'Expanding cars' inflate car insurance costs

Posted :25-10-2005

Britons who have garages but do not keep their cars in them could be costing them millions of pounds on their motor insurance, according to recent research.

A survey by Saga Motor Insurance has found that although over half of all British motorists own a garage, only one in four actually uses it to store their car, meaning many leave their vehicle in a more vulnerable position in the road.

Saga's survey revealed that most Britons claim the main reason for the dwindling use of their garages is that most are filled up with junk so their cars cannot fit in – although one in five drivers also say their cars are simply too big to park in their garages.

Recent evidence suggests this may indeed be the case, with the new VW Golf now around 13cm wider than the original Mark I model and the Ford Fiesta growing by 8cm over the last ten years.

The trend for 'bigger' cars seems to stem from the US, where huge trucks and 4x4s are seen as 'normal' cars.

Nevertheless, by not utilising their garages as safe holding places for their cars – even if it is a squeeze - Britons could be losing up to £100 million a year in car insurance.

"People are leaving their cars out on the streets at the mercy of opportunist thieves, vandals and the British weather!" warns Saga chief executive Andrew Goodsell.

"By clearing out their garage to make room for their car they could make a significant saving on their motor insurance," he added.


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