Moneysupermarket.com has revealed the results of research into the areas of the United Kingdom which are most likely to be hit by car theft. The price comparison website looked at data collected over the past ten months and this analysis showed that motorists living in East Sussex are the most likely residents in the United Kingdom to make a claim on their car insurance, either for an item which has been stolen from their vehicle, or for the theft of the vehicle itself.

Nearly five per cent of the residents living in the village of Winchelsea have claimed on their car insurance for theft during the past five years. Other villages which have similarly shocking statistics include Saltburn-by-the-sea in Cleveland and Godstone in Surrey. These villages have seen three per cent of their residents make a claim during the past five years. Those who expected urban areas and city centres to be worst hit by theft had their expectations fulfilled by the news that the centres of Manchester, Liverpool, and London’s Hackney area were also vehicle theft hotspots.

The head of insurance at the price comparison website, Andy Leadbetter, expressed his shock at seeing several small, rural villages top the list. He stated that “it seems English villages are not the idyllic locales we may think – at least not when it comes to car theft”.

Whilst the research from moneysupermarket.com has revealed worrying news for the residents of the villages and city centres named at the top of the list, Andy Leadbetter was keen to provide advice to anyone keen to avoid vehicle theft. He stated that motorists should always remain “alert when it comes to the security” of a vehicle. For example, motorists should always park in a secure place, fit an alarm, and remove valuables from display.

If you have ever had to make a claim on your motor insurance for an accident which was your fault or where the other driver failed to stop, you will know how irritating it is to be faced with a bill for the excess on your policy. In some instances this can amount to several hundred pounds.

Anyone who has hired a car, particularly in North America, will be familiar with being able to purchase insurance to cover the excess on the insurance policy in case of a claim. Sadly this type of cover has previously been difficult to find here in the UK for normal motor policies.

Now RIAS (insurers for the over 50s) has introduced an Excess Protection Policy, one of the first in the UK, which will take care of this situation. For as little as 25p a week customers who take out motor insurance with the company can buy the additional protection and rest secure in the knowledge that they, and indeed all named drivers on the policy, are covered for an excess up to £300, regardless of whose fault the accident was.

A similar protection is offered by UKIS (UK Insurance Solutions) and the good news is that you do not have to have your main motor policy with them to take advantage of the scheme. Cover can be purchased in multiples of £100 up to a maximum of £500 and prices start at £16.49 for £100 worth of protection whilst £500 protection will cost you £57.47.

The AA has sent out a warning to motorists following a rise in the incident rate of the crime known as frosting. The recent cold weather has seen this crime occur numerous times in cities across the United Kingdom, with car thieves in cities including Manchester and Leeds taking advantage of the icy conditions. Frosting refers to the practice of opportunistic car thieves stealing cars which have been left unlocked, with doors often being left wide open as well, as motorists try to defrost their windows and windscreen.

We have all been guilty of leaving ourselves vulnerable to this crime. It is all too easy to wake up early in the morning and dash out to try to turn the icy lump on your drive back into a fully functioning vehicle and then run back inside to make some toast whilst leaving the car completely open.

The bad news is that if your car is stolen in this manner, you run the risk of not being covered by your insurance. You may adopt the common attitude that “it won’t happen to me” but everyone in the country is at risk, and not just in busy cities. Police have revealed that organised criminal gangs commonly cruise through residential suburbs in the search for vehicles which have been left unattended but with their engines running. The AA finished by sending a clear message to motorists: never leave car keys in the ignition or unattended at any time.

Ultimately, it does not take much effort to set your alarm clock a few minutes earlier than usual. This will give you longer to defrost your car safely and will not force you into leaving it unattended for any length of time.

The AA has sent out a warning to motorists who may be putting themselves at risk of “Grinch-style” car thefts. These attacks happen when shoppers leave Christmas gifts on display in their car and opportunistic thieves become tempted by the various gadgets and goodies sitting on the back seat just waiting to be stolen.

These thefts cause claims to increase by approximately ten per cent during the months of December and January. However, it is not just financial strain which can result from such thefts. It can be very upsetting to have a special gift stolen after you have spent ages planning the purchase.

Simon Douglas, the Insurance Director at the AA, has urged shoppers to be extremely “vigilant” when shopping for Christmas gifts, since some thieves do not believe in the season of goodwill and will take advantage of the naivety of individuals who put their trust in others. Douglas has advised motorists to think carefully about where they park their cars. Vehicles should never be left in high-risk areas or areas which are not lit well by street lights.

Official police statistics have revealed that valuables are stolen from vehicles in the UK every thirteen seconds. Furthermore, approximately thirty-three per cent of these thefts occur in one of Britain’s many car parks. The good news is that many insurers will provide some form of cover for belongings left in the vehicle and higher levels of cover will be provided to individuals who change their policy to include items outside the house.

Did you know that you could save up to 75% on the cost of your annual car insurance premium if you have an impressive no-claims bonus? Many people do not realise that this bonus can have such a drastic impact upon their car insurance quote and therefore do not bother taking every precaution possible to protect it. The total saving you could get depends upon several factors, including the number of years you have held your no-claims bonus for.

The Managing Director of RIAS, which is a specialist in car insurance for those aged 50 or over, has reminded people about the importance of the no-claims bonus. Janet Conor believes that “although drivers are fully aware” of how important it can be to accumulate and maintain their bonus, “not many are aware of the various ways of protecting it".

RIAS has compiled a guide which describes easy methods of protecting this invaluable asset. The guide consists of the following advice:

• Drivers sometimes have the option of paying an additional cost to protect the no-claims bonus. However, if two claims are submitted within a short space of time, this protection may not be valid.

• Always make sure you observe the Highway Code and respect the rules of the road. This will help you to avoid accidents (although, unfortunately, your good driving skills can do nothing to prevent the errors of others). Furthermore, keep your vehicle in good working order and have it serviced regularly.

• Never take unnecessary risks. For example, do not drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or fatigue. If the weather is awful, stay at home unless travel is absolutely necessary. Avoid distractions including mobile phones and iPods.

• If you have an accident which causes only minor damage, consider paying for the repair yourself rather than losing your no-claims bonus.

The AA has revealed worrying statistics which show that personal injury claims for whiplash are adding approximately £66 to every car insurance policy purchased in the United Kingdom. A recent report from the Association of British Insurers has shown that around 1,200 individuals claim for a whiplash injury every day after becoming involved in a collision on the roads. This figure has increased drastically over the past few years.

Overall, approximately 430,000 individuals made injury claims for whiplash last year and these claims are heaping the pressure on motor insurance companies. The insurance industry had to pay out almost two billion pounds in compensation last year for these injuries. The AA carried out research, the results of which support the claims made by the Association of British Insurers. The director of AA Insurance, Simon Douglas, believes that “whiplash injury will become an increasingly important factor in future premium increases”.

Douglas also revealed that the cost of whiplash claims equates to around fourteen per cent of the average Shoparound insurance premium which has, over the past year, increased by almost nine per cent for a comprehensive policy.

The research from the AA has resulted in some useful advice from the company. The president of the AA, Edmund King, has advised drivers about how to avoid whiplash injuries. The injury can be avoided by adjusting head restraints properly (as a general guide, the top of the restraint should be level with the top of the head) and keeping a safe distance from the vehicle ahead (approximately two seconds).