17 August 2006

British Risk Driving Abroad Without Adequate insurance | Cheap Car Insurance and Home Insurance from Confused.com

According to the latest research from Confused.com – the UK’s leading online insurance search engine - August is the busiest month for Britons driving abroad, with over 27% of drivers setting out on overseas road trips before September. Worryingly, 32% of those surveyed were unsure of their level of car insurance cover or indeed whether their current car insurance policy covers them outside of the UK.

Furthermore, of the 74% of drivers who had previously driven abroad, just 34% had researched highway laws and standard practices in the country they visited. As a result a staggering 55% of the drivers surveyed admitted to being confused by foreign signposts and road systems, and 23% admitted to having driven on the wrong side of the road.

Based on these findings, Confused.com has created a driving abroad guide - Hitting the Holiday Highway - to help British drivers become more aware of European roads and laws. To obtain a free copy of the guide visit www.confused.com.

Debra Williams, Managing Director of Confused.com said: “These statistics are worrying. Many drivers believe they are automatically fully insured to drive abroad, when in fact they may only be covered for basic Road Traffic Accident (RTA) insurance. If you are planning to drive abroad, always check first with your insurer that you have sufficient cover before you leave. It’s also a good idea to research the Highway Code for different countries, helping to prevent unnecessary and embarrassing fines and accidents.”

Of the 21 suggested countries, France was the most popular country to drive in (28%), followed by Germany (16%) and Ireland (at 15%). However, France was also perceived to be Europe’s most intimidating country to drive in, followed by Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Editor’s notes
Based on a survey of 635 people undertaken by Confused.com

• Confused.com searches over 97% of the online car insurance market
• On average people using Confused.com can save £150 on their car insurance.
• Confused.com provides a real-time service for car insurance, bringing back results in less than two minutes.

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