24% Of Kiwi Motorists Have Collided With An Uninsured Driver

News highlights:

• 70% of New Zealand drivers have been involved in a road accident
• 89% of Kiwis are in favour of making car insurance mandatory
• Find out the top ways to lower the cost of your premium

Kiwi drivers may be putting themselves and others at risk by not taking out car insurance, according to new research by Finder, a car insurance comparison website in New Zealand.

A nationally representative Finder survey of 1,882 New Zealand drivers aged 18 and above has revealed that almost a quarter of Kiwi drivers (24%) have been hit by an uninsured driver.

ACC statistics show there have been 40,979 active road injury claims from January 2020 to 31 October 2020, totalling $451 million. Car accidents make up over half of those claims.

Despite car insurance not being compulsory in New Zealand, Finder’s research found that 89% of Kiwis are in favour of making it a legal requirement.

Kevin McHugh, Finder’s publisher in New Zealand, said that there is a worrying number of uninsured drivers on the road.

“Uninsured drivers expose themselves and others to potential financial loss, and this is a big concern.

“Without car insurance, drivers are left with no recourse when it comes to financing repairs, and this can be financially devastating in some cases,” McHugh said.

Finder’s research found that male drivers are most likely to have had a crash, with 76% admitting that they’ve been in an accident, compared to just 65% of women.

According to New Zealand Police statistics, there were 291,209 traffic events between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019, with 40,657 of these considered “emergency” traffic events.

McHugh urged uninsured drivers to consider their options for car insurance policies.

“If you get in an accident, comprehensive car insurance will cover damages to your own vehicle along with any others involved, regardless of whether you're at fault.

“Third party car insurance is a cheaper alternative, but only covers damages made to someone else’s vehicle, and not your own.

“If you’re unsure where to start, Finder offers tips for comparing insurance policies, along with hacks for lowering the cost of your premium,” McHugh said.

For more research on car insurance in New Zealand, visit: www.finder.com/nz/car-insurance-survey-2020

Methodology

• This study was designed by Finder and conducted by Qualtrics, an SAP company.
• The online Finder survey was conducted using a nationally representative survey sample of 1,882 Kiwi drivers aged 18 and above.
• Calculation includes 22% of respondents who say they have been in an accident where the other driver was uninsured, and 2% of respondents who say both drivers were uninsured.

Top ways to lower the cost of your premium:

Pay a higher excess. The excess is the amount that you say you’ll pay if you make a claim. If you increase your excess amount, your insurance company perceives you as less likely to make a claim, which can lower the overall cost of your premium.

Restrict certain drivers. Most policies give you a cheaper premium if you restrict specific drivers from taking your wheels for a spin. Consider restricting drivers like under-25s, seniors, learners or those with a restricted licence.

Bundle your policies together. If you already have home insurance, consider sticking with the same provider for your auto insurance. When you group multiple policies, you may be able to benefit from a multi-policy discount, which can take a significant chunk out of your car insurance premium.

Compare. Get multiple quotes from different insurers to make sure you’re getting the best quote out there. But don’t be fooled by policies that are overly cheap – this can sometimes compromise your cover.

© Scoop Media