Tag: car insurance

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Why are car insurance premiums increasing right now? And what are we doing to keep our prices fair?

Posted on by Will Kerr

Claims inflation is hitting the car insurance industry hard. As a result, premiums are rising on average. It’s not what any of us want to hear. But it’s worth understanding why it’s happening. Here we explain ‘claims inflation’ and what we’re doing to continue offering a fairer form of car insurance. 

Contents.

Car insurance costs are rising above inflation.

What are we doing to keep prices fair?

Car insurance costs are rising above inflation.

Car insurance claims inflation
A ‘perfect storm’ of factors are dramatically pushing up the cost of claims.

During the cost of living crisis, people like Jack Monroe have done a great job of highlighting the fact that inflation isn’t a one size fits all thing. Different products are affected in different ways – and in some areas, prices might rise well above the general level of inflation. 

That’s certainly been the case with car repairs. Garages have had to increase their prices dramatically due to a number of factors: 

Parts: A lot of garages are really struggling to get hold of parts. You may have heard stories about tech firms buying up fancy fridges, just to get the microchips inside for their own products. Most modern cars need these chips, so that shortage is going to come into play for any parts that need them. The War in Ukraine and natural disasters have disrupted supply of things like wiring – and on top of all that, a big spike in shipping costs have made it more expensive to bring in parts from further away (like tyres from China).

Paint: The cost of the raw materials to manufacture paints has really soared in the last couple of years – so even repairing a simple scratch is a lot more expensive than it was.

The cost of parts and paint are pushing up car insurance claims inflation.
Even covering up a little scratch has gotten a lot more expensive.

Labour: Since Brexit there have been fewer mechanics available. That means there’s more competition between garages to hire and keep staff, which means they need to pay higher wages. Those increases get passed on in the form of higher prices. 

Energy: We’ve all been hit by rising energy costs – and a lot of the machinery used in repairs use a lot of electricity. That’s made things really hard for garages. 

This has an even bigger impact on claims inflation than you’d think.

If repairs become a lot more expensive, that’s going to show in premiums going up. But the insurers don’t just pay for the repairs. They pay to sort out courtesy cars as well. As we discussed in this piece on the cost of driving, courtesy car costs are up by a lot – around 30% or so.

Unfortunately, repairs aren’t just more expensive right now – they’re also taking up to three times longer – which increases the cost again. 

And it’s more expensive when cars can’t be replaced.

Providing a like-for-like replacement for totalled cars is getting more expensive.
Cars aren’t depreciating in the way you’d normally expect. So offering market value replacements for totalled cars is a lot more expensive than it was.

When a car can’t be repaired, insurers often pay to have them replaced with something of equal market value. Of course, that’s only right. (Our policies are index linked to make sure you get the current value of your car, even if it’s gone up – and there are no extra charges to cover that if a claim happens.)  

Because supply chain issues have caused a shortage of new cars, there’s more demand for second hand cars. And that’s driving up their prices by a lot. That means replacing cars at market value is far more expensive than it would normally be – and this is also driving up the cost of claims. 

Car insurance claims aren’t just more expensive. They’re happening more often.  

Unsurprisingly, the number of accidents on the road started to go up after lockdowns ended. But it’s not just innocent mishaps driving up claims. 

With cars and car parts in short supply, they’re more valuable – and therefore attractive to thieves. And, as tends to happen in tough economic times, thefts are rising. In fact, there’s been a 25% increase in stolen cars. 

 

So what are we doing to keep prices fair?

We know that none of the stuff we’ve talked about above is our members’ fault. To be completely honest, it shouldn’t be your problem. That’s why we’re going beyond the traditional car insurance model to offer a fairer price. 

We do that in 4 key ways.

  1. Pricing based on actual driving, not just predictions. 
  2. Adapting our model to offer more opportunities to save. 
  3. Providing value every day, not just when you need to claim. 
  4. Offering cover that goes further than most.

Let us explain in a bit more detail…

Our prices are based on individuals, not stereotypes.

For all the reasons mentioned above, car insurance premiums are going up on average. Fortunately, you don’t have to go with average. 

We’ve never been a typical car insurance provider. Most will charge a flat rate based on guesswork, then sit back hoping to never hear from you again. 

Not us. 

We charge a fixed cost that covers your car while parked, but aside from that you just pay for the miles you actually drive (at your own per-mile rate). That means the amount you pay is based on what you actually do with your car, not just what someone thinks you might do.

It also means that whenever you’re not driving (which is a pretty great way of avoiding accidents), you’re automatically rewarded. 

Put simply: the less you drive, the less you pay. 

Pay-by-mile car insurance
With us, the more time your car spends parked, the less you pay for insurance.

That’s our core idea. And we’re doubling down on it. 

With our policies, every mile you drive under your estimate means saving on your quote. The more of your total cost we link to your mileage, the bigger that opportunity to save. 

So we’ve taken the decision to reduce the fixed cost portion of our premiums by as much as we can. This means more of the cost is shifted over to the per-mile rate. 

This has an important impact on the total amount our members pay. It means anyone who drives under their estimated mileage will be saving a bigger portion of their costs than before. 

This approach also reduces the portion of their cover that members pay upfront – which we know is important for a lot of us right now. 

We offer value every day. Not just when you need to claim. 

Car insurance is an odd purchase. You buy it specifically hoping you won’t have any use for it. We’ve never been fans of that ‘something for nothing’ approach. So we’ve made sure we offer our members something helpful – even if they never need to claim. 

With our app they can reach our team via live chat, make policy changes, view costs and plan journeys. But that’s just the start. We’ve built a range of features that harness the power of our Miles Tracker to make owning a car that bit easier (and cheaper). 

by-miles-smartphone-app-tesla-charging-765x500-1
Our app offers members value, day-in-day-out.

Find My Car: You can use this feature to track down your car if it’s lost or stolen. We regularly use it to help our members and the police recover stolen cars – saving them a lot of hassle.

 Car Medic: Scan your car for error codes and find any problems early. The same service at a garage can cost £100. But with the By Miles app it’s free.

ULEZ/CAZ reminders: We’ll give you reminders if you drive through ULEZ or a number of other Clean Air Zones  – so you don’t end up with a late fine. 

And when you do need to claim, you’ve got great cover.

Our policies have a 5 star Defaqto rating. That basically means they’re among the creme de la creme when it comes to cover. Or to put it in another, less French way, it’s: 

“An excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits.”

On top of that, you have the assurance of being with the company named ‘Best for Customer Happiness’ by The Times and voted Car Insurance Provider of the Year not once, not twice, but three times.

 

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A quick guide to low mileage car insurance

Posted on by Will Kerr

Low mileage car insurance is, you guessed it, car insurance for drivers that do low mileage throughout the year. Let’s get into how it all works. 

Firstly, you’re probably wondering whether you qualify as a lower mileage driver. Well, traditionally below around 7,000 miles a year was considered on the low side. However, most people are now doing a fair bit less than that. In fact, the average annual mileage for a UK driver was 5,398 in 2021 (the most recent set of MOT data). So going by the 7,000 mile standard, chances are you’re below that. 

What is low mileage car insurance?

It’s car insurance tailored to benefit lower mileage drivers. Most traditional policies don’t necessarily use mileage as an influential factor on car insurance premiums. In fact, traditional car insurance often charges lower mileage drivers more. Low mileage car insurance does the opposite.

It’s aimed at drivers that don’t use the car a whole lot. Maybe you use public transport to get around, keeping the car parked in the driveway until the weekend arrives and you fancy a road trip to visit family? Maybe you use it everyday, but only ever for short journeys. Either way, if you’re not spending huge amounts of time on the road, low mileage car insurance could work for you.

With pay-per-mile car insurance, you’re financially incentivised to drive less. At By Miles, you pay a fixed cost to cover the car while it’s parked. From there, how much you end up paying depends on how much you actually drive. 

Why use low mileage car insurance?

Low mileage car insurance
With low mileage car insurance, the more time your car spends like this (parked), the less you pay.

Common sense says that the less you drive, the less likely you are to be in an accident. You would think that would mean low-mileage drivers would get better deals. Unfortunately, in the case of traditional insurers, you’d be wrong. Mileage just isn’t that big of a factor in their pricing. And that’s mostly because they can’t accurately track it. 

Fortunately, we can. (And the same goes for the other less brilliant pay-by-mile copycats out there). Using our Miles Tracker, or the tech built into your connected car, recording mileage data is easy. We can then use that information to charge based on a per mile rate. There’s a fixed fee to cover your car while it’s parked, but other than that, the less you drive, the less your cover costs. That makes it a simple way to save if you tend to get around in other ways.

What are the benefits of low mileage car insurance?

Most insurers will ask for an estimate of your yearly mileage, but once your premiums are set, they’ll stay the same whether your car is gathering dust or kicking it up. That tends to be a bad deal for low mileage drivers. 

We actually did some research and found that drivers doing between 5,000 and 6,000 miles a year pay an average of £210 more for their car insurance compared to drivers doing 11,000 to 12,000 miles a year. Why would you get a better deal for spending more time on the road? To us, that seemed backwards – so we flipped it around. 

How do I calculate my mileage?

Guessing your annual mileage can make your car insurance more expensive, so it’s always best to try to avoid doing that. 

One way to calculate your annual mileage is by looking at your past few MoT documents (or by using our checker tool, or going online to the DVLA MoT database), which tells you how many miles you’ve driven since your last MoT exam, according to your car’s mileometer. Just take the average of the last few years and you should have a good gauge of your annual mileage.

Another option is to make a note of your mileage when you start a new car insurance policy, and then compare it with the amount of miles you’ve travelled when the car is up for renewal.

Of course, you could figure out how many miles you usually drive in a day by monitoring your driving for a few weeks, then working out the average, and then multiplying that number by 365 to give you the full year’s amount.

How can I reduce my mileage?

Pay-by-mile car insurance
If you make a lot of journeys on foot, low mileage car insurance could be for you.

Did you know that short journeys of less than a mile are the most polluting? The first five minutes of every car journey are the most harmful when it comes to pollution (that’s how long it takes for most cars’ inbuilt emissions systems to start working effectively).

With that in mind, reducing your mileage is great for the environment as well as your wallet – especially as lots of car journeys can be avoided. We’ve rounded up some inspirational tips to help you reduce your mileage:

  • See if you could share a journey with someone else that’s driving to the same place (ideally a friend, family member or colleague – strangers may not be so open to carpooling)
  • Get into cycling if you haven’t already. It’s a great way to stay physically and financially fit. Just don’t forget your helmet!
  • Walk, walk, walk. Get your step count up by walking rather than driving to the supermarket for a handful of things. You’ll feel smug afterwards, trust us.
  • Run to the gym. It’ll shorten your workout and count as a warmup.
  • Get a delivery takeaway rather than a collection. Many delivery services use eco-friendly transport like e-bikes and scooters, so it’s helping the environment too. Getting your weekly shop delivered could help too.
  • Keep an eye on your mileage. With a By Miles policy, you can keep tabs on your spending with detailed journey logs. If your mileage is a little higher than usual, see if you can scale back. You won’t pay if you’re not driving, so it’s win-win.

If you’re a lower mileage driver, pay-by-mile car insurance could work for you. Got a spare minute? Great. Getting a quote takes less than 60 seconds.

Get a Quick Quote here:

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8 things you can do to protect your catalytic converter.

Posted on by Will Kerr

Catalytic converter theft has more than doubled in the last few years – and could be set to rise further. Here, we give you the lowdown on the steps you can take to prevent your car from becoming easy prey. 

Contents.

First things first. What’s a catalytic converter?

It’s part of your car’s exhaust. It’s there to filter out harmful emissions and help protect air quality. For that reason, it’s actually (almost always) illegal to drive a car without a catalytic converter in place. 

So why do people steal them?

The materials that the converters use to work their magic are expensive. There’s platinum – but also a couple of even pricier ones – palladium and rhodium.  

What’s with the surge in catalytic converter thefts?

Covid-19 messed with all kinds of supply chains, including precious metals. As rhodium became harder to get hold of, prices went up. That made it more tempting for crooks. Rhodium prices have come down a bit since Spring 2021, but it’s still hardly cheap. At the time of writing an ounce is worth about $20,000. (That makes rhodium worth about seven times its weight in $100 dollar bills. Tuck that away for your next pub quiz.)

When it comes to palladium, 25-30% of the global supply comes from Russia. Prices spiked massively in March 2022 due to fears that Russia’s war on Ukraine would impact supply. Prices have gone down again since, but doesn’t change the fact that decisions made in the Kremlin can send costs soaring. Obviously, rising catalytic converter theft is a long way down on the horrifying list of things Putin has to answer for, but it could be a potential knock-on effect of his actions.  

Petrol prices may also play a role. Converters can only be stolen while cars are parked. So if more drivers are leaving their cars at home to save money in the face of sky-high petrol costs, that could mean more opportunities for thieves. (It’s worth pointing out that with traditional insurance, you pay exactly the same even if you’re using the car way less than expected. With us, if you drive less, you pay less.)

Do they target any particular kinds of car?

All cars that aren’t fully electric have catalytic converters, so they’re all at risk. (To be precise about things, diesel cars have ‘diesel particulate filters’ instead, but they do the same job, use similar materials and are also quite commonly stolen).

Back In 2021, hybrid cars were being targeted a lot. Their converters filter less emissions, so the valuable materials inside corroded less. That made them more valuable to sell on. The Honda Jazz (the most reliable car out there according to our analysis of MOT data) was a particular favourite among thieves for that reason. 

Newer cars tend to have converters that corrode less, even if they aren’t hybrid – so that’s now less of an issue. But trends can go on long after they’ve stopped making sense (we still use a floppy disk icon for the save button even though no one’s seen one in the wild for over a decade). So it could pay to be extra vigilant if you have a hybrid, especially one of the more popular Hondas. 

One thing that makes a car much more vulnerable regardless of make is ground clearance. If your car’s easier to get underneath – a 4×4 or SUV, maybe – thieves may think of it as a good target.  

How can you prevent catalytic converter theft?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that criminals have much trouble finding targets for catalytic converter theft. The (sort of) good news there is that if you can make life a little difficult for them, they’ll probably choose a different vehicle to go after. Following these steps should help:

1) Keep your car in a garage if possible.

If not, try to keep it somewhere well lit and in earshot. Thieves can remove your converter quickly, but it’s not an easy thing to hide as they have to get under the car and make a load of noise sawing in through the tailpipe. 

2) Thieves may be put off by visible cameras.

Parking near CCTV or having a doorbell camera that points onto your drive or the street opposite could pay off. 

3) Park with your tailpipe to a wall, or another vehicle.

As this is the area thieves are trying to get at, it just makes things much harder for them. According to The Met, most thefts happen in public car parks (and that’s likely to be the case in other parts of the country too). This could be worth remembering when you’re parking up at your local multi-story. 

catalytic-converter-theft-in-car-parks
A prime location for catalytic converter theft.

4) Try to avoid parking half up on the kerb.

As we mentioned in our post on new rules changes, you should try and avoid doing this anyway, as it can make pavements inaccessible for certain people. An added bonus is that this might actually help keep your catalytic converter safe. If your car’s not propped up on one side, you’re not offering easy access to the underside of your vehicle. 

5) Lock it up.

Special locks and cages can be fitted to guard against your converter being cut out. This reportedly ups the time it takes for a thief to do their thing from 30 seconds to more like 30 minutes (although hopefully they’d give up and go well before then). When shopping around, be sure to choose something certified by a body like Sold Secure. You should always let your insurer know before modifying your car – especially in this case, as improving your security could get you a discount. 

6) Upgrade your alarms.

The best car alarms (ranked as ‘Thatcham category 1′) can detect if your car’s been tilted, so will sound if anyone tries jacking it up to get at the catalytic converter. If your alarm is a category 2, you can upgrade to category 1. This process is called a ‘2 1 upgrade’ or ‘2 > 1 upgrade’. If your car is newer, it will almost definitely have a category 1 alarm already. If it’s older (though not older than 1998) it could be worth upgrading. As with the above, let your insurer know beforehand and see if they’ll knock anything off your premiums. 

7) Add a serial number to your converter.

You can get this done at a trusted garage and it should make it harder for thieves to sell your converter on if stolen (or even help you recover it). If you’ve had your converter marked in this way, ask the garage for a sticker you can pop in the window to let everybody know. It could put thieves off before they ever begin messing with your car.

8) Go electric.

Thinking of getting a new car? One extra benefit of getting an electric option is that they don’t have a catalytic converter – so you don’t have to worry about it being stolen. Of course, there are other mishaps you’ll want cover for, so check out our specialist electric car insurance policies. 

 

What happens if my catalytic converter is stolen?

Call the police, get a crime reference number and let your insurer know what’s happened. If you’ve got a car insurance policy from us, the cost of replacing a stolen catalytic converter will be covered. If for some wild reason you got your insurance elsewhere, it should still be covered – as long as you aren’t on a third party only policy . (Over here, we only do comprehensive cover.) 

You could be looking at a bill in the region of £800, if you aren’t covered. (Which is why we only do comprehensive cover.) 

Remember that even if you’re covered, you still pay a price for theft. Claims drive up insurance prices – for you and everybody else. So even if you know you’re insured, try and follow as much of the above advice as possible. And as we’ve mentioned above, if you talk to your insurer when you’re taking extra security measures, they may actually knock down your premiums. Even if they don’t, car modifications that make your car safer could save you from claiming – meaning lower premiums in the long run.

Talking of saving money on car insurance… Our pay-by-mile policies could help you save on cover – especially if you’re not a high mileage driver. Why not get a quote and see?

 

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6 New Year’s driving resolutions for 2022.

Posted on by Will Kerr

January is rough. It’s got all the cold, damp and dark of December, but none of that festive sparkle…

Add in the pressure of a resolution and you’ve got the recipe for a pretty lame month. To save you some time (and inevitable gym membership cancellations) we’ve gone ahead and set you six doable driving goals for 2022.

This article was last updated on Friday 6th January 2022. Some of the information discussed may be subject to change. If in doubt on matters of road safety, please be sure to check the official Government advice here.

1. Look out for changes to the Highway Code.

Nothing will be finalised until February at the earliest, but the Highway Code is changing in 2022. And if you didn’t know that was happening, well, you’re not the only one. Apparently, two thirds of drivers are in the dark. So, let’s shine some light on things.

The code will now include a ‘hierarchy of road users’. In this new system, “those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to take care”. Basically, the bigger your vehicle, the more careful you should be.

This idea is supposed to create a driving culture where everyone looks out for each other – not one where larger vehicles are always to blame any time anything goes wrong. So it’s really more of a guideline than anything else. There are some more specific changes coming too, though:

Priorities at junctions: Cyclists will now have priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead. Drivers will also need to give way to pedestrians who are waiting to cross – not just those who are already crossing. 

Overtaking cyclists: There will be clearer rules on how much space to leave when passing a cyclist – at least 1.5m at 30mph or lower, and more at higher speeds.

The Dutch reach: The best invention to come out of the Netherlands since the stroopwafel, this method of opening your car door reduces the chances of hitting a passing cyclist. Using your left hand to open the right door (and vice versa) causes you to twist your body, so you naturally check your blindspot. Changes to the Highway Code may mean drivers and passengers are required to do this.

new-driving-and-cycling-rules-2022
Two cyclists discuss impending changes to the Highway Code and the glory of the stroopwafel. Probably.

2. Don’t touch that phone. At all. 

Using a mobile while driving has always been a risky move. But depending on what you were doing, you could fiddle around on your device without breaking the law. Before only “interactive communications” (basically calls and texts) were actually banned. 

Of course, phones do a lot more than that. These days you can use them to scroll through playlists, play games, take photos or look up directions. If you’re behind the wheel though, get a passenger to do that for you. Under the new rules, touching your phone for any of those reasons while driving could earn you a £200 fine and six penalty points. 

You can still use your device hands free, or to make payments for things like toll booths. But from mid-January 2022, that’s about it. 

3. Keep off the pavement.

Mounting the kerb to park can feel like a considerate thing to do, especially on narrow roads. But it makes life harder for pedestrians. In fact, for wheelchairs users, it can make the streets unusable. Pavement parking is already illegal in London and will be banned in Scotland from 2023. No final decisions have been reached yet, but it looks like councils in England and Wales could soon be able to fine drivers for parking on the kerb unnecessarily. 

4. Be CAZ-ready.

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has been around for a while now. (If you’re a By Miles member you may even have used our handy app feature to avoid ULEZ fines). 

Recently, many other cities have introduced Clean Air Zones (CAZs) of their own. In 2022, this list will expand to include: 

Aberdeen

Bradford

Bristol

Dundee

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Manchester

Newcastle

This will mean you may have to pay a fee to drive through some parts of the city. The start dates, rules and charges that will apply vary from place to place. In some cases, charges will only apply to certain vehicles. This might depend on the type of vehicle, what it’s being used for (some cities won’t be charging private cars) and how polluting it is. Many zones will also have a nice long grace period before enforcement actually begins. It’s best to be prepared though – so if you’ll be driving through any of them a lot, use the links above to find out more. 

5. Find an insurer who treats you right…

This year, new rules have come in to end the ‘loyalty penalty’. Until now, many traditional car insurers (that’s not us, by the way) have saved their best deals for new customers while bumping up prices for loyal ones. That’s all over. 

This is a big shakeup. Before, if you wanted a good deal from one of the big companies, you had to accept the hassle of switching every single year. That meant not many people were thinking of their insurance choice as a long-term commitment. 

Now, staying put may make a lot more sense than it did before. You might even be thinking about finding that ideal insurer you can see yourself settling down with. If so, make sure you’re getting valuable extras and great service, as well as a competitive quote. 

6. …And while you’re at it, consider pay-by-mile car insurance.

It’s impossible to say what’s around the corner, but it may well be that you find yourself driving less than usual this year. Lockdowns and the rise of home working saw the average UK driver’s mileage fall by 21.3% in 2020. If things have changed in your world and you’ve recently become a lower mileage driver (someone doing around 150 miles a week or less) it might be worth rethinking how you insure your car. 

With a pay-by-mile policy from By Miles, the less you drive, the less you pay. So, why not get a quote and see if you could save?

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What are the new ‘loyalty penalty’ car insurance regulations?

Posted on by Will Kerr

They’ve been billed as a big shakeup for the car insurance industry, but what exactly are the new rules – which came into play in January 2022 – all about?

We’ll take you through the regulations, what they mean for traditional insurers, the impact they’ll have on pricing and why – for us at By Miles – it’s not much to write home (or indeed a blog) about. 

What are the new rules?

The General Insurance Pricing Practices (to give them their full name) are an updated set of rules, set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), that apply to various kinds of insurance. The FCA wants insurers to be clear with their customers and offer them ‘fair value’ (things we’re very much in favour of). How? By changing the way renewals work and ending the so-called ‘loyalty penalty’.

What is the loyalty penalty?

From airlines with their frequent flier miles, to coffee shops with their ‘the-tenth-one-is-free’ loyalty cards (which always go missing after the ninth stamp), businesses of all kinds try to promote loyalty by offering perks. For years, the car insurance industry not only cut against this logic – it went in the complete opposite direction.  

Through a tactic called ‘price walking’, traditional car insurers often ramped up costs for customers who stayed with them at renewal, while offering the same cover to newcomers at a much better price – 30% less on average. This is what people mean when they talk about a ‘loyalty penalty’ or a ‘loyalty tax’ in car insurance.

Because of the loyalty penalty, if you wanted the best price for your cover, you absolutely could not depend on your existing insurer to just give it to you. You either had to switch, or call them up and verbally wrestle a competitive price out of them. 

Neither of these is much fun to do. Unsurprisingly, people would often forget, or just not get around to it. Their insurance would automatically renew – and that meant getting stung by a painful bump to their premiums. 

The Financial Conduct Authority decided to put a stop to all that…

What does this mean for car insurance prices?

The regulations, which came into play in January 2022, ended ‘price walking’. Put simply, insurers are no longer allowed to offer cheaper deals to new customers than they do to existing ones (for equivalent cover, at least). 

This means your renewal price will be cheaper than or equivalent to the price you would pay if you were a brand new customer. This has a flip side, though. Before – as long as you could be bothered to go through the hassle of switching insurers – you were all but guaranteed to save (and probably by quite a bit). After all, pricing was always designed to attract new customers. From now on, switching might not be as reliable as a saving tactic. 

That’s not to say people won’t be able to find better deals. They will. But there shouldn’t be that harsh divide we saw in the past between people who saved by switching, and those who got stung by staying put. 

 These changes are a big deal for the industry as a whole. Insurers put a lot of thinking into their pricing, and for many, their existing model has gone right out the window. And it’s not just that they can’t pump-up prices using auto-renewal – they also have to make it easier for customers to avoid auto-renewing in the first place…

What is auto-renewal and how is it changing?

As you probably know, driving without insurance is illegal. To prevent people accidentally making criminals of themselves, car insurance policies will generally auto-renew. Basically, if you don’t tell your insurer otherwise, they’ll sign you up for 12 more months at renewal time. Unfortunately, in the past, insurers were free to whack up premiums while they were at it.  

This meant it was in the insurer’s interest for you to auto-renew. For that reason, they would sometimes put unnecessary obstacles in the way of customers opting out – for example, insisting they do so over the phone instead of online. Unsurprisingly, auto-renewal rip offs have been the subject of tonnes of complaints (and compensation awards) over the years. 

Now, insurance providers need to be clear about how auto-renewal works and give you a range of quick and easy options for turning it off.

This all sounds big. So why aren’t we bothered?

That one’s easy: we’ve never been ones to punish loyalty. We’ve always endeavoured to offer the same pricing to renewing members as we have to new customers (assuming they have the exact same driving history, type of car, and things like that). 

Thankfully, that means we didn’t have to sweat trying to get a new pricing strategy in place – which was nice.

So what does this all mean for you?

As explained above, switching insurers every time renewal comes around may no longer be so good a saving tactic. On the other hand, it’s been predicted that loyal customers will now get a decent annual saving at renewal (£56 a year for those who have been with the same provider for five years). So, another tactic could be to find a provider you’d be happy to stick with. 

At By Miles, our policies are pay-per-mile. From day one, we’ve (quite literally) rewarded customers for staying put. If you’re a lower mileage driver interested in taking control of your insurance costs, pay-by-mile might be worth checking out. So, why not get a quote?

 

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Pulling off the mask: How to spot social media ghost brokers.

Posted on by Lloyd Purnell

Ghost broking is a growing problem in the car insurance industry, with thousands of drivers a year duped into taking out policies that aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. 

Here we spell out:

  • What a ghost broker is
  • How they work
  • How to spot them 
  • And what we intend to about them

Not got time for all that? Here are our top-tips right off the bat:

You may already have some idea of what these scammers are all about – or maybe this is your first time hearing about them. Either way, you’ll want to be clued up about their schemes, because the costs involved can be life changing.

So how can drivers protect themselves from falling victim to a ghoulish ghost broker? The first step is knowing what a ghost broker even is.

What is a ghost broker?

An insurance broker is like a personal shopper for cover. They find you a policy that fits, and you pay for the service. Hopefully, they get you a deal so good that you end up saving a bit despite their fee – but either way, it should be less time and effort for you.

Ghost brokers mimic this service. They’re called ‘ghosts’ because – much like their supernatural namesakes – the policies they deal in don’t actually exist. The ghost broker will often be able to present their client with a certificate of insurance, but when you lift the sheet off its head, all is not as it seems.

They entice customers with promises of incredibly low prices. Cash and time-poor drivers think they’re getting a great service at a knock-down price. In reality, the “policy” they get (note the scare quotes) could end up leaving the driver in a world of bother should they need to claim. 

If you’re involved in an accident and it turns out that you’re not properly insured, you could be liable for the repair or medical costs of both sides – and could even face being hit with points on your license or prosecution.

So how are they able to offer rock bottom prices, and still produce insurance documents for the customer? And why are the policies they provide worthless?

How do ghost brokers work?

There are a number of ways, but usually the criminal will just change some of the customer’s details when getting them the quote. Using this false information, they can get a (seemingly) great price.   

We’ve seen examples of brand new BMWs being passed off as a 50cc moped, and a 19-year old being quoted as a 50-year old librarian. 

You don’t need to know a great deal about car insurance to know that a bookish 50-year old on a low-powered moped is likely to be offered a lower premium than a 19-year old in a brand new Beamer. So you can see how this deception benefits a dodgy broker: they make it look as if they’ve found you a fantastic deal, but it’s based on lies.  

Another common trick is cancelling the policy as soon as it’s started. All your documents will arrive, but the broker will then cancel the policy and pocket your cash – leaving you completely uninsured and at risk of being pulled over by the police.

Both of these methods will leave you with “real” (there are those scare quotes again) documents in your hand. You’ll even be able to see that your car is insured on the Motor Insurance Database. But the policy will either be invalid or cancelled. By the time you’re on the hard shoulder exchanging details with another driver or the police, the ghost broker will be long gone with your money – leaving you to pick up the pieces. 

Don’t think this is something you’d fall for? Well, the bad news is you don’t even have to be tricked by a ghost broker to be left out of pocket by them. Insurers have to factor fraud into their pricing, so these scams bump up premiums for all drivers.

How do I spot a ghost broker?

As someone who’s worked to help people spot a fraudster for much of my career, I’m still amazed by the lengths these criminals will go to. Just when you think you’ve cut off one avenue, they pop up again in a different guise. In the past, ‘Dave, down the pub’ might have cornered you and offered to sort your insurance out for a couple of hundred quid. These days they’re increasingly turning to social media.

And that makes a lot of sense. A lot of younger drivers are desperate for affordable cover and are used to buying on social platforms. Better yet (for the crooks) these younger drivers may not have much experience of how insurance – or its pricing – works.

The adverts ghost brokers post on social media are pretty outrageous. 

An unsuspecting driver who’s just been quoted thousands on a legit price comparison website can be forgiven if they stop scrolling when they the same cover at a fraction of the price on Instagram. Unfortunately, these unbelievable prices are exactly that: not to be believed.  

What can you do to protect yourself?

As we explain a little further down the blog, we’re going into ghost-busting mode and starting a campaign to stamp out this particular kind of crime completely. Until then, here are a few things you can do to make sure you don’t fall foul of a ghost broker:

  • Always double-check that your broker is legitimate by searching for them on the FCA website. 
  • Ghost brokers will want to try and keep things ‘off-grid’, so never agree to meet someone to pay in cash for your insurance policy.
  • If you receive policy documents, check the details to make sure you haven’t been misrepresented. In some instances, you won’t even be able to pass your insurers’ security checks if your details have been altered significantly. 
  • Finally, remember, if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Use comparison sites to work out what an average price for your risk looks like, and if you spot a quote that’s a lot lower, approach with caution.

What do we intend to do about it?

We think it’s time that the social media giants helped out in the fight against fraud. Drivers are having to fend for themselves on the wild west of social media, while these cowboys run riot. (Cowboys? Ghosts? Either way, they’re baddies.) That’s not fair – so we’re not having it. 

We want to see social media platforms actively searching-out and removing ghost brokers from their platforms today – not just waiting until legislation forces them to. We’re spreading the word far and wide to keep consumers safe and informed – and to pressure platforms into acting. Watch this space…(and keep on eye on the press too!).

 

If you’re a lower mileage driver interested in taking control of your insurance costs, pay-by-mile might be worth checking out. So, why not get a quote?

 

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Reflecting on our third (yep, third!) Best Car Insurance Provider award.

Posted on by Will Kerr

Three. The number of courses in a slap-up meal, lions on the shirt and members of the chipmunks. It’s always been special, but now that we’ve won our third consecutive Insurance Choice Award for Best Car Insurance Provider, the magic number feels extra magical.

First things first: thank you! This award is decided by your vote rather than industry insiders – which is precisely why it means so much to us. But, why exactly do we keep winning (and winning and winning) it? And where do we go from here? 

To find out, we put together a series of questions (three of them, obviously) designed to shed some light on what’s going on here at By Miles towers. And, to celebrate the magic number even further, we’ve got three different answers for each question – provided by three of our best and brightest team members. 

Wow, three in a row! Why does this wonderful thing just keep happening?

James Blackham, Chief Executive Officer:

The whole idea behind By Miles was to rethink insurance in a fairer way. That’s why we went with pay-by-mile pricing – it’s an intuitively fairer way of doing things. And if you’re a lower mileage driver, it can be a lot cheaper as well. Ultimately, I think we keep winning because we keep saving people money and offering a great experience too. 

As we’ve grown, we’ve invested in our customer experience team. That’s meant that we’ve been able to maintain the very human connection we’ve always had with members – to make sure they feel looked after. App features like our ULEZ charge notifications play a role too – our members know we’re looking out for them, beyond just offering a great price. 

AJ Singh, Chief People Officer:

Everything we do is done through the lens of our company virtues: fairness, efficiency, ambition, growth and respect. We treat our customers and members the way we treat each other – and I believe they really feel this in their interactions with us. 

Our culture is non-negotiable. It’s something we all genuinely buy into and I think that lends authenticity to our brand, our communications and our decisions. All in all, I think our membership knows that we truly care.

Kirsty Wilmot, Head of Product:

The simple answer is, we won because people voted for us! We’re really honoured that people find our product and the service we provide useful enough for them to want to do that. (It’s pretty motivating, actually!)

I guess it comes back to fairness. That’s really where our passion lies. There’s just so much guesswork woven into the way that traditional insurance works, and that inevitably leads to unfair pricing. We’ve developed a product that lets us do things in a smarter way, and charge people a price that’s based on their actual usage, and I think people appreciate that. 

What do you think has been the biggest step (or leap) of the By Miles journey so far?

James Blackham, Chief Executive Officer:

It was totally unforeseen, but I think the way our product worked during the pandemic was a really important moment. While, obviously, it wasn’t something we wanted to see happen, it really helped benefit our members – who weren’t driving and therefore saving. All the while, other insurers were hoovering up profit, because their customers paid the same, even though they weren’t getting into accidents. That clear cut unfairness was something we campaigned against, but I think it worked in our favour and really helped people see that pay-by-mile car insurance is the way forward.

Aside from that, launching the world’s first connected car policy with Tesla was an amazing achievement. We can now collect mileage data directly from vehicles, without any need for a Miles Tracker. It’s put us in a great place to leverage the next generation of smart vehicles. 

AJ Singh, Chief People Officer:

Since early 2020, we tripled in size from 25 to 75 people. For me, the biggest achievement wasn’t necessarily that we were able to bring in so many talented people (though that was obviously great!) – it was the fact that we were able to go through that rapid growth while maintaining the ethos we started from. 

Despite the fact that we’ve grown so rapidly, we’ve never lost sight of who we are or how we want to turn up for each other – even with the pressures of the pandemic. In fact, the measures we put in place to protect everyone’s wellness and productivity during lockdown were definitely a major milestone. In a recent engagement survey, 98% of employees said they felt supported in hybrid working (basically being more flexible between working from home and working in the office). And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the same proportion (98%) rank By Miles as a great place to work. 

We’re doing the right things for our people and that’s really helping us to keep delivering for our members. 

Kirsty Wilmot, Head of Product:

There have been so many! Fair pricing is at the core of what we do, but we’re always trying to go beyond that. It’s been really rewarding seeing app features we’ve built making a genuine difference for members. I vividly remember the first time our Find My Car tool led to a member getting their stolen car back. It was great to think we’d been able to help them out in their time of need. Since then 75% of our members who’ve had a car stolen have been able to recover it thanks to the app! Moments like that really drive home how much of a positive impact our product actually have on people’s lives. 

There’s a lot on the horizon for By Miles. What are you most excited about? 

James Blackham, Chief Executive Officer:

The average mileage of UK drivers has been falling year on year for a long time now – and I certainly wouldn’t bet against that trend continuing. I’m excited that, as we continue to grow, we’re going to be in a position to help more and more of those lower mileage drivers get the value they deserve. 

We’re also excited about the general shift towards electric vehicles (EV) that we see coming over the next few years. We’ve been working to get ahead of the curve and make sure we’re offering a great option for EV drivers. We’ve done some good work already (our specialist Tesla policies, and the fact we cover charging cables as standard, for example), but there’s plenty more in the pipeline. 

AJ Singh, Chief People Officer

2022 is going to be a year of growth on all fronts. Unfortunately, it also looks like it’s going to be another year where our team and our members are dealing with all the uncertainty that Covid brings. We’re looking forward to finding even more ways we can be flexible, supportive and inclusive and provide a great environment to be part of – whatever the wider world might have in store.

Kirsty Wilmot, Head of Product:

We know that our product provides a fairer deal for a lot of lower mileage drivers. At the same time we understand that paying for miles on a month by month basis doesn’t work for everyone – even if they don’t drive very much. Without giving away too much away at this stage, we’re working on some exciting new products and optimisations that should help us meet the needs and budgets of even more lower mileage drivers. Fundamentally flipping the way insurance works on its head isn’t easy, but it’s all worth it when we see such a wide variety of people finding a By Miles policy that works for them.

Obviously, this isn’t just a case of guessing – or telling – people what they need. We’re going to be co-creating these new products with the help of our members. So, I’m really excited to get everything we’ve been working on into their hands so we can start getting their feedback and insights!

If you’re a lower mileage driver looking for an award-winning insurance provider, you’re in the right place. So, why not get a quote?

 

 

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19.3 million lower mileage UK drivers are overpaying for car insurance.

Posted on by Ciara Knight

We’ve analysed over 1.7 million customer car insurance quotes from comparison site MoneySuperMarket and found out that if you’re driving under the UK average mileage each year, you’ll overpay by a massive £180 more than those driving over 7,000.

Nearly 19.3 million UK drivers are potentially being overcharged for their cover because of this ‘low mileage penalty’ on traditional car insurance policies, meaning they’re actually paying more for driving less. Which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

You can read more data and analysis, and download a free copy of the full report here.

Key facts and figures we spotted in our research about car insurance for lower mileage drivers:

  • The average UK car is driven 7,090 miles a year (according to recent MOT data)
  • 19.3 million cars in the UK are driven under the national average
  • We analysed 1.7 million car insurance quotes on MoneySuperMarket
  • £180 is the average low mileage penalty for drivers doing under 7,000 miles a year
  • The majority of drivers get quotes for driving 5,000 – 6,000 miles a year
  • Drivers declaring 11,000 – 12,000 miles a year are 1.5 times more likely to have made a claim in the last 5 years
  • Drivers aged 40-49 who drive 5,000 – 6,000 miles a year pay up to £150 more than drivers of the same age doing 11,000 – 12,000 miles a year

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What is the low mileage penalty?

Traditional insurers will typically spread the cost of insurance across all of their customers, which means that lower mileage drivers often get a rough deal, and actually end up paying for higher mileage drivers’ risk – even though they’re not on the road as much themselves.

Now more than ever, drivers that aren’t on the road as much deserve to be paying less for their car insurance, not more. This penalty isn’t fair on lower mileage drivers, who should be rewarded for making the right choice and cutting down on their driving. After all, you’re far less likely to have an accident and make a claim if your car’s just sitting there parked up.

Low mileage drivers are being overcharged the most for car insurance.

The most common estimated mileage bracket that UK drivers get quotes for is for driving 5,000 to 6,000 miles a year, and our research shows that these drivers could be overcharged as much as £215 when you compare them with drivers doing double their mileage.

Lower mileage drivers are less likely to make a claim when you compare them with higher mileage drivers because they’re not on the road as much. Logically, if you’re not driving, it’s far less likely that you’re going to need to make a claim.

Drivers doing 12,000 miles a year are 300% more likely to declare a claim, compared with motorists that say they drive 1,000 miles a year. But lower mileage drivers aren’t being rewarded financially for driving less. They’re being penalised for it.

Driving experience isn’t being considered when insurers calculate their car insurance premiums for lower mileage drivers.

When you look at driving experience, drivers aged 40-49 covering between 5,000 and 6,000 miles a year are paying £150 more for their car insurance compared with drivers doing double that mileage. This suggests that driving experience driving more mileage over the years actually has little financial benefit.

So, what can we do to stop this low mileage penalty?

We recommend that drivers always shop around when looking for car insurance. It’s important to feel like you’re getting a good deal, and one that fairly reflects your driving habits, whatever they may be.

We’re also calling on the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to put an end to the low mileage penalty. James Blackham, our CEO and co-founder, has written a letter to the Director General of the ABI, outlining why this penalty is unfair to lower mileage drivers, and recommending some positive steps all insurers should take to make car insurance fairer for lower mileage drivers.

We’re calling on the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to put an end to the low mileage penalty. James Blackham, our CEO and co-founder, has written a letter to the Director General of the ABI, outlining why this penalty is unfair to lower mileage drivers, and recommending some positive steps all insurers should take to make car insurance fairer for lower mileage drivers.

You can read the full letter here.

James Blackham says:

“Insurers must stop using lower mileage drivers to subsidise the higher claims costs of higher mileage motorists and start actively rewarding people for driving less. The technology needed to log the actual miles completed by drivers already exists, and it’s unfair to keep overcharging low mileage drivers just because that data isn’t being properly taken into account by insurers.

As a nation, we’re on a drive to lower carbon emissions and reducing car insurance costs for those that cut their mileage would be a strong incentive to reward and encourage positive changes in behaviour.”

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Get a quick quote for a pay-by-mile policy by clicking here, and see if you could make a saving in under a minute.

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An Open Letter to the ABI: We must end the low mileage penalty.

Posted on by James Blackham

An Open Letter to the ABI: We must end the low mileage penalty.

Dear Mr. Evans,

Trust in the insurance industry is at an all-time low.

Not too long ago, the ‘loyalty penalty’ was in the headlines. The regrettable practice of dual pricing whereby new customers are lured in with one price, while loyal insurance customers with the same risk are penalised with automatically renewed insurance policies at a far higher rate, still affects some of the most financially vulnerable people in society.

While the battle is far from won, pressure from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) is slowly moving the industry in the right direction.

Today, we published a new report that suggests 19.3 million UK drivers could be falling foul of another penalty and being overcharged for car insurance, simply because they don’t drive much: the low mileage penalty.

Our analysis of 1.7 million quotes for car insurance from a major comparison site shows that UK motorists driving under 7,000 miles a year are paying an additional £180, on average, for their cover, compared to motorists driving over that threshold. This doesn’t make sense, and we don’t think it’s fair.

We’re urging the Association of British Insurers to take action again, to end this low mileage penalty.

Car insurance is a legal requirement, and it’s concerning that the mobility of many is threatened by the lack of affordable, fairly-priced cover.

It’s a fact that the less time your car spends on the road, the less likely you are to have an accident. Just last month, one of the UK’s largest traditional motor insurers announced a reduction of 70% in claims during April while people weren’t driving during lockdown.

Our report shows that motorists are 1.5x more likely to declare having made a claim in the last 5 years if they cover more than 11,000 miles annually than drivers who say they drive below 7,000 a year. While drivers doing 12,000 miles a year are 300% more likely to declare a claim, compared with motorists that say they drive 1,000 miles a year.

We believe this problem is solved by more flexible pricing models, such as pay-by-mile policies, that accurately take mileage into account in real time. We recognise that it’s not possible for all insurance companies to shift to this model quickly. But something must be done to protect lower mileage drivers from being overcharged in the meantime.

We would like the ABI to ask insurers to:

1. Review their pricing to better reflect the reduced risk posed by decreased mileage, and stop using the premiums of lower mileage drivers to subsidise the cost of insurance for higher mileage drivers

2. Be more transparent about how they’re using mileage to price insurance, so drivers can understand how their information is being used in quotes

This won’t just help make car insurance fairer, but it will be better for the planet too. Insurance could be at the front line of incentivising positive behaviour change and reducing CO2 emissions, by actually financially rewarding people for driving less.

It is now clearer than ever that there’s an undeniable link between high mileage and claims frequency, so we urge the ABI to ensure that the savings made by insurers are passed onto lower mileage motorists. When you drive less, you should pay less for your car insurance. It’s as simple as that.

I’d be more than happy to set up a call to discuss the low mileage penalty further, to encourage the industry to better cater for the millions of lower mileage drivers in this country that aren’t currently being fairly treated.

Yours sincerely,

James Blackham

CEO, By Miles

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Six things you should know about connected cars.

Posted on by Callum Rimmer

By Miles is a UK Pay-per-mile car insurer. Our monthly rolling contract and real-time itemised billing puts the driver back in control of their car insurance.

1. What is a connected car?

A connected car is a car that is equipped with internet access, allowing the car to share internet connectivity with other devices both inside and outside of the vehicle.

The Internet of Things

Connected cars are one part of the ever growing web of connected devices known as the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT allows everyday items to have access to the internet so that you have more control over how and where you interact with them. Thanks to the IoT, we can now control and monitor things such as: heating (Nest, Hive), lighting (Hue), fitness (Fitbit), security (MyFox), music (Sonos) and even air quality (Awair).

Note – as of December 2019 – By Miles offers Connected Car insurance..

2. How can cars become connected?

You can either buy a device to connect your car to the internet or you can buy a vehicle that is already connected.

In the UK, Vodafone already offer a kit which when plugged in, can turn your car in to a WiFi hotspot. Vodafone use their 4G network to offer the same sort of connectivity you could get with your mobile phone.

Telematics devices, which look at your car health and performance, are now also using the cellular networks to add connectivity to your car. This connectivity is often “machine to machine” and so doesn’t offer the driver direct connectivity to the web. However some telematics providers are also starting to offer a WiFi hotspot too.

These Connected Cars

Car manufacturers (OEMs) are investing heavily into connected cars. OEMs understand that a connected car can create a real-time relationship with the driver that allows them to offer a better, broader and safer experience for their customers on an on-going basis.

On 28 April 2015 the European Parliament voted in favour of eCall regulation which requires all new cars be equipped with internet connectivity from April 2018. An eCall-equipped car will automatically contact the nearest emergency centre in case of a collision and tell it the location of the car.

So in essence, all new cars built in the EU from April 2018 will be connected cars.

3. Which car manufacturers are investing the most into connected cars?

Car manufacturers (OEMs) are investing heavily in both connected car and autonomous (self-drive) vehicle technologies. These two disciplines complement each other very well.

Autonomous vehicles are still seen as a thing of the future, where as connected cars are a current reality.

Most innovation is happening in Europe. The EU has led the call for eCall regulation. Large german OEMs like VW/Audi, Mercedes and BMW are forging ahead with the connected car. American and Asian OEMs are catching up quickly with Toyota looking to augment their established electric car positioning.

Connected Cars OEMs

OEMs are hoping connected car technology will help improve vehicle management (both mechanical and logistics), safety, driver assistance (breakdown and traffic) and in-car entertainment.

4. How many connected cars are there?

In 2016, approximately 25 million connected cars were built. This is estimated to grow to around 90 million (75% of all cars built) by 2020. The total number of connected cars on the road by 2020 is expected to be about 250 million.

Connected Cars - Global Shipment Estimates

5. Are drivers concerned about their car becoming connected?

Drivers have have concerns about how the data collected by their connected car is used. Invasion of privacy is the number one concern for drivers.

People's Concerns on Connected Cars

Surveys have found that people are increasing willing to share data as long as they get something in return (for example, a better experience). And data is shared all the time about how people live their lives.

We have got used to our mobile phones sharing our location via Google traffic (to show traffic hotspots), or Strava recording our exercise routines or Netflix using our tv history to recommend new programs to us.

Telematics - Data Sharing

When asked how willing drivers are to share their data with OEMs, around 50% said they were happy if they got something in return, 30% we willing if that data was only used for research and the final 20% didn’t want any data shared.

Driver's Willingness to Share Connected Car Data

6. How will connected cars affect my car insurance?

Telematic devices and the connected car open up new car insurance opportunities for drivers.

Advantages of Telematics

Pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) policies use data from the car to measure how it travels, typically so that low mileage drivers can benefit from lower premiums.

Pay-how-you-drive (PHYD) polices use data to measure driver behaviour. This means drivers can benefit from lower premiums if they have good driver habits.

Connected cars will give insurers more metrics about the driver so that they can create a more bespoke insurance tailored to the driver. The cost of the insurance policy will be more representative of the driver and car, rather than just based on old fashioned metrics like where what sort of job they do.

Usage of Connected Cars

Usage based insurance (i.e. a combination of PAYD and PHYD polices) is growing year on year. The US and Italy markets have larger number of drivers who opt for UBI. The size of the market in the UK is growing at about 25% per year.

Driver Appetite for Usage Based Insurance

The main appeal of usage based insurance, is the reduction in insurance premium. Confused.com estimate savings on an average policy is likely to be around 30%. Confused.com believe 50% of drivers say they would use UBI if it could save them more than 20% on their policy premium.

Bonus: Real Data From Connected Cars

By Miles is looking to use data from connected cars to offer cheaper car insurance to lower mileage drivers.

Take a look at the sort of information a telematics device can tell a car insurance company, read 5 things we learned from our pay-per-mile trial.

Sources

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Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) number 773046. By Miles Ltd, Churchill Court, Westmoreland Road, Bromley BR1 1DP is a registered company number 09498559 incorporated in the United Kingdom. Registered with the information commissioner’s office (ICO) number ZA219758.

Prices in the image are for illustrative purposes only. Actual per mile rate is individually tailored and could be higher or lower once we’ve taken into account factors such as your address, no claims history and driving record that may change your premium or ability to be insured.

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