Ever driven in flip flops? 10 mistakes that can invalidate your car insurance in a second
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Care-free drivers are risking up to £114 million in rejected car insurance claims every single year thanks to seemingly innocent slip-ups such as forgetting to renew their road tax and even wearing the wrong footwear.
That's according to new research by Uswitch, which revealed that two thirds of drivers are putting their future payouts at risk by making simple - and frivolous - mistakes that could void their policy out entirely.
In a list of the most common misdemeanors made by motorists, the comparison website revealed wearing heels or flip flops as the easiest way to get your insurance written off.
A quarter of drivers sampled by Uswitch said they've worn this type of footwear whilst driving.
(Image: Getty)
The report also found many motorists were unaware that items hanging from their windscreen or rear-view mirror that obstruct their view could invalidate their cover.
(Image: Lonely Planet Images)
The survey of 1,593 consumers found the most forgetful drivers are dotted around Birmingham, where one in three people on the road routinely forget to lock their cars.
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In Wales, 26% of drivers also frequently forget to renew their MOTs on time.
Simple errors, which also involve forgetting to strap in your pet, could mean that British drivers lose out on £114million each year in unpaid claims based on an average claim amount of £2,671, according to Association of British Insurers' research.
(Image: Moment RF)
A quarter of drivers admitted they did not realise these small errors could result in car insurance providers not paying out, with an additional third of drivers admitting they simply forget that such behaviours might impact on an insurance claim.
Simple mistakes that can void your insurance Source: Uswitch
The latest data from the ABI shows that over 43,000 car insurance claims are rejected a year.
Rod Jones, insurance expert at Uswitch.com, said: "We know the British public are increasingly time poor, so it’s unsurprising that motorists can be forgetful when it comes to locking up their cars or renewing their car MOT and taxes on time.
"With claims now running into the thousands of pounds, people can’t afford to make a careless mistake that could invalidate their cover and leave them out of pocket.
"It is therefore really important that drivers note down their key renewal dates, and avoid making the easy to forget mistakes to ensure they are covered by should they ever need to make a claim."
10 slip-ups that can invalidate your insurance