Rocketing car insurance risks leaving us all stranded

Editorial: The old and the young in particular are being penalised when their renewals come up, and it is impinging on their personal freedoms

It is all the more distressing to see that the increase in costs is affecting the young and old disproportionately (AFP via Getty)

Even by the standards of our inflationary times, the hikes to car insurance premiums seem remarkable, excessive and grossly unfair. Exclusive statistics provided to The Independent by Consumer Intelligence suggest that the cost of insuring quite mundane vehicles has risen by close to 50 per cent on average, which is even higher than the increases we have seen in the cost of food and energy.

For many, particularly those who live in rural districts, a car is not only essential but a lifeline – and insuring it adequately is a legal obligation. People certainly have discretion about the kind of car they drive, but not about whether to insure it.

This rise, then, is so punitive – and comes with such a lack of warning – that it will not only send a shockwave through all those who rely on cars for everyday essentials, but could put people out of a job. Drivers will now feel the same sense of desperation as many do about their utility bills.