Daily Motor News – Wednesday 22 April 2026 

“We consider the Iran conflict will have a profound impact on claims inflation and now expect that to be between 8 and 10% in 2026. This may deteriorate further depending on the duration of the conflict and the nature of any agreement to re-open the Strait of Hormuz.” Declan O’Mahony, Head of Claims, ERS. Read more 

ERS: Brace for impact: motor claims inflation reaccelerates 

Motor claims inflation has traditionally tracked above Consumer Price Index (CPI) and remains one of the most acute pressures facing the UK retail insurance market. Inflation rose exponentially post-COVID but had begun to stabilise over the last 12 months as disruption to the supply chain eased and market conditions began to normalise. Read more

Paid ad spoofing in the car insurance industry 

There will be a debate on fraud in the car insurance industry, focusing on paid ad spoofing, in Westminster Hall on 22 April 2026 (today). The debate will be opened by Helen Morgan MP. Read more

UK inflation rises after Iran war pushes up fuel prices 

The UK inflation rate rose by 3.3% in the year to March, after the US-Israel war with Iran caused the largest jump in petrol and diesel prices in over three years. The increase in the pace of price rises – up from 3% in the year to February – was in line with economists’ expectations. Read more

The Onset of ‘Death by AI’ Claims 

Gartner projects that there will be at least 2,000 legal claims of “death by AI” this year, as the complexities of AI adoption move to a new phase. Read more

Intact Insurance: Extending our partnership with UK Youth for a third year 

At Intact Insurance, we believe resilient communities are built when young people have the confidence, skills and support they need to thrive. That’s why we’re proud to be extending our partnership with UK Youth for a third year, and continuing our work together through the Building Aspirations programme. Read more

Move over Toyota: Insurers now dominate Australia’s favourite advert list 

Australia: The Research Agency’s (TRA’s) latest favourite adverts study, which asked more than 1,600 Australians to name their favourite ad on TV, has crowned Budget Direct’s “Insurance Solved” campaign the nation’s most-loved spot, with Allianz in second, Youi in fourth and only Toyota’s HiLux managing to wedge itself into the insurance sandwich at number three. Telstra’s whistling man rounded out the top five. Read more

State Farm Paid a ‘Hail’ of a Lot of Claims in 2025 

US: Providing its annual report of hail-related claims, State Farm said that it paid out $5.6 billion nationally for such claims in 2025, and $1.4 billion in Texas alone. Read more

Range anxiety fades as electric cars outperform typical UK driving needs 

New research shows electric cars now offer nearly twice the range of the average UK driver’s weekly mileage, highlighting a widening gap between perception and reality as range concerns still slow adoption. Read more

A new ‘colour’ Lidar breakthrough just made ‘hands-off’ self-driving cars a reality, experts say 

The world’s biggest Lidar sensor manufacturer has just announced a next-gen version of its technology that is tipped to give self-driving cars a huge reliability boost. Read more

Truck industry urges technology-open transition as ZEV uptake stalls 

The government is being urged to ensure Britain’s heavy goods vehicle (HGV) operators have access to every available technology to cut carbon emissions. Read more

Inside Ford Certified Used Parts: Turning Reuse into a Trusted Choice 

Ford Certified Used Parts aims to solve the trust gap that still holds back used parts adoption. By combining established dismantling capability with Ford-backed standards, testing, traceability and ecommerce support, the programme is designed to make reused parts a credible first-choice option rather than a risky fallback for repairs. Read more

FCA announces second cohort for AI Live Testing 

Speaking at UK FinTech Week, Jessica Rusu, chief data, information and intelligence officer at the FCA, has confirmed the second group of firms selected to join AI Live Testing. Read more

Supply chain anxiety hits record highs as geopolitical risks and costs surge 

Global supply chains are facing an unprecedented period of sustained disruption, with new data revealing record levels of concern among procurement and supply chain professionals as geopolitical instability and rising costs reshape the outlook for manufacturers. Read more

War in Iran ‘has put up our fuel bill by £100,000’ 

A family haulage firm has calculated the US war with Iran has increased their fuel bill by £100,000. Stuart Wring, who runs Wrings Transport at Avonmouth in Bristol, says the price hikes have been “crazy”. Read more

According to Dawsongroup‘s EV Readiness Survey, 42% of fleet managers across the UK identified driving range as their primary concern when selecting an electric van. That figure climbs even higher among businesses running smaller fleets, where there is less flexibility to absorb operational disruption. Read more

Allianz Partners, a world leader in B2B2C insurance and assistance, has announced two strategic leadership appointments to its Board of Management: Anna Kofoed is appointed Chief Officer Global Strategic Partnerships and Member of the Board of Management at Allianz Partners; and Phil Hoffman appointed Chief Officer Travel and Member of the Board of Management at Allianz Partners, effective 15 April 2026. Read more