit.

Hundreds?

Read on...

It says that *only* *seventy-eight* cases involved positive tests or
refusals to take the test.
>
> Surrey Police arrested more than 200 drivers on suspicion of drink or drug-related offences during December, as part of a national campaign dubbed Operation Limit.

That is given the lie by the figures quoted below.

> One driver, who was stopped on the A3, is reported to have blown 119 on a roadside breath test - which is three times over the legal limit.
> This campaign, which spanned from December 1 to January 1, saw a total of 208 arrests made by officers in Surrey, marking a 43 per cent increase over the previous year's 145 arrests.
> Officers also made more than 5,000 vehicle checks during this period, serving as a deterrent for potential lawbreakers and generating awareness of the hazards associated with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
> More than 50 collisions were reported during the campaign, highlighting the risks posed by drink and drug driving.
> Chief Constable Tim De Meyer said: "Our campaign highlighted the dangers of drink-driving as well as the very easy steps people can take to prevent it from happening."
> Suggestions included pre-booking taxis, opting to walk or designating a sober driver.
> Chief Constable De Meyer said: "We are pleased that the public have shown support for our campaign, including where they have reported intoxicated drivers to us to help prevent a tragic collision.
> "The increase in arrests also demonstrates the determination of our officers to catch offenders and ensure our roads are safer."
> Rachel Glenton, Surrey and Sussex Police's Head of Roads Policing Superintendent, added: "Officers across the force took part in this year’s campaign, and our officers continue to patrol the roads 24/7, every day of the year, to prevent offenders from causing harm to themselves and others.
>
> "But hundreds of motorists still took the selfish decision to drive or use a vehicle after they had consumed alcohol or taken drugs."

While illegal drugs (chav-cyclist style) are ALWAYS illegal, it is
simply NOT an offence to drive after having an alcoholic drink.

It is shocking that a High Court Judge such as May Sun and a police
superintendent do not even know that.

> Consequences for those found guilty of drink or drug-driving are severe, with the potential for a 12-month driving ban, unlimited fines, imprisonment, a criminal record that impacts employability, and elevated car insurance costs.
> There is also the risk of causing serious injury to yourself or other.
> Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend condemned drink or drug-driving as "appallingly selfish acts that can, and do, kill".

A glass of wine with dinner?

*Really*?

> She added: "The results of Operation Limit show just how seriously our officers take offending like this, and I'm very proud of the work that has been done to stamp out drink and drug driving."
> Statistics from Surry Police showed that there were 526 drug wipe tests carried out, with 120 returning positive, and 2,746 breath tests conducted, with 78 that were positive, refused or failed to provide.

Interesting.

Totally at odds with what is claimed further up.

And more than 22% of drug tests positive, but less than 3% of alcohol
breath tests positive. More drugs than alcohol cases in absolute, not
even in proportionate, terms:

120 druggies and 78 over the alcohol limit. It really is time to ban all
chav-cyclists, with their scofflaw druggy habits, from ever having a
driving licence at all.

> https://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/24052339.a3-driver-caught-surrey-police-drink-driving-crackdown/

On 16/01/2024 09:54 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> Statistics from Surry Police showed that there were 526 drug wipe tests carried out, with 120 returning positive, and 2,746 breath tests conducted, with 78 that were positive, refused or failed to provide.

But what do *Surrey* Police's stats say?

QUOTE: "But hundreds of motorists still took the selfish decision to drive or use a vehicle after they had consumed alcohol or taken drugs." ENDS

But you are under the impression that these selfish gits actually CARE about killing innocent people through their selfish behaviour - they don't.

On 17/01/2024 08:59 am, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: "But hundreds of motorists still took the selfish decision to drive or use a vehicle after they had consumed alcohol or taken drugs." ENDS

> But you are under the impression that these selfish gits actually CARE about killing innocent people through their selfish behaviour - they don't.

If it's the off-topic troll-post you submitted yesterday, there were 78
positive breath tests in a month, plus *120* positive tests for illegal
Collins-type drugs.

Even added together, that does NOT make "hundreds".

Are you semi-numerate as well as semi-literate (at best)?

And please - as the dangerous, reckless driver who drove across a
continent in a car with non-functioning safety equipment - desist from
calling others "selfish". Yours was the very definition of the word.

QUOTE:More than 50 collisions were reported during the campaign, highlighting the risks posed by drink and drug driving.ENDS

FIFTY collisions in a month?
No wonder insurance premium have sky rocketed.

Lots of lost NCB rates for the perps too.

On 17/01/2024 02:27 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE:More than 50 collisions were reported during the campaign, highlighting the risks posed by drink and drug driving.ENDS
>
> FIFTY collisions in a month?
> No wonder insurance premium have sky rocketed.
>
> Lots of lost NCB rates for the perps too.

What evidence do you have that any one of the reported and claimed
"collisions" was coincidental with any one of the drug or (smaller
number of) excess alcohol cases?

Come, come, M'Lud... we expect more critical thinking from our High
Court judges such as yourself.

Out of interest, what were the chav-cyclists doing?

On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 2:27:32 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE:More than 50 collisions were reported during the campaign, highlighting the risks posed by drink and drug driving.ENDS
>
> FIFTY collisions in a month?
> No wonder insurance premium have sky rocketed.
>
> Lots of lost NCB rates for the perps too.

UK car insurance costs increased the highest amount on record last year, according to a closely watched index.

The average quoted price to insure a car jumped by 67.2 per cent in the year to November, beating a previous record of 61 per cent over the twelve months to August.

London remained the most costly place for a premium with a huge jump of 76.9 per cent, followed by the West Midlands and Scotland, which both increased 69.4 per cent.

Nearly a quarter of drivers received a quote of £500 and £749 to cover their car in November. Payouts for claims reached a record £2.54bn in the third quarter of the year, partly influenced by Storm Babet.

“Record payouts for claims are having an impact on quoted premiums and there is evidence that in
certain areas such as Scotland and the East Midlands recent storms have had an impact on
premiums,” Max Thompson, insurance insight manager at Consumer Intelligence, said.

“During the last quarter small increases in telematics competitiveness were observed across all the
age groups of one to two per cent. However, motorists across all age groups and all over the country
are seeing major increases in quoted premiums,” he added.

On 17/01/2024 04:31 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

[Speaking to himself, again, said:]

> On Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 2:27:32 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:

>> QUOTE:More than 50 collisions were reported during the campaign, highlighting the risks posed by drink and drug driving.ENDS
>
>> FIFTY collisions in a month?
>> No wonder insurance premium have sky rocketed.

Only fifty collisions in a whole month in a county of the size and with
the population of Surrey?

Given a population of 1,190,000, that sounds *very* low.

Not even two per day. Apportion it down per driver and it'll be
vanishingly small - won't it?

>> Lots of lost NCB rates for the perps too.
>
> UK car insurance costs increased the highest amount on record last year, according to a closely watched index.
> The average quoted price to insure a car jumped by 67.2 per cent in the year to November, beating a previous record of 61 per cent over the twelve months to August.

I had no increases in premiums for any of the several cars I insure.

Not a penny.

> London remained the most costly place for a premium with a huge jump of 76.9 per cent, followed by the West Midlands and Scotland, which both increased 69.4 per cent.

What was the score in 'Ull?

Is it cheaper there if you have a garage with a big hole in the floor?

> Nearly a quarter of drivers received a quote of £500 and £749 to cover their car in November.

OK. What about the others (more than three-quarters)?

> Payouts for claims reached a record £2.54bn in the third quarter of the year, partly influenced by Storm Babet.
> “Record payouts for claims are having an impact on quoted premiums and there is evidence that in
> certain areas such as Scotland and the East Midlands recent storms have had an impact on
> premiums,” Max Thompson, insurance insight manager at Consumer Intelligence, said.
> “During the last quarter small increases in telematics competitiveness were observed across all the
> age groups of one to two per cent. However, motorists across all age groups and all over the country
> are seeing major increases in quoted premiums,” he added.

What is the factor connecting the less than 25% who have been
(allegedly) getting these high quotes?

And what connects the >75% who haven't?

And what were the cahvs on the bikes doing?

The average price of car insurance in the UK has broken records to stand at close to £1,000 after price rises of more than 50% last year, according to new data.

Drivers can now expect to pay £995 for their car insurance, on average – the highest price ever in the UK – according to the latest index published by the price comparison website Confused.com.

Prices rose sharply during last year, making car insurance almost unaffordable for many people, particularly if they have made a claim in recent years.. Prices increased by an average of £366 (or 58%) in the past 12 months, Confused.com said.

The staggering rise in the cost of car insurance was been one of the big drivers of inflation, which last year hit a 40-year high. Three-quarters of drivers who renewed a policy in the last three months reported paying more than the previous year – with reports of premiums rising to nearly 90% in some cases.

Motorists aged between 17 and 20 have seen their premiums double on average over the past 12 months, from £1,423 to £2,877, according to Confused.com. The site, in conjunction with the data firm WTW, compared more than 6m car insurance quotes, and averaged the five cheapest sums to come up with its index.

An 84% increase in the price paid by 18-year-olds means they are now paying more than £3,000 for the first time. All drivers up to the age of 43 can expect to pay £1,000 or more for their car insurance, on average, the study said.

London remains the most expensive region in the UK for car insurance. Drivers in inner and outer London pay £1,607 and £1,291 respectively, on average.

Drivers in Northern Ireland have tipped over the £1,000 mark for the first time. A 64% or £350 increase in prices in central Scotland means premiums have doubled in two years, to £897 a year.

In November, Direct Line told City analysts it had increased its premiums by 37%. In August, Admiral announced it had raised prices by 20% during the first half of the year in response to high inflation and repair costs.

On 18/01/2024 09:16 am, Simon Mason wrote:

> The average price of car insurance in the UK has broken records to stand at close to £1,000 after price rises of more than 50% last year, according to new data.
>
> Drivers can now expect to pay £995 for their car insurance, on average – the highest price ever in the UK – according to the latest index published by the price comparison website Confused.com.
>
> Prices rose sharply during last year, making car insurance almost unaffordable for many people, particularly if they have made a claim in recent years. Prices increased by an average of £366 (or 58%) in the past 12 months, Confused.com said.
>
> The staggering rise in the cost of car insurance was been one of the big drivers of inflation, which last year hit a 40-year high. Three-quarters of drivers who renewed a policy in the last three months reported paying more than the previous year – with reports of premiums rising to nearly 90% in some cases.
>
> Motorists aged between 17 and 20 have seen their premiums double on average over the past 12 months, from £1,423 to £2,877, according to Confused.com. The site, in conjunction with the data firm WTW, compared more than 6m car insurance quotes, and averaged the five cheapest sums to come up with its index.
>
> An 84% increase in the price paid by 18-year-olds means they are now paying more than £3,000 for the first time. All drivers up to the age of 43 can expect to pay £1,000 or more for their car insurance, on average, the study said.
>
> London remains the most expensive region in the UK for car insurance. Drivers in inner and outer London pay £1,607 and £1,291 respectively, on average.
>
> Drivers in Northern Ireland have tipped over the £1,000 mark for the first time. A 64% or £350 increase in prices in central Scotland means premiums have doubled in two years, to £897 a year.
>
> In November, Direct Line told City analysts it had increased its premiums by 37%. In August, Admiral announced it had raised prices by 20% during the first half of the year in response to high inflation and repair costs.

Last May (2023), the fully-comprehensive policy premium price for my car
was £205.43.

It'll be interesting to see how much it is in four months' time.

In May 2022, the price had been *higher*: £207.93.

Last year, my wife's (fully comp) premium was £165.90. The previous
year: £179.20.

Of course, we are not only careful drivers and careful/law-abiding
road-users in general, but we don't use the cars as much as we used to a
few years ago.

Any word on how much the premiums for chav-cyclists are going up?

Or, as a proxy for that, the size of increases in the cost of
fridge-freezer insurance?

The average cost of car insurance in the UK has hit a record high of nearly £1,000 after premiums skyrocketed by 58 per cent in a year, analysis suggests.

The price of insuring a car has soared on average by £338 over the past 12 months to hit £924, according to the Confused.com price index, which the comparison site says is based on more than six million quotes each quarter.

The Independent revealed in August that motor insurance was fast becoming one of the most expensive household bills, adding more financial pain at a time of high inflation and surging housing costs.

Exclusive data from analyst Consumer Intelligence had revealed that premiums rose by 48 per cent in the year to June to hit their highest since 2018, as tens of thousands of drivers either increased the excess on their policies or switched to third-party-only cover in a desperate bid to cut costs.

But the latest data suggests prices have now risen even more sharply, with premiums soaring by an average of 19 per cent (£148) in the most recent quarter alone.

While rates rose across the UK, those living in inner London were worst affected, with price rises of 61 per cent (£567) bringing average premiums in the capital to more than £1,500.

Outside of London, drivers in Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands saw some of the steepest increases, where motorists are now paying more than £1,100 on average for cover.

The price increases are even more stark when calculated by age – with 18-year-olds now paying an average of £2,995 after their premiums soared 89 per cent in the past year to add £1,414 to the average bill.

Car insurance costs are highest for those living in London, Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands
(iStock)

On average, drivers can no longer find car insurance costing less than £1,000 until they are 38 years old, according to the index.

While prices fell during the pandemic, they have risen as people returned to normal driving habits, while the value of both secondhand cars and new electric vehicles have also risen, with the latter featuring more advanced technology – fuelling higher repair costs, further exacerbated by supply chain issues.

“For another consecutive quarter, we’ve seen some of the highest inflation rates when it comes to car insurance,” said Louise Thomas, a car insurance expert at Confused.com, adding: “Those who haven’t yet been affected should be wary of how pricing may affect them at their next renewal.”

JNugent <jnugent@mail.com> wrote:

> Last May (2023), the fully-comprehensive policy premium price for my car
> was £205.43.
>
> It'll be interesting to see how much it is in four months' time.
>
> In May 2022, the price had been *higher*: £207.93.
>
> Last year, my wife's (fully comp) premium was £165.90. The previous
> year: £179.20.
>
> Of course, we are not only careful drivers and careful/law-abiding
> road-users in general, but we don't use the cars as much as we used to a
> few years ago.
>
> Any word on how much the premiums for chav-cyclists are going up?
>
> Or, as a proxy for that, the size of increases in the cost of
> fridge-freezer insurance?

The radio news a couple of mornings ago covered this topic. Apparently
there are two measures of the cost of motor insurance renewals. One was
quoting a sum near £1000 and the other (which appeared to be based on
realistic cases) came out at just under £500.

Care to guess which figure the media ran with?

--
Spike

Young drivers have been hit hardest by the highest car insurance costs on record, with some facing premiums of nearly £3,000, according to data.

Confused.com, the price comparison firm, said on average 17-20-year-olds had seen insurance rise by more than £1,000 from the same time last year..

Overall, on average drivers face paying 58% more on car insurance compared with last January.

Confused.com blamed a post-Covid increase in claims and higher costs.

Steve Dukes, chief executive of Confused.com, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The frequency in claims is up in the last couple of years, since the pandemic, but also the cost of them.

"The cost of second-hand cars is higher than they used to be, the cost of parts, the cost of labour to make repairs - and that's all being passed onto consumers."

Prices for second-hand cars - the usual first vehicle for a newly-qualified young driver - have been volatile since a few months into the Covid pandemic. Demand for used cars spiked as production of new vehicles fell because of a global shortage of computer chips and other materials needed manufacturing.

In March 2022, prices increases in the used car market peaked at 31%, according to the Office for National Statistics. They have since fallen back sharply.
Line chart showing the average price of second-hand cars has fallen by 8.4% in the year to December 2023.

However, Confused.com said it was a "really tough time" for motorists.

Average price rises for car insurance across all drivers rose by £366 to £995.

But younger drivers faced the sharpest jump. For 17-year-olds, premiums surged by an average £1,423, to £2,877. For 18-year-old drivers, the average policy price reached £3,162.

The data is calculated on an average of the best five quotes received on Confused.com, rather than prices actually paid for policies.
Line chart showing the price of car insurance by age. For young people, costs have increased dramatically since 2022.

Mr Dukes said there are ways to reduce premiums. "Where they can legitimately share the driving with an older driver with more experience and add that person as a named driver, that can have a really significant effect and bring the price down by hundreds of pounds, that's really worth looking at," he said.

Mr Dukes also suggested younger motorists explore the use of telematics, or "pay how you drive" insurance, where their behaviour on the road is shared with the underlying insurance provider or occasional drivers insurance.

But he said with the price rises for 17-20-year-olds many young drivers would be looking at whether they can afford to drive at all.

"The industry has to be careful not to push younger drivers into other modes of transport and that's a real risk when prices get this high," he said.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said while car insurance could be expensive there were ways to bring costs down.

It added that it was important that motorists never drove without cover and urged anyone struggling with costs to speak to their insurers.

However, the ABI said insurance is always based on risk and its data showed the average cost and frequency of claims is higher for younger drivers, which can impact premiums.

According to the ABI's own analysis of 28 million policies, drivers' insurance costs rose between July and September by an average £561, up 29% compared with the same time in 2022.

The association said the figures were based on the price customers paid for their cover rather than what they were quoted.

On 18/01/2024 05:02 pm, Simon Mason wrote:
>
> The average cost of car insurance in the UK has hit a record high of nearly £1,000 after premiums skyrocketed by 58 per cent in a year, analysis suggests.

What? Everywhere and for everyone?

> The price of insuring a car has soared on average by £338 over the past 12 months to hit £924, according to the Confused.com price index, which the comparison site says is based on more than six million quotes each quarter.

It'd have to be SOME percentage price rise for my insurance premium to
reach "nearly £1,000".
>
> The Independent revealed in August that motor insurance was fast becoming one of the most expensive household bills, adding more financial pain at a time of high inflation and surging housing costs.

It's based on assessed risk, isn't it?

> Exclusive data from analyst Consumer Intelligence had revealed that premiums rose by 48 per cent in the year to June to hit their highest since 2018, as tens of thousands of drivers either increased the excess on their policies or switched to third-party-only cover in a desperate bid to cut costs.
>
> But the latest data suggests prices have now risen even more sharply, with premiums soaring by an average of 19 per cent (£148) in the most recent quarter alone.
> While rates rose across the UK, those living in inner London were worst affected, with price rises of 61 per cent (£567) bringing average premiums in the capital to more than £1,500.

What is the average age of drivers living in London?
>
> Outside of London, drivers in Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands saw some of the steepest increases, where motorists are now paying more than £1,100 on average for cover.

And elsewhere?
>
> The price increases are even more stark when calculated by age – with 18-year-olds now paying an average of £2,995 after their premiums soared 89 per cent in the past year to add £1,414 to the average bill.

Is anyone surprised by that? It cost more than a thousand when a
relative passed his test, aged 21, circa 2007.

IIRC, my first policy (3rd party only) after passing my test over fifty
years ago was about £35. That's about £400 in today's devalued money.
Fully comp might well have been more than twice that. On a comparative
(sorry: four syllables) basis, that doesn't make today's figures look
shockingly out of kilter, does it?

> Car insurance costs are highest for those living in London, Manchester, Merseyside and the West Midlands

And elsewhere?
>
> On average, drivers can no longer find car insurance costing less than £1,000 until they are 38 years old, according to the index.

....And?
>
> While prices fell during the pandemic, they have risen as people returned to normal driving habits, while the value of both secondhand cars and new electric vehicles have also risen, with the latter featuring more advanced technology – fuelling higher repair costs, further exacerbated by supply chain issues.
> “For another consecutive quarter, we’ve seen some of the highest inflation rates when it comes to car insurance,” said Louise Thomas, a car insurance expert at Confused.com, adding: “Those who haven’t yet been affected should be wary of how pricing may affect them at their next renewal.”

The companies do seem to be assessing relative risk and taking it into
account.

Any idea how a record of driving with a car in a dangerous condition
might affect premiums?

On 18/01/2024 05:22 pm, Spike wrote:

> JNugent <jnugent@mail.com> wrote:
>
>> Last May (2023), the fully-comprehensive policy premium price for my car
>> was £205.43.
>> It'll be interesting to see how much it is in four months' time.
>> In May 2022, the price had been *higher*: £207.93.
>> Last year, my wife's (fully comp) premium was £165.90. The previous
>> year: £179.20.
>> Of course, we are not only careful drivers and careful/law-abiding
>> road-users in general, but we don't use the cars as much as we used to a
>> few years ago.
>> Any word on how much the premiums for chav-cyclists are going up?
>> Or, as a proxy for that, the size of increases in the cost of
>> fridge-freezer insurance?

> The radio news a couple of mornings ago covered this topic. Apparently
> there are two measures of the cost of motor insurance renewals. One was
> quoting a sum near £1000 and the other (which appeared to be based on
> realistic cases) came out at just under £500.

> Care to guess which figure the media ran with?

:-)

The one that gets more clicks on newspaper web pages?

On 18/01/2024 06:32 pm, Simon Mason wrote:
>
> Young drivers have been hit hardest by the highest car insurance costs on record, with some facing premiums of nearly £3,000, according to data.

What "data"?

And eve so, it's nothing new. Newly-qualified "young drivers" have long
been faced with high premiums for car insurance. And, as I understand
it, to things like curfews, restricted mileage and restricted engine size.
>
> Confused.com, the price comparison firm, said on average 17-20-year-olds had seen insurance rise by more than £1,000 from the same time last year.

I should think they have!
>
> Overall, on average drivers face paying 58% more on car insurance compared with last January.

No. That's sensationalist exaggeration.
>
> Confused.com blamed a post-Covid increase in claims and higher costs.
> Steve Dukes, chief executive of Confused.com, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The frequency in claims is up in the last couple of years, since the pandemic, but also the cost of them.
> "The cost of second-hand cars is higher than they used to be, the cost of parts, the cost of labour to make repairs - and that's all being passed onto consumers."
> Prices for second-hand cars - the usual first vehicle for a newly-qualified young driver - have been volatile since a few months into the Covid pandemic. Demand for used cars spiked as production of new vehicles fell because of a global shortage of computer chips and other materials needed manufacturing.
> In March 2022, prices increases in the used car market peaked at 31%, according to the Office for National Statistics. They have since fallen back sharply.
> Line chart showing the average price of second-hand cars has fallen by 8.4% in the year to December 2023.
> However, Confused.com said it was a "really tough time" for motorists.
> Average price rises for car insurance across all drivers rose by £366 to £995.
> But younger drivers faced the sharpest jump. For 17-year-olds, premiums surged by an average £1,423, to £2,877. For 18-year-old drivers, the average policy price reached £3,162.
> The data is calculated on an average of the best five quotes received on Confused.com, rather than prices actually paid for policies.
> Line chart showing the price of car insurance by age. For young people, costs have increased dramatically since 2022.
> Mr Dukes said there are ways to reduce premiums. "Where they can legitimately share the driving with an older driver with more experience and add that person as a named driver, that can have a really significant effect and bring the price down by hundreds of pounds, that's really worth looking at," he said.
> Mr Dukes also suggested younger motorists explore the use of telematics, or "pay how you drive" insurance, where their behaviour on the road is shared with the underlying insurance provider or occasional drivers insurance.
> But he said with the price rises for 17-20-year-olds many young drivers would be looking at whether they can afford to drive at all.
> "The industry has to be careful not to push younger drivers into other modes of transport and that's a real risk when prices get this high," he said.
> The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said while car insurance could be expensive there were ways to bring costs down.
> It added that it was important that motorists never drove without cover and urged anyone struggling with costs to speak to their insurers.
> However, the ABI said insurance is always based on risk and its data showed the average cost and frequency of claims is higher for younger drivers, which can impact premiums.
> According to the ABI's own analysis of 28 million policies, drivers' insurance costs rose between July and September by an average £561, up 29% compared with the same time in 2022.
> The association said the figures were based on the price customers paid for their cover rather than what they were quoted.

The latest info from the Confused.com insurance price index reveals that UK drivers are now paying an average of £995 for cover, a whopping 58 per cent rise compared to 12 months ago.

Young drivers have been hit hardest, with 17-20 year olds facing increases that often surpass £1,000 per year, and 18 year olds typically now having to pay out more than £3,000 for their annual cover.

The current prices are unsurprisingly the highest on record in the UK, but at least the rate of rises - which many drivers feel are extortionate - may be beginning to ease. The Confused.com index, which is based on more than 6 million insurance quotes per quarter, shows that prices rose by 18 percent in spring 2023, 19 percent in the summer, but ‘only’ 8 percent in the last three months of the year.

Car insurance costs fall 14 per cent
Car insurance at record high as average premium reaches £924

As well as differences for age groups, rises for quotes can vary by region, too. The average Northern Ireland premium is now £1,051, while a 64 percent rise for Central Scotland means premiums have doubled in two years to an average of £897.

Drivers in London are hit hardest, as usual though, with those in inner London facing £1,607 average premiums and outer-Londoners paying £1,291.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-insurance/362038/average-cost-uk-car-insurance-nudges-ps1000-58-increase-12-months

JNugent <jnugent@mail.com> wrote:
> On 18/01/2024 05:22 pm, Spike wrote:
>
>> JNugent <jnugent@mail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Last May (2023), the fully-comprehensive policy premium price for my car
>>> was £205.43.
>>> It'll be interesting to see how much it is in four months' time.
>>> In May 2022, the price had been *higher*: £207.93.
>>> Last year, my wife's (fully comp) premium was £165.90. The previous
>>> year: £179.20.
>>> Of course, we are not only careful drivers and careful/law-abiding
>>> road-users in general, but we don't use the cars as much as we used to a
>>> few years ago.
>>> Any word on how much the premiums for chav-cyclists are going up?
>>> Or, as a proxy for that, the size of increases in the cost of
>>> fridge-freezer insurance?

>> The radio news a couple of mornings ago covered this topic. Apparently
>> there are two measures of the cost of motor insurance renewals. One was
>> quoting a sum near £1000 and the other (which appeared to be based on
>> realistic cases) came out at just under £500.

>> Care to guess which figure the media ran with?

> :-)

> The one that gets more clicks on newspaper web pages?

Spot on!

--
Spike

UK car insurance premiums surged 58% to a record high of just under £1,000 last year, blamed on the soaring costs of claims and car part prices.

Research by WTW and Confused showed motorists in the country pay on average £995, up by £366 during the past 12 months.

The Confused Car Insurance Price Index found an average price rise of 8% (£71) in the last quarter of 2023, which suggests a slowdown in rises as premiums leapt by 19% in the third quarter and 18% in the second, when the year-on-year increase was also 58%.

In 2022, car insurance premiums increased 19%, according to the index.

The highest premiums and the biggest increases were quoted for recently qualified 17-year-olds, around £2,877 on average, the data showed, a 98% year-on-year increase for a group viewed as the highest risk.

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/1038494/uk-car-insurance-premiums-surge-58-to-almost-1-000-on-average-1038494.html

On 19/01/2024 11:38 am, Simon Mason wrote:

> UK car insurance premiums surged 58% to a record high of just under £1,000 last year, blamed on the soaring costs of claims and car part prices.
>
> Research by WTW and Confused showed motorists in the country pay on average £995, up by £366 during the past 12 months.

"Average" is such a weasel term, isn't it?

How are they measuring and calculating the "average"?

It might or might not be the mean. It won't be the mode and probably not
the median.

> The Confused Car Insurance Price Index found an average price rise of 8% (£71) in the last quarter of 2023, which suggests a slowdown in rises as premiums leapt by 19% in the third quarter and 18% in the second, when the year-on-year increase was also 58%.
> In 2022, car insurance premiums increased 19%, according to the index.

"...according to the index...".
>
> The highest premiums and the biggest increases were quoted for recently qualified 17-year-olds, around £2,877 on average, the data showed, a 98% year-on-year increase for a group viewed as the highest risk.

There you go... that's having an effect on the "average", without being
in any way typical.

> https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/1038494/uk-car-insurance-premiums-surge-58-to-almost-1-000-on-average-1038494.html

UK motorists are being quoted a new record sum of almost £1,000 for the average annual insurance policy, after a dramatic acceleration in prices that has prompted concerns over extra pressures on household budgets.

Motorists were quoted an average of £995 for annual policies in the final quarter of 2023, an increase of 58 per cent on the year before, comparison site Confused.com and insurance broker Willis Towers Watson said on Tuesday.

Confused.com, on whose platform the index of quotes is based, said it was a “bleak time for drivers and their car insurance”.

People just eligible to drive, at 17 years of age, received quotes of £2,877 on the average policy, according to the data. That represented a 98 per cent year-on-year increase in price for those motorists, which insurers view as higher risk.

Insurers lifted their premiums sharply last year in response to a surge in the cost of their claims, driven by big increases in the price of car parts, second-hand cars and labour.

That cost inflation pushed the sector to its worst underwriting loss in a decade in 2022, triggering profit warnings and share price falls. But conditions in the sector have stabilised over the past year as insurers started to push through big price rises to counteract the claims costs.

Prices are set to increase this year, according to industry forecasts, even as politicians and consumer groups voice concern about the impact of rising costs on the millions of households reliant on a car for work and family life.

“It’s important that insurers remember that the mandatory nature of the cover means that pricing [here] will always be subject to much greater scrutiny than other lines of business,” said Duncan Minty, an independent consultant on ethics in insurance.

Citizens Advice has previously urged the government and insurers to consider “bold ideas” that can take pressure off cash-strapped households for a financial product it deems an “everyday necessity”.

Tuesday’s index showed an 8 per cent increase in the cost of the average policy between the third and fourth quarters of 2023, meaning the rate of growth decelerated compared with earlier in the year.

Drivers in inner London, the most expensive part of the UK to insure, paid £1,607 on average.

Louise Thomas, motoring expert at Confused.com, said that while data suggested “increases could be slowing for now”, drivers should consider adding antitheft features, such as wheel locks, to their car, or reviewing how many miles they drive, to bring costs down.

The index reflects prices that are quoted to customers, who might go on to find cheaper cover elsewhere.

By contrast, the average annual policy cost £561 in the third quarter of 2023, a yearly rise of 29 per cent, according to the most recent edition of the Association of British Insurers’ own index, which is based on premiums paid by customers.

The Confused.com data set runs back to 2006, but its methodology was amended a few years ago, with historic figures restated to be comparable.

https://www.ft.com/content/4bb22968-79ef-44e7-a0b7-04cbbc2c9098

On 19/01/2024 01:02 pm, Simon Mason wrote:
>
> UK motorists are being quoted a new record sum of almost £1,000 for the average annual insurance policy, after a dramatic acceleration in prices that has prompted concerns over extra pressures on household budgets.
>
> Motorists were quoted an average of £995 for annual policies in the final quarter of 2023, an increase of 58 per cent on the year before, comparison site Confused.com and insurance broker Willis Towers Watson said on Tuesday.
>
> Confused.com, on whose platform the index of quotes is based, said it was a “bleak time for drivers and their car insurance”.
>
> People just eligible to drive, at 17 years of age, received quotes of £2,877 on the average policy, according to the data. That represented a 98 per cent year-on-year increase in price for those motorists, which insurers view as higher risk.
>
> Insurers lifted their premiums sharply last year in response to a surge in the cost of their claims, driven by big increases in the price of car parts, second-hand cars and labour.
>
> That cost inflation pushed the sector to its worst underwriting loss in a decade in 2022, triggering profit warnings and share price falls. But conditions in the sector have stabilised over the past year as insurers started to push through big price rises to counteract the claims costs.
>
> Prices are set to increase this year, according to industry forecasts, even as politicians and consumer groups voice concern about the impact of rising costs on the millions of households reliant on a car for work and family life.
>
> “It’s important that insurers remember that the mandatory nature of the cover means that pricing [here] will always be subject to much greater scrutiny than other lines of business,” said Duncan Minty, an independent consultant on ethics in insurance.
>
> Citizens Advice has previously urged the government and insurers to consider “bold ideas” that can take pressure off cash-strapped households for a financial product it deems an “everyday necessity”.
>
> Tuesday’s index showed an 8 per cent increase in the cost of the average policy between the third and fourth quarters of 2023, meaning the rate of growth decelerated compared with earlier in the year.
>
> Drivers in inner London, the most expensive part of the UK to insure, paid £1,607 on average.
>
> Louise Thomas, motoring expert at Confused.com, said that while data suggested “increases could be slowing for now”, drivers should consider adding antitheft features, such as wheel locks, to their car, or reviewing how many miles they drive, to bring costs down.
>
> The index reflects prices that are quoted to customers, who might go on to find cheaper cover elsewhere.
>
> By contrast, the average annual policy cost £561 in the third quarter of 2023, a yearly rise of 29 per cent, according to the most recent edition of the Association of British Insurers’ own index, which is based on premiums paid by customers.
>
> The Confused.com data set runs back to 2006, but its methodology was amended a few years ago, with historic figures restated to be comparable.
>
> https://www.ft.com/content/4bb22968-79ef-44e7-a0b7-04cbbc2c9098

How much are you chav-cyclists paying for your insurance?

Oh... hang on...

Anyone who recently insured their car was probably shocked by the sharp rise in the cost of driving. Even drivers with long records of accident-free motoring have faced sudden jumps in prices for the policies they legally need to hold.

The latest evidence emerged this week, with the news that the average annual quote for car insurance in the UK rose last year by more than 50 per cent to £995, with 17-year-olds now being quoted an average of £2,877.. Those who shopped around improved on the costliest quotes, with an index of policy prices rising by a more modest 29 per cent year on year, but insurance costs are biting hard.

A similar phenomenon has occurred in the US, with insurance rates for urban drivers rising by 20 per cent last year. The post-pandemic surge in inflation for everything from energy to groceries is easing, but the cost of insurance continues to grow: insurers complain of having to pay far more to repair vehicles and compensate for injuries.

One personal result is that I drive even slower than before. Having received the same shock as others, I switched to an insurer that offered a lower premium if I put in my car a tiny box linked to a phone app. It notes how fast I go, and how sharply I brake or turn corners, delivering a cute homily at the end of each journey: “Awesome! Keep up the good driving,” it exclaims, with a digital shower of confetti.

It is humiliating to be patted on the head by an overfamiliar algorithm and to volunteer my data for uses I do not understand, but that is how I roll. It has even changed my behaviour: I used to be tempted to pick up the phone and check for messages when stopped in traffic, but no longer. The app disapproves, and withholds confetti.

The box aside, I was probably favoured in the insurer’s risk assessment model by my credit score, ownership of a home, occupation, marital status and all of the other proxy measures that are used to predict how safely applicants will drive. My inner London postcode presumably counted against me, but you can’t have everything.

It was still expensive, so consider those without my status advantages. A young driver with a poor credit score, living in a rented flat in a town where one has to drive for work, faces a very high obstacle. Insurance has always been more costly for those regarded as higher risks, but it is now in danger of becoming prohibitive.

This has severe economic consequences, and reinforces the reality that financial products are more expensive for the people who most struggle to afford them. Politicians are rightly worried and UK insurers are lobbying for cuts in insurance policy taxes, but policy prices are likely to keep on rising, albeit more slowly this year.

Insurers have a decent case that they are not just profiteering: many were taken by surprise by a sudden jump in repair and claims costs in the past couple of years and suffered underwriting losses. Car parts prices and labour costs rose, and vehicles now include an array of sensors and electronics that are expensive to replace.

There has also been a spate of thefts of luxury cars (a total of 1mn cars were stolen in the US in 2022) and more careless driving. Insurers are not above price gouging — the rate for paying policy premiums monthly can be excessive and UK firms were barred by regulators from charging their existing policyholders more than new customers — but costs have still risen fast.

One way to soften the price shock for younger and poorer drivers would be state intervention. This has already occurred in home insurance relating to climate, with US states including Florida providing cover for homeowners who are unable to get it; the UK’s Flood Re is a joint government and industry reinsurance scheme.

But public car insurance would be even harder to design than flood-zone home insurance: how would any government limit the number it covered? It also risks moral hazard by making insurance for the worst-rated drivers more accessible. Insurance underwriting is far from perfect but younger drivers are indeed riskier on average.

This brings us back to my little black box. A teenager who works in a logistics centre must pay a lot for insurance even if he is a skilled and careful driver. Telematics, as the technology is known, lets him prove it to gain a better price. Being observed also tends to make people drive better: note how cars slow down for speed cameras.

There are plenty of flaws in today’s telematics. It would be preferable if I could store my personal data and port it myself between insurers, rather than it being secured (at best) in one company’s database. The box is not infallible: for all it knows, I could be driving slowly on the wrong side of the road, or through a red light.

That will change: cars packed with sensors could observe how well they are driven, and report back to insurers. As prices rise, the incentive for good drivers to take advantage of this will grow, as will the penalties for being left behind in a bad risk pool. No matter what the pitfalls, money talks..

On 19/01/2024 05:07 pm, Simon Mason ripped off someone else in order to
quote without a credit to that original author:
>
> Anyone who recently insured their car was probably shocked by the sharp rise in the cost of driving. Even drivers with long records of accident-free motoring have faced sudden jumps in prices for the policies they legally need to hold.
>
> The latest evidence emerged this week, with the news that the average annual quote for car insurance in the UK rose last year by more than 50 per cent to £995, with 17-year-olds now being quoted an average of £2,877. Those who shopped around improved on the costliest quotes, with an index of policy prices rising by a more modest 29 per cent year on year, but insurance costs are biting hard.
>
> A similar phenomenon has occurred in the US, with insurance rates for urban drivers rising by 20 per cent last year. The post-pandemic surge in inflation for everything from energy to groceries is easing, but the cost of insurance continues to grow: insurers complain of having to pay far more to repair vehicles and compensate for injuries.
>
> One personal result is that I drive even slower than before. Having received the same shock as others, I switched to an insurer that offered a lower premium if I put in my car a tiny box linked to a phone app. It notes how fast I go, and how sharply I brake or turn corners, delivering a cute homily at the end of each journey: “Awesome! Keep up the good driving,” it exclaims, with a digital shower of confetti.
>
> It is humiliating to be patted on the head by an overfamiliar algorithm and to volunteer my data for uses I do not understand, but that is how I roll. It has even changed my behaviour: I used to be tempted to pick up the phone and check for messages when stopped in traffic, but no longer. The app disapproves, and withholds confetti.
>
> The box aside, I was probably favoured in the insurer’s risk assessment model by my credit score, ownership of a home, occupation, marital status and all of the other proxy measures that are used to predict how safely applicants will drive. My inner London postcode presumably counted against me, but you can’t have everything.
>
> It was still expensive, so consider those without my status advantages. A young driver with a poor credit score, living in a rented flat in a town where one has to drive for work, faces a very high obstacle. Insurance has always been more costly for those regarded as higher risks, but it is now in danger of becoming prohibitive.
>
> This has severe economic consequences, and reinforces the reality that financial products are more expensive for the people who most struggle to afford them. Politicians are rightly worried and UK insurers are lobbying for cuts in insurance policy taxes, but policy prices are likely to keep on rising, albeit more slowly this year.
>
> Insurers have a decent case that they are not just profiteering: many were taken by surprise by a sudden jump in repair and claims costs in the past couple of years and suffered underwriting losses. Car parts prices and labour costs rose, and vehicles now include an array of sensors and electronics that are expensive to replace.
>
> There has also been a spate of thefts of luxury cars (a total of 1mn cars were stolen in the US in 2022) and more careless driving. Insurers are not above price gouging — the rate for paying policy premiums monthly can be excessive and UK firms were barred by regulators from charging their existing policyholders more than new customers — but costs have still risen fast.
>
> One way to soften the price shock for younger and poorer drivers would be state intervention. This has already occurred in home insurance relating to climate, with US states including Florida providing cover for homeowners who are unable to get it; the UK’s Flood Re is a joint government and industry reinsurance scheme.
>
> But public car insurance would be even harder to design than flood-zone home insurance: how would any government limit the number it covered? It also risks moral hazard by making insurance for the worst-rated drivers more accessible. Insurance underwriting is far from perfect but younger drivers are indeed riskier on average.
>
> This brings us back to my little black box. A teenager who works in a logistics centre must pay a lot for insurance even if he is a skilled and careful driver. Telematics, as the technology is known, lets him prove it to gain a better price. Being observed also tends to make people drive better: note how cars slow down for speed cameras.
>
> There are plenty of flaws in today’s telematics. It would be preferable if I could store my personal data and port it myself between insurers, rather than it being secured (at best) in one company’s database. The box is not infallible: for all it knows, I could be driving slowly on the wrong side of the road, or through a red light.
>
> That will change: cars packed with sensors could observe how well they are driven, and report back to insurers. As prices rise, the incentive for good drivers to take advantage of this will grow, as will the penalties for being left behind in a bad risk pool. No matter what the pitfalls, money talks.

Whereabout in Surrey did all the above happen?
>