Insurers Penalise 'Mobile' Drivers

Insurer Allianz have this week announced plans to further penalise drivers caught talking or texting on their mobile by upping the cost of their premiums by 30%. This adds to the £60 fine and 3 points convicted drivers face by law.

The insurer’s move to increase the penalty associated with this crime has been based largely on a decision to upgrade the severity under which this misdemeanour is categorised.

Previously, talking on your mobile phone whilst driving was treated with the same premium penalty as that applied to the policies of those with speeding related convictions. However, this has been updated and the 30% penalty is now equivalent to that attracted by a conviction of careless driving.

In the face of research that suggests you’re four times more likely to have an accident when you’re using your mobile phone on the road and therefore more likely to injure yourself or others, and perhaps even more worryingly, that your reactions while using a mobile are 30% slower than if you’d been drinking, this change of policy seems well founded.

In a survey carried out by the insurer, over 56% of those questioned reported seeing drivers using their phones everyday, while 10% admitted to doing this themselves, showing just how common this highly dangerous activity is.

Neil Walker, motor manager for Allianz Car Insurance commented: "Increasing premiums for drivers with mobile phone convictions reinforces the fact that this is a dangerous and needless act.”

"If you are convicted of using a mobile phone while driving, not only do you face a fine and points on your licence, you will also suffer the added financial burden of increased motor insurance."

Where one insurer leads it’s likely that others will soon follow, so other than the obvious safety implications, keeping your car insurance affordable should be another incentive to switch off your mobile while you’re on the road.