Drivers urged to say “no” to record premium increases

Lee Griffin, Business Development Director for insurance comparison website Gocompare.com, comments on the AA's premium index which shows the average car insurance premium in the UK has risen by more than £100 in the last 12 months: "Anyone who gets a car insurance renewal notice showing that their premium has gone up by £100 in the last 12 months has really only one course of action; say "no"! We would urge all drivers not to accept these kinds of increases and shoparound for an insurer who will give them the same cover but at a cheaper price. Not all insurers are hiking their prices at the moment and some are specifically targeting certain types of risk, so by using a comparison site to shop around you will be able to see the full range of prices available for you.

"The AA's own figures show that the difference between the average car insurance premium and the ‘shoparound' figure (the average of the three cheapest quotes) is now £269.67. That is a significant saving for any household.

"The industry is fighting a losing battle when it comes to costs at the moment with fraud, personal injury and credit hire claims. Insurers need to do more to control costs - it isn't acceptable for drivers to pay for insurer's inefficiencies or their legal bills. Most drivers accept the need to pay a fair price for insurance to cover their risk, but what they will not accept is rising costs being passed onto them unchecked."