Daily Motor News – Wednesday 17 September 2025 

“While exact figures can be hard to come by, it’s clear to both insurers and policyholders that more vehicles are being written off post incident. Considering the advanced technology present on newer vehicles, particularly EVs, and the rising cost of repair and ancillary costs like courtesy cars – perhaps some of the reasoning is fairly plain. What’s clearer, though, is the need for continued focus on cost-effective ways to repair these vehicles, and to keep customers moving during the process, so insurers can keep more vehicles on the road, reduce customer dissatisfaction and meet sustainability goals.”  Martyn Buchan, Director of Business Development, Activate Group’s Claims Division. Read more

Car insurance prices fall by 16% during last 12 months, as young drivers continue to see biggest savings 

Comprehensive car insurance premiums have fallen by 16% (£136) during the last 12 months, with UK motorists now paying £735 on average , according to the latest Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index in association with WTW, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. Read more

Record Total Loss Rates: Why are more vehicles being ‘written off’ by insurers? 

Data shows that record numbers of damaged vehicles are being ‘written off’ by insurers after an incident, rather than being repaired – including many technically repairable ‘Cat N’ vehicles. Some studies suggest that almost two thirds of damaged vehicles are being declared a ‘total loss’ – often meaning the cost to repair these vehicles would exceed their market value. Read more

Aviva partners with CALM to offer additional support to its customers 

Aviva is proud to announce a new partnership with the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), reinforcing our commitment to mental health and wellbeing. The collaboration aims to provide meaningful support to Aviva’s customers, their families, and advisers. Read more

Spotlight on claims – simplifying the motor claims journey 

Leon Wyatt, Head of Commercial Motor Claims Operations at AXA Broker UK explains how it’s using broker feedback to streamline the motor claims journey. Read more

Commercial motor collision? Why prompt reporting still matters 

If your client or their employees are involved in a motor incident, it’s important they contact us immediately, even if the damage appears minor or they believe they weren’t at fault. Delays can lead to increased costs, missed opportunities to support those involved and a higher risk of fraud. Read more

What autopilot means for insuring at-fault accidents 

Canada: How do insurers determine fault in accidents involving cars that rely at least in part on autopilot systems? Answering that question is harder in the wake of a recent $242.5 million civil verdict in Florida, which found an autopilot feature was partially responsible for a fatal 2019 collision involving a Tesla, says Adam Mitchell, CEO of Mitch Insurance. Read more

Safety tech can make commercial auto less attractive: Exec 

US: Implementing safety technology such as advanced driver assistance systems can make already tough risks like commercial trucking less attractive to insurers, says a senior excess and surplus lines executive. Read more

Closing the Commercial Vehicle Data Gap 

For businesses large and small across Europe, commercial vehicles are the lifeblood of their operation. In Europe, 99 per cent of businesses – 23 million in total – are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with commercial vehicles contributing around €1 trillion to GDP across Europe – a trend that is growing year-on-year, and is now being driven by much more than just vehicle activity. Read more

JLR could face disruption until November after hack 

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has told suppliers that production at its factories will not resume until 24 September at the earliest following a serious cyber attack, but industry sources have warned disruption could last into November. Read more

Skywell aims high with accreditation to TMO’s New Car Code 

In an important month for new car sales as the ‘75’ registration makes its debut, September is off to a flying start for The Motor Ombudsman, with Skywell UK becoming the latest manufacturer to gain accreditation to the Ombudsman’s Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Motor Industry Code of Practice for New Cars. Read more

End of the road for manual drivers? More learners opt for automatics in tests 

One in four driving tests in Great Britain are being taken in automatic cars, according to new data, as drivers opt for more electric vehicles (EVs) and shy away from manual gearboxes. Figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show that 470,000 of the 1.8 million driving tests taken in England, Scotland, and Wales last year were done in automatics. Read more

What Robotaxis Mean for Auto Insurance 

US: Recent announcements of two new robotaxi services in the U.S., together with a robotaxi-related surge in Tesla stock, seem to be raising lots of questions about how quickly autonomous vehicles (AVs) will become a major factor on our streets and about what they will mean for auto insurers. Read more

AI is now ready to disrupt one of the oldest industries – and it’s not insurance 

The combination of computer vision and artificial intelligence holds tremendous potential for quick resolution of automotive damage claims, from the quick processing of small claims through total loss prediction and repair quote comparison. Read more

Rebalancing risk to facilitate innovation and growth 

Everything the FCA does is about growth: fighting financial crime is important for growth; helping consumers is important for growth; promoting competition and keeping markets clean is important for growth. But if we want to accelerate growth in the UK financial services sector and in the wider economy, then we need to change what we’re doing.  Read more

Women, Mentorship and the Future of Insurance 

In the latest issue of Modern Insurance Magazine, our Owner/Director Donna Scully shared her journey into leadership, her unwavering commitment to inclusion and social justice, and her mission to champion women across the insurance and legal sectors.  Read more

UK hopes for 0% tariff on steel exports to US dashed 

A proposed deal to eliminate tariffs on UK steel exports to the US has been put on hold indefinitely, the BBC understands. Tariffs of 25% are currently applied to steel exports to the US, which make up 6% of all UK steel exports by volume and 9% by value. Read more

BSI launches new standard to address critical gaps in PPE fit 

Practical guidance designed to ensure employers across all sectors provide staff with personal protective equipment (PPE) that fits, regardless of gender, ethnicity, body shape, age, or disability, has been issued in a long-awaited move designed to help struggling sectors retained skilled workers and ultimately enhance people’s safety at work. Read more

TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has joined forces with Bath & North-East Somerset Council to promote tyre safety awareness and help reduce incidents caused by illegal or poorly maintained tyres across the district. Read more

A new report by the Centre for European Policy Network (CEP) examines the planned introduction of the EU Emissions Trading System for road transport and buildings (EU-ETS 2). Despite political pressure for its modification or postponement, the report concludes that the ETS 2 is indispensable for effective and cost-efficient emissions reductions, especially for heavy-duty road transport. Read more

BCA has completed a significant investment project in Livingston, Scotland, marking a major milestone in its strategic development across the region.  Read more

Nigel Griggs has joined Geely Auto UK as Aftersales Director.