Bad Weather Triggers Deluge Of Car Insurance Claims

There has been a 10 percent increase in the number of car insurance claims as the bad weather returns.

The snow and ice blanketing the UK for the second time in a month is leading to a large increase in the number of car insurance claims from motorists struggling with the conditions.

The AA is reporting a 10% increase in the number of claims received today, compared to a snow free December Friday. They had received 331 claims up until mid-day today, 21% of which were snow and ice related.

With the heavy snow affecting Scotland and Wales, it is unsurprising that 51% of claims from Scotland and 34% originate from Wales say their collision resulted from the ice and snow.

Drivers should avoid unnecessary journeys and take sensible precautions, advises Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance who says:

“If the police in your area are advising drivers not to travel then it is sensible to heed that advice and monitor the situation locally.

During the run-up to Christmas, plan your journey to take account of the latest local forecasts and try to stick to main roads, which are more likely to be gritted.”

He points out that tail-end crashes, especially at road junctions and roundabouts, are the most common type of winter claim, followed by collisions with parked cars. He adds that cars fitted with winter tyres are less likely to lose traction on snow and ice.