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The rising cost of car insurance

As the Telegraph reported this summer, the price of car insurance is on the rise. Young people are set to foot the majority of the bill, with the costs rising quite considerably, and women are also set to pay more as new legislation is introduced to bring equality between the sexes. In spite of numerous studies proving the higher likelihood of men being involved in an accident than women, especially at younger ages, the manner in which premiums are judged is set to change before the end of the year. In a rising landscape of costs, choosing the correct insurance company is even more important than before.

The new ruling looks set to cost the female driver an additional £362 a year. This is a result an EU ruling making it illegal for insurance companies to consider gender when calculating insurance premiums. The increase is designed to bring more parity between the two sexes, even though a Roadsafe report showed of the 2,026 young people involved in an accident in 2009, 71% were male compared to 64% of older drivers.

This can be attributed to a number of factors. A lack of skill when behind the wheel, as well as experience levels on motorways and busy junctions, can go some way in explaining these statistics. The ‘boy racer’-style driver has arisen due to the tendency for young male drivers to purchase over-powered cars, or to illegally modify them once purchased.

A parliamentary study in 2011 showed that a number of common accident causes are a result of a lack of knowledge of the Highway Code and driving experience. Stopping short of making any firm recommendations relating to changes, the report did offer that road conditions would be improved if measurements were made to put better informed and more confident drivers on the road, rather than those purely trained to past the test.

The Finnish driving test, for example, takes place over a minimum of 15 hours instructed driving, which includes a theory test and driving through at least 30 minutes of traffic. Most interestingly, the test also covers driving in a skid pan, which forces the learner to control the car on a dampened surface to correct for a loss of control.

Perhaps attaining cheap car insurance is more difficult due to events outside of our control, but it’s important to do your research and get the best possible policy in the market. Kwik Fit is an option, as they compare prices from over 25 lenders and offer you the best price on the market. Their policies are reasonably priced, regardless of your gender, and offer plenty of incentives. So click here for the full lowdown of what’s on offer to you.