Insurance warning over unattended vehicles on icy mornings

Icy mornings are the curse of the driver during the freezing winter weather, especially if that driver is in a rush to get to work. One common practice to reduce the time spent sitting in a cold car as it slowly defrosts is to turn the car ignition on and leave it running whilst getting ready for work.

But now a warning has been issued by Post Office Car Insurance, which claims that there is an increased risk of theft when leaving a car running unattended, and that this could have dire consequences when it comes to making a claim on your car insurance.

If a car is left unattended, unlocked and with the keys in the ignition then it is almost certain that the car insurance policy will become void should the vehicle be stolen. If the claim is rejected on these grounds, there is not a lot that the owner can do about it.

The advice being issued by Post Office Car Insurance is never to leave a car running without supervision. This is going to come as a frustration to many drivers during these cold winter months, but it’s better than paying for a new car.

To make matters even worse for drivers, leaving a car running whilst unattended could actually be a criminal offence. The practice is known as ‘quitting’ in the industry and could lead to drivers receiving a fixed fine of £30 under the Road Traffic Act. And that would certainly not be a good way to start the working day.