Motorists caught using a mobile phone at the wheel face a 30 per cent hike in insurance premiums, according to one insurance firm.Allianz Insurance has decided to treat prosecution for the offence in the same way as a conviction for dangerous driving. Getting caught using your phone without a hands-free kit while driving currently leads to a premium increase in-line with a speeding fine.Allianz hopes other insurers will follow its lead. Neil Walker, the firm’s motor manager, said, "Increasing premiums for drivers with mobile phone convictions reinforces the fact that this is a dangerous and needless act.”One in 10 motorists recently admitted to using a mobile phone without a hands-free while driving. It’s an offence now punishable with a £60 fine and three penalty points.
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Re: Insurance hike on phone convictions
Dangerous driving, using mobile phones are now practically all legal because traffic police have been replaced by speed cameras so nobody can enforce these laws.
Re: Insurance hike on phone convictions
JJ - you never answered me this before, where are you getting your accident stats from?
For the UK, the death rate per 1 billion vehicle kilometers is 2.0 on motorways and 9.3 on all other roads. Where does your figure come from, and what do you mean by 'accident rate'?
How is this any different to speeding convictions? If I got a ticket, I think I'd almost certainly be less likely to get another one, yet my insurance would go up. Are you just questioning the way insurance companies work (i.e. fleece the customer for everything they're worth)?
Re: Insurance hike on phone convictions
hahahaha, an invisible arm maybe? his knees? frightening