Can dashcams lower your car insurance? You can hardly switch on the TV or YouTube without watching dashcam footage revealing dangerous driving on our roads. But dashcam videos don’t just make entertaining viewing. By recording what’s happening in front of your car, they can help piece together valuable information for your insurance company. They provide hard evidence of who was at fault in an incident. And that can save insurance companies time and money. The good news is, that many insurance companies will pass on this saving to their customers. Here’s our guide to using a dashcam to lower your insurance costs.
How does owning a dashcam lower car insurance?
Drivers often have very different memories of what happened in an accident. It all happens so fast and often stories can get confused. A dashcam video is clear evidence of exactly what happened and cannot be disputed.
It’s not just accidents that occur when you’re in the car that can be recorded. Some dashcams come on automatically when the car moves, including being bumped into when you are not there. That means if a car crashes into your vehicle and then drives off, your dashcam could record the culprit. You’ll be able to use this as evidence for your insurer that you did not cause the damage. And your insurer may be able to use it to pursue the driver that did cause the damage. In both cases, it can help you to keep your premiums low by proving that you were not at fault.
How much money can using a dashcam save me?
Different insurance companies will offer different levels of discount if you have a dashcam permanently fitted. This can range up to 20%, so is a significant amount of money that you stand to save.
Using a dashcam as proof that you have not committed other driving offences
As well as lowering your car insurance premium, your dashcam could save you cash in other ways. For example, if you have a two-way dashcam, it records you too. If you’re pulled over and accused of using a mobile phone whilst driving, you can use your dashcam footage to prove you are not. You’ll save money on the fixed penalty notice and you won’t get points added to your licence. And that will save you money on your future insurance too.
How can I get discount insurance for using a dashcam
You’ll need to tell your insurance company that you have a dashcam to secure a discount. The easiest way is to tell your broker, like Park Insurance. They can then use this information when negotiating a low-cost insurance deal on your behalf.
Bear in mind that to secure a discount you may need to speak directly to an insurance agent or broker. That’s because online forms and comparison websites don’t always give you the option to add these details.
If you’re following the golden rule of shopping around for your best-price insurance quote, you can save time by using an insurance broker, like Park Insurance, to do the ringing around for you.
Can dashcam footage be used against me?
Yes. Just as having a dashcam can help to prove your innocence in an incident, it can also prove you are at fault. Many insurance companies will include a clause in any policy that gives a discount for having a dashcam. This will demand that you surrender the dashcam video evidence if there is a claim.
What kind of dashcam do I need to have to get a discount on my car insurance?
There are lots of different dashcams out there. Generally the cheaper the dashcam, the poorer quality picture. If the picture quality is not good enough, it cannot be used as evidence. As a result, you may find that some insurance companies will only give you a discount if you have a dashcam of a certain quality. Speak to your broker for more details.
Installing your dashcam can also be complicated. Some insurers may require proof that your dashcam was fitted by a professional before they will give you a discount on your car insurance.
Bear in mind that most insurance companies will expect your dashcam to be fitted in a way that means it comes on automatically on every journey. If this is not the case, they will not offer you a discount. If you have an accident and the dashcam was not working, your insurance could be invalidated. So it’s worth double checking that your dashcam is recording before you set off, every time.
Can I use a mobile app on my phone as a dashcam?
There are lots of apps that convert your mobile phone into a dashcam. Unfortunately, many insurance companies won’t accept this, so will not offer you a discount.
What happens if I lose my dashcam footage?
Most dashcams record on a loop. As the memory card fills up, the oldest footage is deleted to make way for the new recording. If you have an incident, it’s wise to save the footage onto your phone or computer as soon as you can. Otherwise, you could find that all-important proof is gone. Be careful to remove the memory card correctly or that could accidentally wipe the footage too.
If this happens, you’ll have no evidence of who was at fault. Your insurance company could also invalidate your policy.
Tell Park Insurance about your dashcam for the best value car insurance
Park Insurance is one the UK’s largest independent insurance brokerage. Tell our friendly team that you drive with a dashcam, and we’ll use this to negotiate the best value car insurance for you. As independent brokers, we’re free to shop around the UK’s most trusted insurance companies large and small. That means you can be confident that we’ve found you the genuinely cheapest insurance deal out there without compromising on your cover. Call our team on 0117 955 6835 or get a free, no-hassle car insurance quote today.