Government targets insurance costs

Targeting uninsured drivers and beefing up the skills of young motorists will be priorities for the Department for Transport (DfT) in the wake of a Transport Select Committee report on the cost of motor insurance.

Insurance costs have risen drastically in recent times and the Government is determined to bring these down in association with the motor industry. Car insurance is an essential part of legal motoring and gives security in the event of an accident.

To help fight fraud the DfT is contemplating ways to let insurance firms view the DVLA driver record database. This will allow driver-specific details to be checked and to ensure that correct type of insurance is provided.

Crashes and insurance claims involving the young will also be under scrutiny by the DfT partly with the help of telematic or black box insurance systems.

Neil Greig, the Director of Policy and Research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: "More must be done to help young drivers stay safe and obtain affordable insurance.

"As a first step, insurers must reduce the cost of learning to drive in the family car. Learner drivers are as safe as any other group on the road - the risks only rise when solo driving begins."

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