New independent research by Select Car Leasing reveals a staggering one quarter (23%) of UK drivers admit to lying about at least one thing on their car insurance forms. The study highlights UK drivers hoodwink their insurance company by lying about their annual mileage and one in 12 tell parking porkies in a bid to cut their premiums.
These are the findings of a new independent survey conducted by One Poll for the UK firm Select Car Leasing that lifts the lid on how some British motorists are taking their vehicle insurance companies for a ride,
Mileage and where a car or van is left overnight top the list of shame.
Ten per cent of respondents admitted to not being completely honest about the distance they cover in 12 months while eight per cent gave false information about parking location.
They also admit to bending the truth about their job title (6%), where they live (6%) and even what their vehicle is used for (5%).
Mark Tongue, director of Select Car Leasing, said: “This study shows the many and varied lengths some drivers go to save money on their insurance premiums.
“Their antics may not be entirely new, but they could cost motorists dear if they are found out.
“While premiums can appear high, anyone found to be lying to their insurance firm faces swift and potentially expensive comeback.
“It is entirely likely they may find their policy invalidated and that they are left to cover the cost of any accident or repairs themselves.”
The research, carried out by Select Car Leasing via OnePoll, also discovered that women are more honest than men when it comes to declarations to their insurance provider.
Female respondents ranked lower for insurance fibs across all 13 sections of the survey.
These included yearly mileage, where nine per cent of women admitted fibbing compared with 11 per cent men.
Location showed another stark difference – nine per cent of blokes admitted to not being totally honest about this compared with just four per cent of women.
And of those who said they had lied about ‘none of the above’, 77 per cent of female drivers revealed a clear conscience compared with 73 per cent of fellas.
London was the truth-bending hotspot when it came to regional reticence to come clean, as only 42 per cent of motorists in the capital had lied about none of the questions.
Almost a third (30%) of Londoners fibbed about their location and over a quarter (26%) gave incorrect information about their annual mileage.
Bizarrely, the surrounding South East region was the most honest – with a whopping 87 per cent of respondents insisting they had never told a porkie about their insurance details.
Another shock finding from the study was that those in the highest professional standing – including chief executives, civil servants and surgeons – were most likely to be economical with the truth.
More than half (55%) in this ‘social standing’ bracket admitted to lying about at least one of the 13 standard questions regularly asked by insurance companies.
This was in contrast to less than seven per cent of drivers at the other end of the scale – including casual labourers, students, pensioners and the unemployed.
GoCompare recently revealed there were 449,000 confirmed or suspected dishonest applications for car insurance last year alone.
Mr Tongue added: “No-one likes to have to fork out hundreds of pounds a year to ensure a motor, but that is the price people must be willing to pay to make sure they – and other roads users – are covered for any unfortunate eventuality.”
Established in 2004, Select Car Leasing is one of the UK's largest independent specialists for car leasing as well as commercial and van leasing.
Data Source: Independent primary research study conducted by One Poll of 1,000 UK drivers for Select Car Leasing
When filling out a car insurance application, which of the following have you ever told a fib about, however minor?
Your yearly mileage - 10 per cent
Where the vehicle is parked - 8 per cent
Your job title - 6 per cent
Your location - 6 per cent
Your employment status - 5 per cent
Your exact vehicle model - 5 per cent
Whether vehicle is used for business purposes - 5 per cent
Any vehicle modifications you have - 4 per cent
What the vehicle is used for - 4 per cent
Your prior motoring convictions - 4 per cent
Type of driving licence you hold - 4 per cent
Who the vehicle will be driven by - 4 per cent
Exaggerated my ‘no claims’ discount - 4 per cent
NET Lied about at least one car insurance related fact - 23 per cent
None of the above - 75 per cent
Prefer not to say - 2 per cent
TOP 10 REGIONS FOR CAR INSURANCE LIES
London - 58 per cent
Northern Ireland - 33 per cent
Yorkshire & Humber - 27 per cent
South West - 24 per cent
North East - 24 per cent
Wales - 22 per cent
West Midlands - 21 per cent
North West - 21 per cent
East Anglia - 20 per cent
East Midlands - 18 per cent
UK Total - 23 per cent
