Gocompare.com has warned drivers who drive their own cars as part of their job that they might not have the right level of insurance required. Many insurance companies state that they only provide cover for the commute to and from work, so if people are driving their cars for other work-related activities then they may need to have their insurance upgraded.

The comparison website said that more people are driving their personal cars for work than ever before. Employers are asking their employees to use cars for work but they are often unaware of the problems that it can cause if there is an accident.

72% of those questioned by Gocompare.com said that they had used their own cars for business-related activities in the last year. However, 35% of drivers don’t have business cover on their insurance policy, meaning there are likely to be many people who are not adequately covered.

Gocompare.com has released a list of the top five activities that people use their personal cars for at work. They include going to a training course, the bank, the Post Office, another office and to an away-day.

The site also revealed that more people are losing their company car privileges as a result of the recent economic climate and businesses try to cut back on expenses. 5% of those who currently drive their cars for business used to have a company car.

Although it is the duty of employers to ensure that their employees’ cars are safe to use, drivers who are not sure if they are covered should check with their insurance company to make sure.

Following the recent big freeze that has set in across the country, it has now been revealed that many people are thinking about buying a vehicle that can cope with the cold weather. Perhaps it was the sight of all those 4x4s cruising around effortlessly while the rest of us had to stay locked up inside or face getting stuck at the side of the road that did it. But whatever the reason, more people are now considering buying heavy duty vehicles as a result.

The news comes from moneysupermarket.com, which surveyed 1 million car insurance searches. It discovered that there was an increase in searches for car insurance for 4×4 vehicles compared to the previous month, suggesting that the freezing conditions are responsible for the shift.

In the five days from January 5, 2010, the website recorded a 42% increase in searches for 4×4 car insurance compared to the same period in the previous month. The figures peaked on January 8, when over 3% of all searches were for 4×4 vehicles.

The website also conducted its own poll and discovered that 28% of people were now thinking about changing their cars following the recent problems with travelling in the icy conditions.

moneysupermarket.com’s head of car insurance, Steve Sweeney, said that “people may be thinking about preparing themselves against any further snowy conditions that are on the way”, but added that the advice is to “stay off the roads entirely” in such conditions.

The comparison website has now released a list of tips to help drivers who are considering driving in the snow. These include:

• staying in unless absolutely necessary
• wearing appropriate clothing in case you get stuck
• taking a mobile phone
• taking emergency tools like a spade, blanket, food and water

The full list of tips can be found here.

New research carried out by Admiral car insurance has revealed that drivers are becoming increasingly relaxed about their car security, suggesting they are now less concerned about car crime than in the past.

The survey revealed that many drivers are not taking enough precautions to prevent themselves from becoming victims of crime, and that they are apparently less worried now about car crime than they were last year.

The main problem that was uncovered is the tendency for drivers to leave their valuables on display in their vehicles. If valuables are visible to thieves when the car is parked then this is “an open invitation” according to Admiral.

Yet 73% of the 3,000 people who took part admitted to leaving valuables on display regularly, including handbags, CDs and gadgets such as MP3 players. This figure is 2% higher than last year’s figure from the same survey. The most common items to be left on view in vehicles were coats and jackets, with 59% of respondents claiming to leave them on display, up 3% from last year.

At the same time, the percentage of people who are worried about car crime has gone down from last year. Whereas 80% of respondents worried about it frequently in 2008, only 76% worried about it this year. And only 30% said that they thought car crime had increased, compared to 37% last year.

On the plus side, more people are hiding their car keys within their homes rather than leaving them in easy-to-find places. This is because thieves are increasingly stealing cars after finding the keys in the owner’s house.

Despite Admiral admitting that it has seen a year-on-year drop in car crime, it suggested that this might not last much longer if people continue to fail to take precautions.

Snow and ice have caused huge problems on Britain’s roads and despite warnings from motoring organisations it seems that many of us are simply not prepared for the Arctic blast which looks set to continue for at least the next week.

The best advice of course is to stay at home if conditions are treacherous and your journey is not necessary but, for those of us who have to go out in our cars, what can we do to minimise the likelihood of an accident and to be prepared should we become stranded in our vehicle?

• Before you get into your car make sure that your tyres, lights, windscreen wipers and brakes are in good condition, that you have checked your anti-freeze levels and that your windscreen, rear window and mirrors are fully clear.

• Ensure too that you have your mobile phone with you in case you need to contact the emergency services and think about packing a blanket, torch and shovel for use in an emergency. Comprehensive breakdown cover is also a wise investment at this time of year.

• When driving, watch out for pedestrians, cyclists and motor cyclists who are particularly vulnerable in bad road conditions. Keep a safe distance from other vehicles and be prepared for the unexpected.

• Avoid sharp braking, sudden acceleration and take care when going round a corner. If you find yourself skidding, drive “into” the skid and do not touch the brake or accelerator until the car is under control.

• If you do need to abandon your car do your best to leave it in a safe position.