The Crittenden Automotive Library

Want Cheaper Car Insurance? Become A Nun

Want Cheaper Car Insurance? Become A Nun

Geoff Maxted
DriveWrite
July 13, 2013

A nun that drives down to the village shop once a week in a tiny car and totals 500 miles for the year will surely not pay much car insurance. I mention this because as I far as I can see from research, being a nun cannot be found to be a reason for an insurance premium to increase.

I mention this because the BBC have just reported that the unemployed are being penalised for being unemployed. One poor unfortunate soul faced a quoted increase of nearly £500! This isn’t news of course, affected drivers have known this for the last few years; it’s just that TV news is a bit flat at this time of year so they resurrect a dead donkey.

As if being made redundant isn’t a kick in the teeth as it is, being kicked some more when you are down is pretty rough. Now, car insurance is a risk business. The companies that enter into it know the risks and act accordingly; profit is what any business is about especially when they have to deal with fraud and insurance scams. Fairs fair.

However, over the last year or so there has been what we now see was a false dawn of hope that premiums might go down. In a pig’s ear! At best they are likely to remain around the rates presently experienced. Did you know that your premium will increase if you happen to mention you had an accident even though you never made a claim. That will affect you for at least the next four years. Did you know that if you have a very minor traffic offence that carries three points it will affect you for five years even though the law says that the penalty is considered ‘spent’ after four? You have become a terrible risk.

It’s not just the unemployed that suffer. Your age makes a difference. If you are young you are a risk. When you pass fifty you are a risk (It’s worth noting that drivers between the ages of 65 and 69 are considered the least risky group). If you are single you are more of a risk as married people are more careful (As if any married man is going to step out of line!). If your mileage increases or you have a poor credit rating you are more of a risk. If you leave your premium search to the last minute they will take advantage. The list goes on and on.

A poor credit rating is a bit of a curiosity because why should that affect driving ability? It’s no good trying to ask why. The stock answer from insurers is that this is what statistics tell them, so this is what it all boils down to - you are a number. Nobody reasonable begrudges a fair profit but we are being taken for a ride - in our own cars!

It is no good asking government to intervene because they are too busy telling you what to give your children to eat or how to live your life to worry about your financial problems that they helped cause.

If you’ve got this far and are looking for the answer then sorry - haven’t got one. You’ll just have to get older - but not too old - get married, run a tiny car, don’t go anywhere, get a job and be good. Or become a nun or monk. After all - they have good driving habits!