Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading price comparison websites, gives his top predictions for next year. Plus we have some thoughts from Jimmy Williams from Urban Jungle, as we look ahead to the end of price-walking;
Greener motoring gets the green light – The Prime Minister has served notice on fully petrol- and diesel-powered cars, with new versions of these vehicles no longer able to be sold in the UK from 2030 as part of the ‘green industrial revolution’. Government figures released in October show that from Q2 this year there were falls of 27% and 60% for petrol and diesel vehicles respectively over a two-year period, while the sale of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles went up by 300% over the same period.
This trend towards low-emission vehicles is likely to pick up pace in 2022, particularly since London has recently launched an Ultra-Low Emission Zone and other cities are likely to follow suit.
Young drivers benefit from falling premiums – In October we reported that premiums for young drivers dropped by 14% over the course of 12 months for 17 to 21 year olds; drivers aged 22 to 25 paid 6% less based on 50,000 premiums from our data. Given that young drivers aged 17 to 29 pay an average of 53% more for car insurance than more experienced motorists, this trend is likely to be very welcome news for many young people and their parents – continue to watch this space.
Cycling gets another boost from Highway Code changes – Cycling for leisure or work have all boomed as has bicycle ownership. So far, so good. However, the Department for Transport’s (DfT) September report indicated that 53% of respondents surveyed would be encouraged to get in the saddle if the roads were safer. New measures such as Highway Code guidance on cycling safety, the DfT’s £338 million investment package to boost cycling and many local initiatives might remedy reservations.
While cycling insurance isn’t mandatory, we might still see more demand as more people use their bicycles and appreciate the cover it gives.
Electric scooters take the spotlight – It is currently illegal to use privately owned e-scooters on public roads, pavements or cycle lanes and anyone caught breaking the law can expect a £300 fine or six points on their driving licence, which pushes up premiums by as much as 25%.
Concerns about the safety of pedestrians and riders has prompted the government to look at the issue of more regulation. There is a strong chance that new laws come into place and having insurance will almost certainly be part of any legal change. Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk comments: “It’s been a year of rapid change, especially in the switch to greener transport. We expect that to gather pace in the next year and well beyond, encouraged by local and central government using a range of approaches.
“Electric scooters will come into focus and there will be a debate in the media and in Parliament on how to resolve safety concerns. It can’t be left to continue as it is now, so regulation seems likely and that means insurance will most probably be mandatory.”
PRICE WALKING FACES THE FINAL CURTAIN
Jimmy Williams, founder and CEO of home insurance provider Urban Jungle, said:
“Seeing an end to pricewalking will be a great way to start 2022. The new regulations, introduced by the FCA, mean that price competition will be much more transparent, and customers will know what they’ll be paying for the next few years, not just the next few months.
“But we also feel that we need to offer a round of applause (possibly very slow, in a very echoey room) to our peers who are so warmly welcoming the changes. It’s great to discover that they really cared about this issue all along and it gives us a warm feeling to know that they’re onboard with giving the industry (AKA themselves) a real shakeup in favour of fairness.
“At Urban Jungle, we’ve always offered transparent pricing to all our young customers, knowing how important it is that they feel protected. We’ve never pricewalked and never will. Perhaps now, we can work with the FCA to take this a step further and address hidden fees and cancellation penalties. We’re sure those around us will welcome these changes even more.”
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