Latest Moan From You and Me 2023

If we're to believe the car manufacturers, then the risk of injury should be reducing. Modern cars now have so many fancy features that are supposed to protect everyone, whether that's better braking systems or automatic brakes, all sorts of fancy features designed to reduce the risk of skidding, warnings for absolutely everything, and in the worst case, all sorts of airbags what not.

But then maybe that's why insurance is going up. It's easy to make a claim for whiplash. But it's probably quite difficult to sue someone if you're dead.

 

Whiplash has been the big one, I personally know of a few that have gone down that road, and they had nothing wrong with them.

You get a motorway pile up and and nothing protects you from that, and once lawyers get involved you can expect it to get stupid, because they are another bunch of individuals that just make money out of misery.

 

Lease deals is the only sector boosting new car registrations. From the 1st January 2023 to the end of June 2023 the fleet sector is up 38.4% compared to the same period in 2022, new car registrations to the private sector are only up 1.7%. Higher costs plus the cost of living and higher interest rates will be the main reasons.

Leasing a car can be cheaper than going down the PCP route, unless you intend to purchase the car at the end of the contract.

On a basic Corsa going down the lease route on a 48 month 8k annual miles it will cost £231.23 deposit, followed by 48 payments of £231.23. The same car on a PCP with Arnold Clark is £279 deposit, followed by 48 payments of £279.

 

Inflation: Car insurance 'shock' as premiums rise 40%

Drivers are in for a "shock" as insurance premiums are up 40% on last year, according to a comparison site.

Research by Cardiff-based Confused.com has found an increase in claims and more expensive repairs have led to the record rise in costs.

The firm's boss Steve Dukes said some drivers had already seen "hefty increases in their premium".

Car insurance now costs an average of £776 a year, up £222 compared to last year and the highest on record.

So, there's a lack of detail. It could be that premiums have icreased generally, or that particular age groups' premiums have risen, or that the premiums of those who've crashed have increased, or a combination of all three, and/or some other thing.

Mine went up (small van, by choice) by about 8%, same broker (Post Office), same insurer.

 

I absolutely agree with that. However, there's the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB), which helps those who suffer damages from uninsured or hit-and-run drivers that are not otherwise recoverable, which seems reasonable.

To make your blood boil further, there's "Flood Re":- "a joint initiative between the Government and insurers. Its aim is to make the flood cover part of household insurance policies more affordable".

This means that houses recently built in areas liable to flooding, where premiums might be very high, or the property is uninsurable, have their premiums reduced by a general levy on everyone else's insurance payments. Yes, if you have house insurance, you're paying for other people's insurance where they own houses built and bought, in the full knowledge, by developers and purchasers, in flood plains and other high-risk areas.

Hm.

 

I wonder if there's a link between that and the steady return to working at the office after the mass exodus towards home work when covid came along.

Covid is almost history now in terms of public response, but when the lockdowns ended there wasn't an immediate return to the office. Lots of companies kept home working for a while, and while some have kept it as part of their new policies, lots have insisted that their staff go back in. There's a statistic that an accident will happen every so many miles driven. I can't remember the numbers, but from that it's clear that if more miles are being driven, then the higher the risk, which will be reflected in premiums. So I guess what we'd need to know in order to understand that 40% increase is, is there also a signing increase in mileage being driven.

 

Can anyone think of anything that has gone down in price over the last year.

 

The Russian Ruble

 

I'll remember to get some when I'm next out shopping.

 

Just wait a while longer then you'll be able to buy them all. Then presumably you'll own the Russian economy.

 

Some things have, but as far as I can see only because their price was artificially increased in the first place (biggest drivers of increases: the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, our sanctions on Russia, Brexit (in that order)).

Spending calculator: See which prices have gone up or down

 

Milk, some meats but they have put it onto other things

 

Put down the gravel under the hedge yesterday - as usual paying for it this morning - but it does look tidy. On a more cheery note - received the August issue of Garden Answers magazine - which is both good and bad. Good that there is something to read with a cuppa in the back garden - bad that this is the last Summer issue - Autumn is quickly approaching. Where did the Summer go?