Article from BTNews 22 JANUARY 2018
COMMENT: Car insurance rip-off
Your editor-in-chief, with a clean driving licence, broke the law last June by driving at 45mph on the downhill dual carriageway that leads from Luton Airport towards the M1. No excuse, except that the road could easily be 50mph and quite frankly this speed limit appears to be nothing to do with safety but a money-making exercise by the local council.
The fine was the statuary £100.
Fast forward to January 2018 and his car insurance is due, a policy branded as Lexus but actually serviced by Aioi Nissay Dowa.
Without any claim during the previous year the premium went up by 14%.
The telephone representative, no employer’s name disclosed, stated this was due to inflation (average 2.9%) and an increase of the government Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) of 2%. Make what you will of that.
Upon renewing the policy your editor-in-chief noted, as required, his speeding ticket.
“Sorry sir but that put your premium up by £90”, was the retort.
His response explained if he were to be fined again, with another three points, that would put him dangerously near a driving ban. Because of this he is driving slower and even more carefully, good news for the underwriter. Lexus insurance is in fact effecting a double-indemnity. Surely that cannot be morally correct, and whilst legal, dubious.
Furthermore, the £100 fine is a one-off payment, whereas he will be penalised by an annual £90 on the policy, if not more.
The retort that all insurance companies act in this way is not necessarily true.
In other words, one is not only being fined by Hertfordshire Constabulary, but also by Lexus, or they would claim, their agent the insurance company.
Business Travel News believes that this is a scam, does the credibility of Lexus no good, and should be looked into by higher authority. It is a complete rip-off.
Comments by the insurance industry, readers, and representations by brokers welcome. See below or info@btnews.co.uk
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
Ian Hamer, United Kingdom
As with unnecessary double yellow lines, so called safety cameras, when coupled with unnecessary low speed limits, are simply a source of revenue for LA's. They should be held legally accountable for siting the cameras and for parking restrictions. Where no real justification can be shown, they should be made to remove them.
John Jones, UK
I got caught last year as well. £100 and three points. When renewing with LV I was offered a premium and advised them of my speeding offence (SP30). No inrease in the premium resulted. So one company is playing it straight !
John Jones, UK
I got caught last year as well. £100 and three points. When renewing with LV I was offered a premium and advised them of my speeding offence (SP30). No inrease in the premium resulted. So one company is playing it straight !
Ian Hamer, United Kingdom
As with unnecessary double yellow lines, so called safety cameras, when coupled with unnecessary low speed limits, are simply a source of revenue for LA's. They should be held legally accountable for siting the cameras and for parking restrictions. Where no real justification can be shown, they should be made to remove them.
Simon Grigor, Harrow
Reminds me of the car hire rip-off when a second driver is added to the hire. This should of course make the hiring safer, as driver 1 can take a break when he/she is tired. But no, add a second driver to a car hire and watch the cost jump up. And I agree about Hertfordshire Police too: Malcolm may know Edgwarebury Lane in Elstree. No way is it a built-up area but Herts Police got me for doing 38 in what is, staggeringly there, a 30 limit.
David Tarsh, UK
Our extremely sharp Editor-in-Chief is SO right about speed limits. There is no justification in lowering them to the level at which perfectly safe driving is criminalised and local authorities are undoubtedly ripping off motorists. The only question is why such a sharp guy did not shop around for insurance cover and then challenge the providers of the expensive Lexus policy to match or beat the best available quote.