Insurance companies have been able to profile crime statistics areas across the UK to see where the highest and lowest insurance risks are based and then price your car insurance accordingly.

Information regarding your post code can also explain why people who are driving the same car as you in the same town can sometimes pay different insurance costs. This is probably because they live in a different street to you where the crime rate could be either higher or lower.

You tend to find more vehicles on the roads around inner city areas and built up areas, so you may incur a higher premium if you live in such an area as. The reason for this is that your insurance company will probably perceive you are more likely to make a claim as a result of being involved in a traffic accident whilst driving these busy roads. Living in a busy area could cause a further problem for your car insurance company as they believe there is more chance for you to be hit by an uninsured driver; which means they would be liable to pay for any claims you needed to make.

When assessing the potential theft risk for car insurance the insurance company will also consider your post code to see if you live in an area of high crime. Every town throughout the UK has areas that are considered higher risk than others by insurance companies; thus increasing the cost of an insurance policy.

However don’t be too disheartened as there is some good news as your post code could also work in your favour. For example, if you live in an area which has a history of low claims and a low crime rate, this will be reflected in lower insurance premiums.

Also, your home address however does not take in to account the area where the vehicle will be regularly being driven, so it may not feel the risk profile undertaken by the insurer has been done fairly in some cases. Many cars will spend less time at the home address where the policy is registered in comparison to areas where it is being driven for business purposes.

Insurance grouping by Postcode

A = Low Risk
F = High Risk
* = Motorcycles in areas D, E or F must be garaged in a locked and secured building whilst at the policy holders address. In some of these areas this may also apply to cars.

AB Aberdeen
10-16, 21-25, 30-39, 41-45, 51-56 . . . . . . . A
AL St Albans
1, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2-3, 8-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
B Birmingham
1-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
23-26, 36, 70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
27, 29, 31-35, 37-38, 42-44, 66-69, 71. . . . . D *
28, 30, 40, 46-47, 62-63, 72-77, 79 . . . . . . C
45, 48-50, 60, 64, 65, 78, 90-98 . . . . . . . B
61, 80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
BA Bath
1-2, 5, 6, 8, 11-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3, 7, 9-10, 15-16, 20-22 . . . . . . . . . . . A
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
BB Blackburn
1, 4-5, 8, 10, 12, 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
2-3, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
6, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . B
BD Bradford
1, 3, 4, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
2, 9, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
5, 11, 15, 19, 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
6, 8, 12-14, 16-18, 20, 22 . . . . . . . . . . E *
23-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
BH Bournemouth
1-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
6-7, 11, 13, 15, 17-18, 25 . . . . . . . . . . .B
8-10, 12, 14, 16, 19-24, 31 . . . . . . . . . . A
BL Bolton
0-2, 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
3-5, 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
BN Brighton
1-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
5-8, 13-14, 17, 24, 27, 41-42, 44-45 . . . . . A
9-12, 15-16, 18, 21-23, 25-26, 43 . . . . . . . B
20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
BR Bromley
1, 3-5, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
6, 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. C
BS Bristol
1, 3, 5, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
4, 6-7, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
8-9, 13-16, 23, 30, 32, 34-35 . . . . . . . . . C
20, 22, 24-25, 29, 31, 39, 40-41 . . . . . . . .B
21, 26-28, 36-37, 48-49 . . . . . . . . . . . . A
CA Carlisle
1-3, 5, 7, 13, 18-21, 23-24, 26-27 . . . . . . .B
4, 6, 8-12, 15-17, 22, 25 . . . . . . . . . . . A
14, 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. C
CB Cambridge
1, 5, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
2-4, 6-8, 10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
CF Cardiff
3, 15, 42, 61-62, 71-72 . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
5, 10-11, 14, 23-24, 63-64 . . . . . . . . . . F *
31-41, 43-48, 81-83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
CH Chester
1, 64-66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. C
2-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
41-42, 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
43, 45-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
47-49, 60-63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. D *
CM Chelmsford
0, 2, 4, 8-9, 11-12, 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . B
1, 3, 6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
5, 13-14, 16, 20-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
15, 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
CO Colchester
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2-3, 5, 8, 10, 15-16 . . . . . . . . . . .. . . A
4, 6-7, 9, 11-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . B
CR Croydon
0, 4, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
2, 8-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
3, 5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
CT Canterbury
1-2, 4, 6, 8-12, 16-17, 19-20 . . . . . . . . . C
3, 5, 7, 14, 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
13, 15, 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
CV Coventry
1-3, 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
4-5, 7, 11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
8-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
13, 21-23, 31-34, 47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
35-37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
CW Crewe
1, 3, 5, 7, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
2, 4, 6, 8, 10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . C
DA Dartford
1, 5, 7, 9, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
2-3, 6, 11-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
8, 14-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . F *
DD Dundee
1-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D*
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
5-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
DE Derby
1, 3, 22, 55 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . C
4, 12, 14-15, 45 . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . A
5-7, 11, 13, 56, 65, 72-75 . . . . . . . . . . B
21, 23-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
DG Dumfries
1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3-14, 16 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
DH Durham
1-3, 8 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
6-7, 9 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
DL Darlington
1, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
2-5, 14, 16-17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
6-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
DN Doncaster
1, 4-5, 11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
2-3, 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
7-9, 16-17, 19-20, 37-39 . . . . . . . . . . .. B
10, 14, 18, 21-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
15, 31, 33-34, 36, 40-41 . . . . . . . . . . .. C
32, 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
DT Dorchester
1-3, 5-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
DY Dudley
1-6, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. C
7, 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
8, 10-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
E London E
1-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
10-15, 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
EC London EC
1-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
EH Edinburgh
43-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
26-27, 38-42, 55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
23, 28-37, 47, 49, 51-54 . . . . . . . . .. . . C
11-13, 15-22, 24-25, 48 . . . . . . . . . . . . D*
1-10, 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . E *
EN Enfield
1, 5-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
2-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
EX Exeter
1-5, 8, 20, 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
6-7, 9-19, 21-24, 31-33, 35-39 . . . . . . . . A
FK Falkirk
1-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
6-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . B
11-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
FY Blackpool
1, 4, 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
2, 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3, 5, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
G Glasgow
1-5, 11, 13-15, 20-23, 31-34, 40-42, 51, 53 . . Refer
12, 43-46, 66, 69, 71-78, 81 . . . . . . . . . E *
60-62, 64, 67-68, 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
52, 63, 83-84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
GL Gloucester
1, 4-5, 7-11, 13, 15, 18-19, 51, 53-56 . . . .. A
2, 3, 6, 12, 14, 16-17, 20, 50, 52 . . . . . .. B
GU Guildford
1-3, 5-10, 13-17, 19-24, 27, 30-31 . . . . . . B
33-34, 46-47, 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
4, 11, 25, 29, 32, 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
12, 18, 26, 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
GY Guernsey
1-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
HA Harrow
0-2, 4, 7-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
3, 5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
HD Huddersfield
1, 6-9 . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
2-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
HG Harrogate
1-2, 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
3-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
HP Hemel Hempstead
1-3, 6, 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4-5, 7, 10-14, 19, 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
9, 15-18, 22-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
HR Hereford
1, 3, 5-6, 8-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . A
2, 4, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
HS Outer Hebrides
1-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
HU Hull
1-6, 8-9, 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
10-11, 14, 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
12, 15, 17-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
HX Halifax
1, 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . F *
2, 4-5, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
IG Ilford
1, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
2, 6-8 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
3, 9-10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
4-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
IM Isle of Man
1-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
IP Ipswich
1-3, 5-23, 26-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
4, 24-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. B
IV Inverness
1-28, 30-32, 36, 40-49, 51-56, 63 . . . . . . . A
JE Jersey
1-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
KA Kilmarnock
1-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
27-30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
KT Kingston-upon-Thames
1, 3, 6, 17, 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
2, 4-5, 7-12 . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . D *
13-16, 18, 20-22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
23-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
KW Kirkwall
1-3, 5-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
KY Kirkcaldy
1-16 . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
L Liverpool
1-21 . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . F *
23, 29, 34, 38, 40 . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . D *
24-28, 30, 32-33, 35-36 . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
31, 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . C
39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . B
LA Lancaster
1,3-4, 14, 19, 22-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
2, 5-13, 15, 17-18, 20-21 . . . . . . . . . . . A
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
LD Llandrindod Wells
1-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
LE Leicester
1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
3-4, 6, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
7-9, 11-12, 17-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
13-16, 65, 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
LL Llandudno
11-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
14, 29, 31, 33, 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
15-28, 30, 32, 34-40, 42-49, 51-78 . . . . . . A
LN Lincoln
1, 5-6, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
2-4, 7-8, 10-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
LS Leeds
1-13, 15-16, 19, 26-27 . . .. . . . . . . . . . F *
14, 18, 28 . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . E *
17, 21-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
20, 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . D *
24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . A
29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . B
LU Luton
1, 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
2-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
M Manchester
1-9, 11-24, 40, 60 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . Refer
25-29, 32, 34-35, 38, 43, 45-46 . . . . . . . . F *
30-31, 33, 41, 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
ME Medway
1-2, 4-6, 8-13, 15-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
3, 7, 14 . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . D *
18-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
MK Milton Keynes
1-5, 7, 9-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
8, 16-17, 19, 40-42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
43-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
ML Motherwell
1-2, 6, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
3-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
5, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . C
8, 10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . B
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . A
N London N
1, 7, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
2, 4-6, 8, 10-11, 13, 15-17, 19, 22 . . . . . . F *
3, 14, 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
12, 18, 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
NE Newcastle-upon-Tyne
1, 4-6, 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
2-3, 7, 12, 27-29, 32-33, 36-37, 39 . . . . . . F *
45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . A
9-11, 15-17, 21, 30-31, 34, 38, 40-42, 63 . . . E *
13, 22-25, 35, 61-62, 64 . . . . . . . . . . . D *
18, 20, 26, 47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. C
19, 43-44, 46, 48-49, 65-71 . . . . . . . . . . B
NG Nottingham
1-4, 6-8, 10-12, 16-18 . . . . .. . . . . . . . C
5, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
9, 19-21, 25, 34 . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . B
13-14, 22-24, 31-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
NN Northampton
1-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
6, 9, 13-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
7-8, 10-12, 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
17-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
NP Newport
4, 16, 18, 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
10-11, 19-20, 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
12-13, 22-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
15, 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
NR Norwich
1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
3-4, 6-8, 30-31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
9-29, 32-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
NW London NW
1-2, 5-6, 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
3, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
4, 9, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D*
OL Oldham
1-5, 7-9, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . F *
6, 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
10-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
OX Oxford
1, 4 . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2-3, 6, 10, 16, 25-27, 33, 44 . . . . . . . . . B
5, 7-9, 11-15, 17-18, 20, 28-29, 39, 49 . . . . A
PA Paisley
1, 3-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
2, 5-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
9-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
12-15, 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
16-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
21-49, 60-78 . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . A
PE Peterborough
1-3, 5, 7, 20, 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
4, 10, 13-14, 19, 25 . . . . . . . . .. . . . . B
6, 8-9, 11-12, 15-18, 21, 23-24, 26-38 . . . . A
PH Perth
1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3-26, 30-44, 49-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
PL Plymouth
1-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
4-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
6-7, 9, 20-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
8, 10-19, 22-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
PO Portsmouth
1, 3-6, 19 . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2, 7-8, 12, 15, 17, 20-21, 30 . . . . . . . . . B
9-11, 13-14, 16, 18, 22, 31-41 . . . . . . . . A
PR Preston
1-2, 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
5-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
RG Reading
1-2, 4, 21, 30-31, 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
5-10, 12, 14, 17-20, 22, 28-29, 40-41, 45 . . . B
23-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
RH Redhill
1-2, 6-9, 14, 16-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
4-5, 10, 12-13, 15, 19-20 . . . . . . . . . . . A
11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
RM Romford
1, 6, 9-10, 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. F *
2-5, 11, 17-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
7-8, 13-16, 19-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
S Sheffield
1-3, 5, 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
4, 9, 11, 13-14, 60-61 . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
6, 10, 12, 20, 35-36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
17, 21, 25-26, 63, 70-71 . . . . . . . . . . .. D *
18, 32-33, 41, 43, 62, 64-66, 72-75, 80-81 . . .C
40, 42, 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B
44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A
SA Swansea
1-2, 4, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
3, 5-6, 8-13, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . D *
14, 16, 34, 40-41, 43-47, 68-69, 72 . . . . . . B
17-20, 31-33, 35-39, 42, 48, 61-67, 70-71, 73 . A
SE London SE
1-2, 4-8, 10-11, 13-19, 21-28 . . . . . . . . . F *
3, 9, 12, 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. E *
SG Stevenage
1, 3, 5, 10-12, 15-17, 19 . . . . . . . . . . . B
2, 4, 13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
6-9, 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
SK Stockport
1, 4, 14-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
2-3, 5-6, 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
7, 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
9-12, 17, 22-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
SL Slough
0-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4-6, 8-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
SM Sutton
1, 5 . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
2-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4, 6 . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
SN Swindon
1-2, 6-10, 13, 25-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3-5, 11, 14-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . A
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
SO Southampton
14-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
20, 24, 41-43, 50-53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
21-23, 30-32, 40, 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
SP Salisbury
1-8, 10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
SR Sunderland
1-5, 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
SS Southend-on-Sea
0-1, 6, 8, 13, 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2-4, 7, 9, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
5, 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
14-15, 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
ST Stoke-on-Trent
1, 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. D *
2-3, 5-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. C
9, 12-14, 16, 18-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
10-11, 15, 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
SW London SW
1, 3-7, 10, 12-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
2, 8-9, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
SY Shrewsbury
1-2, 4-12, 15-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
3, 13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
TA Taunton
1-4, 6-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
5, 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
TD Galashiels
1-5, 7-10, 12-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . A
6, 11, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
TF Telford
1, 3, 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2, 5-6, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
9, 11-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . A
TN Tonbridge
1, 4-6, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 22-23, 29-31,
34-36, 39-40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B
2-3, 7-8, 10, 12, 19-20, 24-28, 32-33, 38 . . . A
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D *
15, 17, 21, 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C
TQ Torquay
1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
TR Truro
1-10, 12-17, 19-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
11, 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
TS Cleveland
1-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
3-4, 6, 10, 20 . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . F *
5, 7-8, 16-19, 24, 26-29 . . . . .. . . . . . . E *
9, 14, 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
11-13, 15, 21, 23, 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
TW Twickenham
1, 9, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . F *
2-3, 6-8, 10, 13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
4-5, 12, 15-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . D *
19-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
UB Southall
1-3, 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
4, 6, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
5, 7-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
W London W
1-2, 5-6, 8-9, 12, 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
3-4, 7, 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . E *
10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refer
WA Warrington
1, 4-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
3, 9-12, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. E *
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. A
WC London WC
1-2, 99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
WD Watford
1-3, 17-19, 23-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
4-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
WF Wakefield
1-2, 4, 7-10, 12, 16-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
3, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
5-6, 13-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
WN Wigan
1-4, 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F *
5-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E *
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
WR Worcester
1, 3, 12, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
2, 4-11, 13-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A
WS Walsall
1-6, 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D *
7, 12-13, 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . B
8-9, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . A
WV Wolverhampton
1-2, 12-14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . D *
3-4, 6-8, 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . C
5, 9-10, 15-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . B
YO York
1, 7-8, 10-11, 16-17, 19, 23-24, 26 . . . . . . B
30-32, 41-43, 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
12-15, 21-22, 25, 60-62 . . . . . . . . . . . . A
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
ZE Lerwick
1-3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Please be aware that although every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this list it is subject to change, so was only accurate at time of print. Therefore, this list should only be used as a guide and not an exact grouping.

Post from: Car Insurance

Vehicle Insurance affected by your Post Code

This would operate by installing thousands of license plate recognition cameras. They would be put in place at petrol stations throughout the UK and would cross-check car registration plates against the government’s tax and insurance records. If no match is found in both databases for tax and insurance then the petrol pump would not operate.

The British Government have decided to make novel use of its CCTV cameras after a presentation from Ernst & Young who are planning to help implement this new system in conjunction with Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR).

The justification for the new cameras by Downing Street officials is they hope the hi-tech system will crack down on the 1.4 million motorists who are driving in the UK without insurance.

“The key to this is simplicity. Connecting the existing technology is relatively inexpensive and wouldn’t be a big information technology program,” Graeme Swan from Ernst & Young informed The Telegraph. “There shouldn’t be concerns about ‘Big Brother’ because there is no new database, no vehicles are tracked and no record is kept. It’s simply a new rule of no insurance equals no fuel.”

It is reported that around 4% of British drivers are uninsured.

Currently in the USA, some law-enforcement organisations are using automated license plate recognition technology to check for vehicle insurance from their Police cars. Where other law-enforcement organisations are reliant on the personal method where a driver may be asked to produce an insurance card.

Various British petrol retailers feel these proposals were just a “step too far” and a little too Big Brother!

Brian Madderson, of RMI Petrol, advised The Mirror: “This proposal will increase the potential for conflict. Our cashiers are not law enforcers.”

It sounds like people who are breaking the law in the UK by driving without insurance need to Go Compare! They’re so Money Supermarket they don’t even know how Confused they are as comparing the insurance market is simples.

Post from: Car Insurance

No insurance? No fuel for you then!

The reason being is that many occupations involving a van carry risks, some occupations may involve more driving thus creating a higher risk of an accident occurring and other occupations may require more care and attention when delivering their loads which would result in a less risky occupation.

If the occupation involves the transit of dangerous or hazardous materials such as chemicals or explosives then many van insurance companies may not even be willing to give you a van insurance quote as they are not interested in the risk factor associated with your line of business. If your occupation falls in to this category then you may be looking for specialist insurance from a firm who is prepared to encounter this type of professional risk.

There could also be a high risk associated with occupations which mean that you spend a lot more time in the vehicle; such as a Police riot van driver or delivery drivers. The reason this type of occupation is classed as high risk is because the van driver would be spending a lot of time on the road driving the van, in and out of the vehicle making deliveries. Insurance companies believe the more time you spend on the road; the more likely you are to have an accident. Therefore, an industry which means you spend a lot of time on the road would be classed as high risk by an insurance company.

Other high risk occupations would be associated with those professions where transportation is required for expensive goods because this could mean the van is more likely to be targeted by burglars. This could include items like electrical goods, for example; as they are easy for thieves to pass on.

Don’t be alarmed as there are also many occupations which would be classed as lower risk to insure meaning this type of van driver would potentially pay less for their van insurance policy.

These professions would include something like  a builder for example as they travel to work in their van but then its likes the van will be parked up all day whilst the builder carries out their work. Another low risk occupation would include a florist as they don’t spend too much time driving the van and they are likely to take a great deal of care whilst driving to ensure the safety of their bouquets and displays.

Van insurers consider the whole verity of occupations when calculating the costs for an insurance premium.

Whatever your occupation may be, it’s necessary to correctly inform the insurance company of your van expectations when obtaining a quote. If you fail to provide accurate information and you need to make a claim it could invalidate your insurance, thus becoming void meaning that you would be liable for any costs incurred.

Post from: Car Insurance

Van Insurance is significantly affected by Occupation

Although most people would not condone speeding, many first time drivers are more at risk of being caught speeding.

Historically, many car insurers overlooked a first speeding offence, but new research undertaken by AA Insurance show that has changed.

It’s fair to say that most motorists today worry about being caught speeding and that moment of being captured on camera as there is very little you can do to avoid the punishments as the UK government have been installing increasing amounts of speed cameras on all roads throughout the UK over the past few years in an attempt to reduce speeding accidents.

It does not matter whether you are caught knowingly speeding or whether you have crept above the speed limit by accident as the fact is you were speeding and therefore have to face punishment of a fixed fine, penalty points and suffer the prospect of increased insurance premiums.

When renewing an insurance premium you are legally you are required to disclose any driving offences and speeding endorsements you have received to your car insurance company. The number and type of convictions will have a large bearing on the premium your insurer will charge you.

In all cases, it is a good rule of thumb to remember that the more convictions and points on your licence you have, the more you are going to pay for your insurance.

As a result of speeding endorsements you will be classed as a high risk driver by the insurance companies and this will therefore affect your insurance premium. It is anticipated that car insurance costs rise an average of 20% for first-time speed offenders.

Drivers aged 40 and above could expect a premium increase of around 10% for a speeding offence, those in their 30’s will be hit with an average 15% price hike, 20 years olds will suffer the most and could see the cost of their car insurance cover leap by an average 22%.

More recently, some Police constabularies have indicated they will be offering an alternative to speeding drivers. This new option would be for the offender to pay for remedial driving tuition instead of the usual fines which would affect the insurance premiums. Many professional drivers are plumping for the option of these lessons instead of points on their license in order to keep their insurance premiums to a minimum. Although it is worth taking note that this option can only be selected once every three years. Some driving organisations seem supportive of this plan to re-educate accidental speeders but this attitude is not shared by Road Safety groups.

Other first time offences which could increase your car insurance premium include anyone caught texting, playing online games, picking up their emails, talking or otherwise using a hand-held mobile phone.

Post from: Car Insurance

Car Insurance and first time speeding offences

The Statement of Principles on the Provision of Flood Insurance has been a rolling agreement between the UK Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) since 2000. This agreement currently commits home insurance suppliers to make flood insurance as widely accessible as possible.

In the past, this means home owners have easily been able to secure home insurance regardless of living in areas that are at a high risk of flooding. However, in 2013 when the agreement ends this could be a thing of the past.

Whilst The Environment Agency maintains they are working with the ABI to enable home insurance providers to be able to continue to offer home insurance to properties located in flood risk areas, it is undetermined whether the Provision of Flood Insurance statement will be renewed.

The original agreement was made in 2000 on the condition that the Government would invest money in making substantial enhancements to flood defences in all high-risk areas in order to reduce the impact of flooding.

Unfortunately, reality is that if the Government’s investment in flood prevention remains constant, there will actually be an increase in the number of properties at risk of flooding. In fact, The Environment Agency estimates there will be 350,000 more properties at significant risk of flooding by 2035; and for these reasons alone, many believe that a renewal of the agreement is very unlikely. The ABI admit the flood insurance agreement has led the home insurance industry to provide continual cover to otherwise uninsurable properties.

The ABI informs us that the average cost of repairing a home that has been damaged by flooding is around £20,000 – £40,000.

In recent years, there was over £3 billion of flood-related damage in 2007 and £174 million of damage as a result of the floods which affected Cumbria in 2009, so with costs like these the ABI’s reluctance to continue with the original agreement is kind of understandable. However, the fact of the matter is that its elimination could leave around one quarter of properties in the UK that are at risk of flooding uninsured.

Very often, valid home insurance is a condition of mortgages and therefore this could mean the end of the flood insurance agreement could leave uninsured home owners in breach of their mortgage contract with Banks and Building Societies.

Alternatively, it could mean that Home insurance premiums for high-risk properties could become extortionate. Homes which are difficult to insure are often tough to sell so the UK could see a significant devaluation in a large number of UK properties.

Post from: Car Insurance

Flood victims concern as Insurance Agreement Comes to an end

Whiplash ensues when the ligaments in the neck are sprained which is usually triggered by a sudden movement of the head. Symptoms include pain, stiffness and lack of ability to move the neck.

A collision in a car, particularly from behind can lead to whiplash .

The Common Transport Committee reached out to ministers asking them to change the British law to make it tougher for people to make unchallenged claims for whiplash injuries; so it could be good news for car insurance costs as they are once again under scrutiny by the UK Government.

Back at the beginning of 2011, the Transport Committee started investigating the reason for the continually rising costs of insurance; in fact the cost of car insurance has risen 50% in the past two years. The Transport Committee particularly examined the reasons for recent increases in insurance premiums and the impact it is having on younger motorists.

The previous report detailing their findings was published back in March 2011. It highlighted the issues of high insurance premiums. Nevertheless, a new report has now been published in 2012 which reveals that car insurance costs had risen by a further 17% in 2011 because of whiplash claims made through insurance companies.

Louise Ellman from the Common Transport Committee has suggested that people trying to claim should be made to provide come sort of evidence of the whiplash and how the whiplash has adversely impacted their lives. This should be undertaken before the possibility of receiving any compensation. Many GP’s have acknowledged some cases of whiplash can be over diagnosed which only add to the problem.

Louise commented on this new report saying: “Many of these claims are for whiplash, an injury where diagnosis is often subjective and therefore very costly for insurers to challenge and the threshold for receiving compensation in whiplash cases should be raised.”

In Britain, around 600,000 whiplash claims are reported each year. This could theoretically add £90 to a typical car insurance policy. Around £2 billion was paid out last year for whiplash claims; so you can recognize the need for the rise in the insurance premiums. Unfortunately, with so many claims being made every year it is causing drivers who don’t claim to have an enlarged premium as prices continue to increase in the insurance industry.

This report has been an optimistic step in altering the way in which insurance claims can be made by drivers who think they may have suffered from whiplash in a crash.

Prime Minister David Cameron recently pledged to tackle the country’s ‘compensation culture’ and reduce the number of insurance claims for minor accidents. Downing Street dubbed the UK ‘the whiplash capital of Europe’ because of the amount of claims.

The overall number of car accidents is falling but claims for whiplash have gone up by more than a third in the past three years. It’s estimated these claims are pushing up the average car insurance premium up by around £90 per year.

David Cameron held a summit with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and leading insurance companies to deliberate how the claims could be lowered, with call for more medical evidence required.

Nick Starling of the ABI welcomes the initiative to restrict whiplash claims, “There is one whiplash claim every minute of every day in this country,” Nick says. “The problem is that if someone presents themselves with a medical certificate saying they have got whiplash, the insurance company would have to prove that they don’t have whiplash, and that’s an extremely difficult thing to do.”

In the meantime Powerseeker’s advice to all drivers; male and female, young and old, is to make sure you shop around with insurance comparison sites when your insurance policy is up for renewal.

Post from: Car Insurance

Whiplash claims cause Car Insurance premiums to rise

A majority of Brits – 85 per cent – think regular checks should be made to ensure elderly motorists are fit to remain behind the wheel.

Those over the age of 80 were however more likely to suffer serious injury in road collisions due to their frailty, the IAM added.

Simon Best from IAM said, “Older people need their cars which give them better mobility and access to more activities and services,” he said.

“Those who wish to continue driving beyond the age of 70 should only be prevented from doing so if there are compelling reasons.

“Rather than seeking to prevent older people from driving, we should make them more aware of the risks they face, and offer them driving assessments to help them eliminate bad habits.

“Driving helps older people play a full and active part in society.”

In comparison, the IAM also explored the rate of death and serious injury in road accidents according to age group which revealed the highest risk group was young drivers who are aged between 17 years and 19 years.

It turns out the evidence proves the safest age group of drivers are in their sixties.

These differences are reflected clearly in car insurance premiums paid for by drivers in the different age groups.

There are such clear differences in incident rates between the age groups and gender and this currently has a huge bearing on the cost of insurance cover.

The national average cost of a comprehensive policy is around £800. However, young drivers between the ages of 17 and 20 pay an average cost of as much as £2,590. The average cost of those between the ages of 21 and 25 now pay around £1,474 a year.  Over-50s car insurance is still much less costly due to the risks they pose, however those people aged 61 to 65 pay slightly more at £460 a year. For drivers aged 71 plus, the average cost of car insurance is £451 per year which turns out to be the cheapest rate of any age group.

Regardless of your age, Powerseeker can offer car insurance quotes for young drivers or elderly drivers so get a quote from us today to compare over 120 car insurance companies in just one location.

Post from: Car Insurance

Car insurance compared for Young and Old drivers

Although many insurers will allow you to Pay As You Go (PAYG), some will not accept this method of payment and will only allow you to pay for your premium in a one off annual payment.

Insurance – the options

There are a number of monthly insurance payment options available when looking for the right insurance policy which can be ideal for those who want to keep a close eye on their finances.

Direct Debit is the most popular. A Direct Debit is a fixed sum of money deducted from your bank account automatically on a set date which the insurer arranges with your banking provider. Customer involvement in this process is minimal because it’s automated between your insurer and the bank.

If you choose to save money now by spreading your payments over the year then an initial deposit payment is required to start the policy which would then be followed by equal monthly instalments by direct debit. Doing this usually costs a little extra, but can be more convenient.

Despite monthly insurance premiums being easier to manage each month there is a drawback as it’s widely known that most financial providers will charge an interest rate when you choose to pay via a monthly insurance option. Powerseeker would recommend you to compare the interest rates to keep the costs down and ensure you get the best deal for your money.

If you are considering purchasing an insurance policy on finance, then consider the best ways of funding it e.g. a bank loan or a 0% credit card offer.

The other alternative is to pay the full amount in one go by either credit or debit card. This option will usually work out the cheapest.

Monthly Insurance – how to get a cheap insurance deal

The insurance industry has become extremely aggressive due to the amount of choice so they are all fighting to get you on board and increase their profile in the insurance market.

Due to the cutthroat nature of the insurance industry, we highly recommend that you get Insurance quotes from as many insurance companies as you can in the aim to get cheapest insurance policy.

We would suggest you start by running a quote via Powerseeker in the first instance. We utilise many of the UK’s leading insurance providers so why not get an Insurance Quote using our easy-to-use online form.

Post from: Car Insurance

Insurance – the option of paying Monthly

The decision means that women can no longer be charged lower car insurance premiums than men, and the cost of buying a pensions annuity will change.

The change will come into effect in December 2012, although customers could see premiums alter in the interim.

Representatives of the insurance industry said they were disappointed.

The court was ruling on a challenge by a Belgian consumer group Test-Achats.

It had argued that a current exemption for insurers contradicted the wider European principle of gender equality.

“Taking the gender of the insured individual into account as a risk factor in insurance contracts constitutes discrimination,” the ECJ said.

The requirement for unisex insurance premiums and benefits will start on 21 December 2012, giving national governments and the European insurance industry time to adjust.

Different risks

For car insurance, women drivers are generally a lower risk to insure than men but will, in due course, have to pay the same premiums.

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) said currently the cost of the average car claim by an 18-year old man was £4,400, while that for an 18-year old woman was £2,700.

“The ruling will have a significant effect on the insurance industry which has used the system of risk based pricing to award discounts to lower risk drivers like young females who are statistically safer drivers,” said Graeme Trudgill of BIBA.

“The industry will have to change its model and effectively females will now pay a cross subsidy for males on their insurance premiums.”

Simon Douglas of AA Insurance told BBC News that the decision could add about £400 to the annual cost of car insurance for a young woman.

Potential premium changes

Women drivers aged under 25 could see car insurance costs rise by up to 25%

Men could see an 8% reduction in annuity rates, but women could see a 6% rise

The cost of life assurance could increase by 20% for women but fall by 10% for men

Source: Estimates from ABI commissioned research in Autumn 2010

“Particularly for women under 30 where the difference is most extreme, they currently pay about half what a man would pay,” he said.

“We could see their prices go up 25-30% and men’s premiums could fall by about 10%.”

Maggie Craig, acting director general of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said: “This gender ban is disappointing news for UK consumers and something the UK insurance industry has fought against for the last decade.

“The judgment ignores the fact that taking a person’s gender into account, where relevant to the risk, enables men and women alike to get a more accurate price for their insurance.

Post from: Car Insurance

Insurance and pension costs hit by ECJ gender ruling

Direct Line insurance and the safety organisation Brake have recently undertaken a survey which revealed that 74% of motorists admitted to driving while tired in the past year and nearly 1 in 10 people admitting to doing so at least once a week.

According to Brake, it’s tired drivers who are responsible for at least 1 in 10 fatal crashes on UK roads and a shocking 1 in 5 accidents on motorways.

We appreciate as a van driver that drowsiness is one of the recognised hazards of your occupation and therefore we want to highlight what you can do to help reduce your chances of causing an accident by driving when you are feeling tired.

Plan Ahead
If you know are aware that you have to do a lot of driving the next day then make sure you get a good night’s sleep. Make sure that you plan your journey in advance to allow for adequate rest stops.

Keep Cool
If you feel yourself becoming tired then open a window or turn the blowers down to cold as discomfort keeps us awake and then stop as soon as it is safe to do so. Make sure you take a rest long enough to get adequate rest away from behind the wheel of the van. Have a drink of caffeine or take a short nap if possible.

Take Regular Breaks
A rest should be taken every 2-3 hours on a long journey. Stop off at a service station to get something to eat or drink and to stretch your legs.

Turn up the Radio
Listening to the radio can help us to relax and drift off but by turning up the radio to loud and singing along to a song can help to prevent your mind drifting off until you can get to a safe place to stop and have a break.

Buy a gadget that helps

There are several gadgets on the market that are designed to help sleepy drivers stay awake.

For example, there’s a Drive Alert Master which emits a loud beep in your ear whenever it senses your head starting to drift into sleepiness. This is only something to try if you regularly drive whilst tired and nothing else is working for you.

If you are a van driver who has to drive for a living, then you will have a set of rules you must follow regarding the amount of time you can spend behind the wheel.

However, if you’re not sure how long you’re allowed to drive for then we suggest you should ask your employer.

It is worth pointing out at this point that ignorance is not bliss as you could face a fine of £5000 and points on your license if the police find you have broken the stipulated rules.

Any endorsements on your driving license means you will be classed as a high risk driver by van insurance companies which will affect your van insurance premium.

Any points you receive as a result of driving which accrue on your license will mean you are at risk of being priced out of the van insurance market. This means you may not be able to get a competitive insurance quote.

Post from: Car Insurance

Driving Whilst Drowsy could affect Insurance