Motoring and cycling insurance comparison website gives its New Year predictions

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading price comparison websites, gives his top predictions for next year:

Greener motoring gets the green light – The Prime Minister has served notice on fully petrol- and diesel-powered cars, with new versions of these vehicles no longer able to be sold in the UK from 2030 as part of the ‘green industrial revolution’. Government figures released in October show that from Q2 this year there were falls of 27% and 60% for petrol and diesel vehicles respectively over a two-year period, while the sale of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles went up by 300% over the same period.

This trend towards low-emission vehicles is likely to pick up pace in 2022, particularly since London has recently launched an Ultra-Low Emission Zone and other cities are likely to follow suit.

Young drivers benefit from falling premiums – In October we reported that premiums for young drivers dropped by 14% over the course of 12 months for 17 to 21 year olds; drivers aged 22 to 25 paid 6% less based on 50,000 premiums from our data.

Given that young drivers aged 17 to 29 pay an average of 53% more for car insurance than more experienced motorists, this trend is likely to be very welcome news for many young people and their parents.

Cycling gets another boost from Highway Code changes – Cycling for leisure or work have all boomed as has bicycle ownership. So far, so good. However, the Department for Transport’s (DfT) September report indicated that 53% of respondents surveyed would be encouraged to get in the saddle if the roads were safer.

New measures such as Highway Code guidance on cycling safety, the DfT’s £338 million investment package to boost cycling and many local initiatives might remedy reservations.

While cycling insurance isn’t mandatory, we might still see more demand as more people use their bicycles and appreciate the cover it gives.

Electric scooters take the spotlight – It is currently illegal to use privately owned e-scooters on public roads, pavements or cycle lanes and anyone caught breaking the law can expect a £300 fine or six points on their driving licence, which pushes up premiums by as much as 25%.

Concerns about the safety of pedestrians and riders has prompted the government to look at the issue of more regulation. There is a strong chance that new laws come into place and having insurance will almost certainly be part of any legal change. 

Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk comments: “It’s been a year of rapid change, especially in the switch to greener transport. We expect that to gather pace in the next year and well beyond, encouraged by local and central government using a range of approaches.

“Electric scooters will come into focus and there will be a debate in the media and in Parliament on how to resolve safety concerns. It can’t be left to continue as it is now, so regulation seems likely and that means insurance will most probably be mandatory.”

Quotezone.co.uk helps around 3 million users every year, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different products including electric car insurance, standard car insurance and young driver insurance. Quotezone.co.uk is recommended by 97% of reviewers on Reviews.co.uk.