Cost of motor insurance: follow up - Transport Committee Contents

Annex: Survey results

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Full results of survey data collated by Young Marmalade (1127 total responses):

Please tell us your gender
Male	786 (69 %)
Female	337 (29%)
Please tell us your age when you first started driving lessons.
17	889 (78%)
18	101 (8%)
19	50 (4%)
20	21 (1%)
21	8 (0%)
22	5 (0%)
23	1 (0%)
24	7 (0%)
25-30	9 (0%)
Over 30	32 (2%)
Because of the high cost of insurance, have you ever considered driving without insurance?
Never	881 (78%)
Considered it but decided against it	209 (18%)
Yes	34 (3%)
Have you considered altering the information provided to an insurer, to secure a lower premium? If yes, please let us know all facts you have amended to improve the premium
No	795 (70%)
Yes - Changed my address	33 (2%)
Yes - Changed my job	34 (3%)
Yes - Changed whether I was the main driver	176 (15%)
Yes - Added another driver	258 (22%)
Yes - Changed my driving history, points, convictions etc	7 (0%)
Yes - Changed my previous claims history	7 (0%)
Are you aware that in the event of an accident, your details may be passed on to Solicitors, Car Hire Firms and Garages in return for a fee?
Yes	468 (41%)
No	652 (57%)
Which one of the following statements best describes your situation?
Not yet passed	470 (41%)
Driving my own car with insurance in my name	211 (18%)
Driving a family or partner's car as a named driver	236 (20%)
I passed my test but could not afford a car	200 (17%)
I have a company car	6 (0%)
Do you think young drivers are being priced off the road?
Yes	1083 (96%)
No	9 (0%)
Don't know	14 (1%)

A selection of comments from the Young Marmalade survey

• Insurance treats all young people the same, assuming we are all as likely to behave like yobs behind the wheel.
• Compared to the rest of Europe the cost of insurance is simply absurd and should be heavily revised
• The difference between male and female is very unfair I had a car which secured my chance of finding employment my parents paid for the excessive premiums in insurance not everyone is that lucky young drivers are being handed obstacles at every turn I say bring down the price and impose other curfews ie no passengers no driver after midnight anything but allow us to afford the transport we need to do our jobs
• Living in a rural area the only way you can get a job is to be able to drive. High cost car insurance is a big barrier to employment as wages are low even if you can get a job.
• The range of insurance products for young drivers is extremely limited. I imagine there is much potential for short term cover and pre-agreed restrictions that could be used to adapt policies and make them more affordable for young drivers
• Honest people paying for dishonest. Why can't we ban claims for personal injury or make people fight their own cases with the potential to have to pay costs if they lose
• My parents are buying my first years insurance, otherwise I would not be able to drive a car. I need a car as I live in a village with no buses.
• With such out of this world and totally unrealistic premiums it will definitely encourage young drivers to drive without insurance.
• It's no wonder there are so many young drivers driving around without insurance. It is far far too expensive for new drivers, even with pass plus. We need a scheme where younger drivers are given a chance.
• It seems mad when the cost of insurance is a lot more than the value of the car. Maybe the test system needs to change to something like they have in Queensland, Australia where they have to drive 100 hours before they can take their test, surely experience is what you need and if insurance is v expensive you don't get the experience to make you better.
• The cost of insurance is so high that I have to be a named driver on my Mum's car, so I cannot build up no claims history, also, I know a lot of young people who will have to drive without insurance which puts the cost up for all of us law-abiding driversI learnt to drive as I was spending nearly a quarter of my monthly income on taxi's and buses to travel to work but after passing my test I realised it would be much more expensive to have my own car
• The high cost of insurance is almost beyond my family and high. I have a twin brother and the cheapest insurance for my family's car with he and I added on as drivers is £3500 per year!!! How many families in the UK can afford that?!
• The cost of the car I wished to buy—a 5 year basic Ford Fiesta was cheaper than the Insurance quoted and left me no alternative than to abandon any thought of buying a car for me until the Insurance is less than £1000 per year for me as a main driver
• I believe the rise in car insurance is promoting more uninsured drivers on the road and makes it seem ok to those who are careless and under age drivers on the road, making it very unsafe for those who are doing right.
• I think insurance companies are profiteering from young drivers. I would like to know what has changed so much in the last 15 years or so to see premiums rise so astronomically.
• So so so so expensive!!

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Prepared 12 January 2012