Car Insurance Rises Lead to More Honest Drivers

A new study has found that steep price rises for car insurance have led to drivers being more truthful in their insurance applications – highlighting that honesty is always the best policy.

Have you ever told a small white lie about whether your car is in your driveway or your garage overnight?

We thought not – and the good news is that, according to a new survey by price comparison site Confused.com, fewer motorists are fibbing about small details as the cost of their insurance goes up.

Comparing this year’s poll to a similar one conducted last year, Confused.com found that just 12% of women and 17% of men admitted lying on their car insurance applications, compared to 32% of women and 46% of men a year earlier.

Lying about your mileage tops the list, with almost half of the men and women who did lie saying their car does fewer miles than in reality. And as for who tells the most lies, London is the UK’s hotspot for applicants who are economical with the truth – with 19% of Londoners admitting to lying on their applications.

Besides telling us that women are more honest than men about the lives of their cars, the survey backs up another recent report showing that price is no longer the primary consideration when buying car insurance.

But be warned. If lies in your application are discovered, your claims can be invalidated by your insurer.

On the plus side, with people paying higher prices for car insurance, they’re demanding better value for money – and that means sufficient cover and prompt processing when it is time to claim.

Moneyhighstreet comments: “It’s never a good idea to lie on an insurance application. Even if you tell the truth everywhere else, one small lie can give your insurer grounds to invalidate the policy – and your claim.

“To help combat rising prices, it’s important to compare costs online to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Then when it’s time to renew your insurance, compare prices again – a good track record can go a long way to helping you pay lower premiums.”