Daily Motor News – Thursday 17 October

INSHUR Secures $19m, led by Viola Growth 

INSHUR, the multi award-winning global embedded insurance provider to the on-demand economy, has raised USD $19m in its latest funding round. The round was led by Viola Growth, with the participation of MS&AD Ventures and existing investors. It brings INSHUR’s funding to a total of USD $78.5m. Full story

Volumes down again in September – Trend Tracker 

The latest Trend Tracker monthly report has revealed that repair volumes in September were six per cent down on the same month last year and 11% below 2019 levels. Although slightly up on August volumes, there were still more than 8,000 fewer repair jobs carried out in the month compared to 12 months ago. Full story

DAC Beachcroft responds to government’s motor insurance taskforce 

Lawyers at DAC Beachcroft have reacted to the news that the government has created a new taskforce to identify the causes of rising motor premiums and identify measures to reduce them. It has urged the taskforce to remember that insurers are not making an underwriting profit, with EV repair prices, parts supply, inflation and a negative Personal Injury Discount Rate all driving up costs. Full story

Charity football match raises £20,000 for Debra in memory of Bob Linwood 

NWVA’s charity football match held in honour of Bob Linwood, who passed away on January 17, 2024, successfully raised £20,000 for the charity Debra, which supports individuals and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). Full story

1^st Central celebrates ICS Service Mark 

1st Central has received the Institute of Customer Service Mark Award for the third time. The award recognises the company’s focus on customers and its commitment to upholding high standards as part of our long-term strategy. Full story

IAM RoadSmart warns of rising aggression on UK roads 

IAM RoadSmart has warned of more cases of aggressive driving on UK road. This comes after Department for Transport figures have revealed that one in 10 of the 1,454 deaths on Britain’s roads in 2023 were linked to aggressive behaviour. Full story

Tiny number of drivers paid compensation for pothole damage 

New research from Halfords has suggested that fewer than one in five compensation claims for damage to vehicles caused by potholes are successful. It has now launched a completely free ‘Pothole Damage Check’ for all UK motorists to help drivers check if their vehicle has been damaged by one of the estimated 11m potholes currently plaguing UK roads. Full story

The Impact of New Vehicle Emissions Policies on Collision Repair 

The automotive industry is undergoing significant changes, and new vehicle emissions policies are at the forefront. Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) will provide motorists with a wider range of more fuel-efficient vehicles, including diesel, petrol, hybrid and EV, while aiming to cut emissions from new passenger cars by over 60% and halving emissions from new light commercial vehicles, all by 2030. Full story

Barclays challenges motor finance ruling as UK watchdog’s redress scheme looms 

Barclays asked London’s High Court to overturn a key ruling on motor finance commission in a case expected to affect a potential billion pound-plus consumer redress scheme from the Financial Conduct Authority. Barclays Partner Finance is challenging a decision by the Financial Ombudsman Service, which ruled earlier this year a customer was unfairly charged commission on a loan in 2018. Full story

UK fleet managers more cautious about AI adoption than European peers 

A new study carried out by Geotab across seven different markets found only a third of UK-based fleet managers believe AI can improve access to data and drive actionable insights. Meanwhile, almost half (48%) suggested that the much-discussed technology would in fact add a layer of complexity to data analytics and fleet management. Full story

Unmarked police vans deployed in speeding crack down 

Unmarked police road safety vans are being launched across Somerset and Bristol to help stop speeding drivers. Avon and Somerset Police said it has identified specific areas of concern using community reports, Speedwatch schemes and collision data. Full story

Stellantis ends work-from-home push after management shake-up 

Stellantis is hauling employees back to the office, walking back a work-from-home policy after a profit warning prompted a shake-up of the carmaker’s top management. The maker of Jeeps and Fiats now wants staff in the office three days a week on average — a major change from its previous 70% remote-work policy. Full story

US: Lax helmet laws have killed more than 20,000 motorcyclists, study shows 

More than 20,000 motorcyclists who died in crashes in the U.S. since the mid-1970s would have survived if stronger helmet laws had been in place, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows. If every state had required all riders to wear helmets from 1976 to 2022, a total of 22,058 motorcyclists’ lives could have been saved. Full story

State Farm settles Washington diminished value class action for $2 million 

State Farm has agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million to a class of Washington state state policyholders who allegedly weren’t paid for the diminished value of their vehicles following at least $1,000 in damage. A class action lawsuit was filed in 2018 by Anousack Sanith who was rear-ended in a hit-and-run collision in 2017, according to the complaint. Full story