Study Finds Motorists Willing to Spend More on Car Insurance for Better Cover

Greater awareness about the need for road safety is leading motorists in the UAE to spend more on car insurance depending on the level of cover, rather than just opting for the cheapest quote. This conclusion was based on data obtained from the leading finance comparison site in the Middle East, compareit4me.com. 85 per cent of the customers who bought car insurance through the site opted not for the cheapest policy, but the one that provided the best cover. These findings are consistent with a new report from the UAE Road Safety Monitor according to which 56 per cent of motorists felt that driving on roads in the UAE is not as safe as it was six months ago.

Speaking about the findings, compareit4me.com CEO Jon Richards said that the data indicates that members of the general public are more interested in the cover than the premium they have to pay. Hence, mid-range products have greater popularity that premium policies or basic policies.

According to figures released by the RTA, Dubai has one car for every two people making the city one of the cities with the highest vehicle density in the world. The Ministry of Interior re-ported that one of the main causes of fatalities (21 percent) in the UAE In 2015 was sudden lane swerving. A study commissioned by QIC (Qatar Insurance Company), found that this high incidence is mainly due to lack of understanding and misuse of indicating.

Commenting on the findings, Frederik Bisbjerg, Head of Group Retail & Executive Vice President – MENA Retail at QIC, said while he was surprised by the fact that the majority of people said that they regularly used the indicator, all other statistics showed that they didn’t. Many people also appear to have the feeling that accidents happen to others and not to them. Instead of reflecting on how they behave on the roads, they criticize the behavior of other drivers.

Car owners are also concerned about the possibility of having to cover the cost of expensive repairs and the chance that they would end up without transport in the event that their vehicle is involved in an accident. compareit4me.com’s Jon Richards added, “In addition to spending on good quality car insurance policies, we also see many customers topping up their cover by purchasing add-ons such as Personal Accident and Replacement Car.’