Young Drivers are Lying to Insurance Companies for Cheaper Premiums

A third of young drivers have admitted to lying to their insurance provider in order to get a cheaper premium.

The results of a survey carried out by comparison site Gocompare showed that a huge 33% of drivers aged between 18 and 24 were prepared to fib for a better deal, with half expressing their belief that all drivers lie to their insurers to get the best quote they can. 70% of those surveyed also said that insurance companies could afford to charge less, regardless of the misrepresentation on their part, since they charge too much in the first place.

The survey found that the older generations are far less likely to resort to such measures for a better insurance deal, with only 6% of older drivers admitting to not being wholly truthful when seeking a quote.

The survey did show however the type of information motorists are likely to lie about, with 14% of those surveyed admitting to giving false information about their annual mileage and 5% lying about whether their car is garaged or parked in the street. A further 5% admitted lying about their job title or damaging other vehicles without informing the owner, and 3% have concealed points on their license or previous claims or points on their driving licence.

A spokesman for comparison giant Gocompare warned against making erroneous claims when applying for insurance, stating: "It's good to see that most people are open and truthful when it comes to getting a car insurance quote, as the onus is on the consumer to be as honest and careful as possible when signing an insurance document and to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation.

"Car insurers take all of the information given to them to calculate the cost of your car insurance - everything influences the final price. Overinflating or excluding crucial details could have a massive effect on your quote, and could mean that the insurance you take out could be cancelled or invalidated, an insurer could even decide not to pay out should you have an accident.”

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