The £20 camera on your dashboard that cuts your insurance
... and could prove a crash WASN’T your fault
IT’S one of the most infuriating things that can happen to you as a driver. You’re in slow traffic and a car whizzes up an outside lane and then pushes in front of you.
Often, you need to slam on your brakes to avoid a crash. And if the driver does clip you, well, there goes your excess, your no- claims bonus and, possibly, your car.
Worse, it’s almost impossible to prove whose fault it was.
It is the fear of incidents such as this, and the growing threat of court fees, that has led to a boom in the number of drivers putting video cameras on their dashboard in the hope that footage of any accident will prove them innocent.
The number of drivers using dashboard cameras has tripled in the past six months — and shows no sign of slowing, with the gadgets now costing as little as £20.
And some insurers are already starting to cut premiums for those drivers who record their journeys.
A spokesman for trade body the Association of British Insurers says: ‘This technology can enable insurers to adjust the cost of premiums or provide other incentives based on how individuals drive. When used correctly, dashboard cameras can provide a record of an accident, helping insurers to deal with claims quickly and efficiently.’
A dashboard camera, or dashcam, is a small video camera that clips on to a driver’s front windscreen — usually where the rear-view mirror is — and records the road ahead. It also tracks the date, time, speed and precise location of the car.
It is wired into your car so automatically begins recording when you start the engine. They typically run on a loop so they never miss a moment of a journey.
Even though the cameras only point out the front windscreen they can still help if you are shunted from the side or behind, as they show the way you were driving and can capture other vehicles’ number plates. The camera stores up to four hours of footage on a memory card like that in a digital camera.
Prices range from £20 to £200. Experts recommend models with high- definition recording to ensure number plates are clearly visible.
Alternatively, drivers can download an app on a smartphone and clip this on to the windscreen to record their journey.
One free app for Android phones is called Auto Guard and has been downloaded by 24,000 people in Britain. You attach your phone to the window with a sucker pad — a bit like those for a satnav.
The phone’s screen points into the car and its camera out of the windscreen. With the paid-for version of the app, the phone can be used as a satnav or for music or calls while the app runs. Although insurance discounts aren’t available to those relying on an app, with any of these devices, footage can be used as evidence when making an insurance claim and is also admissible in court. Vidur Gupta used footage from a crash filmed on a mobile phone app to help him win an insurance claim. His black Vauxhall Astra was in a collision with another driver at a left-hand turn in Kensington, West London, last month. The accident caused £1,000 worth of damage. The 31year-old management consultant had been recording his commute to work using a dashboard camera.
He presented the video to his own insurer, Admiral, and to Zenith, who insured the other driver. Vidur was able to recoup his excess of £ 350 and get his no-claims re-instated.
He says: ‘The other driver was trying to turn left without queuing in the filter lane like everyone else. He took the corner too sharply and hit me. At the scene of the accident, the driver told me he would not accept fault and he would tell his insurance company the same.
‘I’m so glad I have the footage. I see bad driving every day, so I thought recording my journeys would come in handy. If I did not have this footage, there was no way I would be able to fight this.’ According to figures from the RAC, 9 pc of drivers in a survey in March said they used a dashboard camera, compared to 3 pc in September last year. They are widely used in the U.S., where drivers regularly sue each other, in Russia, where car crashes are common, and in Japan, where consumers love gadgets.
In Britain, they have proved particularly useful for insurers hoping to catch so-called ‘crash for cash’ fraudsters who deliberately cause a collision to get a payout. Because of the rise of the dashboard camera, some insurers are starting to offer discounts of up to 12.5 pc for customers who use them. Among them are Swiftcover and Axa Direct.
There is a catch, though. If you’re involved in a crash and police are called, they can request the footage. And insurers also warn that dashcams could make you a target for thieves or angry motorists who think you’re recording them.
Dave Meader, head of motor underwriting at Direct Line, says: ‘Motorists should be careful not to put themselves in a position where another driver feels a need to take a situation into their own hands if, for example, they feel you’ve implicated them in a crime.
‘There is also the potential for added claims linked to these devices being stolen, so they shouldn’t be left on view when the vehicle is unattended.’
Steven Cross, head of claims at Zenith, said: ‘Having received and reviewed all documentation, we are in a position to reimburse Mr Gupta’s excess. This is with a view to resolving the claim as a matter of urgency. We are pleased we’ve been able to reach an agreeable conclusion on this case.’