Millions of drivers in the UK could be invalidating their car insurance by flouting simple rules in their contracts, new data has revealed.
Research by insurance company Cuvva discovered 70 per cent of 1,243 policy holders quizzed admit to making basic mistakes that could void their insurance.
Of those surveyed, 43 per cent eat while behind the wheel while 18 per cent have had a pet in the front seat of their car. Even your choice of footwear could be a problem — 16 per cent admitted to driving in flip flops while 15 per cent have driven barefoot.
Although seemingly minor, any of these could lead to an insurer voiding a policy should they have been committed in the event of a crash.
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The data also revealed many drivers are unsure of the rules surrounding insurance when borrowing or lending a car. Five per cent admitted to borrowing a car without checking if they were insured, while 43 per cent did not know who would be penalised if they let someone else drive their car without the correct insurance.
Freddy Macnamara, chief executive officer of Cuvva, said:
“The insurance industry needs to start educating drivers so that more people can avoid making common mistakes. Some of these slips-ups, such as offering to park a car for a friend, seem fairly innocent but can still be met with crippling fines and license penalty points.
"The problem is that insurance policies tend to be packed full of jargon and come with vast amounts of paperwork, which can cause drivers to disengage. The sector arguably needs to modernise in response to this, by going more digital. If insurance becomes more accessible and digestible, drivers will have a better chance of understanding and abiding by policies."
