As if the cold weather and travel chaos wasn’t enough to deal with, now Brits have to live with the problem of potholes. AA Insurance has predicted that potholes will lead to a surge in car insurance claims in the near future, which it has admitted is going to be very expensive.

The AA learnt this painful lesson during the big freeze at the beginning of 2010. During that period it saw a large number of claims due to problems with suspension, car wheels and damage to the bodywork all caused by potholes.

And the cost of the claims isn’t anything to be taken lightly. The average claim due to pothole damage is over £1,300 and AA confirmed that its most expensive claim last year was over £14,000.

In view of this the AA is advising drivers to be especially careful on the roads at the moment.

Potholes are the plague of UK roads. They form when water beneath the surface of the road freezes, which then makes the surface loose. Once the water melts or vehicles pass over the area, the potholes form and become worse.

The AA is warning that this winter is expected to be particularly bad because it is the third cold winter in a row, and there were already potholes to be fixed before the cold weather arrived.

Simon Douglas, who is the director of AA insurance, advised drivers to “keep a sharp eye out for potholes and keep their speed down”. He said that this was especially important when driving on secondary roads and also when it is raining because the potholes can be hidden by water. He also warned that a lot of potholes are unlikely to be repaired because of cuts to maintenance budgets.

Each day across the United Kingdom, up to 500 uninsured vehicles are seized by the authorities. Now it has been revealed that the cars most often taken off the roads are Vauxhall Astras. The Astras are closely followed by BMW 3 Series models, with the Vauxhall Vectra rounding off the trio of uninsured cars that most commonly come to the attention of police officers.

The figures were released by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) police helpline, whose employees are all too aware of the devastating consequences that can result from motorists taking to the roads without insurance.

Although nobody wishes to give the Vauxhall Astra a bad name, police up and down the country remain hopeful that raising awareness of the widespread issue of driving without insurance will encourage people never to take to the roads without adequate cover.

With drivers who do decide to ignore such logical advice potentially left facing six points on their licence, a fixed fine of £200 and the cost of claiming back their cars after the vehicles have been seized, it’s clear why it is so important to take out an insurance policy – even when it can seem tempting not to at this time of economic hardship when motorists across the UK are having to deal with the double blow of the credit crunch and the fuel price increase.

Technology that allows police and other authorities to identify vehicles that haven’t been insured is improving all the time. So instead of taking the risk, why not opt for the sensible choice and insure your car for both the good of your safety and your wallet?

A new pay-as-you-drive car insurance policy has been introduced by CoverGirl Car Insurance Services, the specialist insurance provider, with the new cover option specifically intended for women. The policy works by fitting the vehicle of each policyholder with a special technological device, called a Clear Box, which accurately tracks the precise speed and number of miles covered by the individual.

The driving style of the policyholder is also monitored by the car insurance provider in order to provide lower rates for consumers. The device installed in each vehicle can provide additional benefits for those who take advantage of the pay-as-you-drive policy, since it allows cars to be tracked if stolen, whilst alerts can also be processed if the vehicle is damaged in an accident.

Perhaps controversially, CoverGirl Car Insurance Services believe that women are far safer drivers than men and, as a result, are often punished by having to pay higher rates for insurance policies in order to compensate for risks taken by male drivers.

The company has also been quick to point out that, unlike previous pay-as-you-go policies that have attracted criticism from some quarters, theirs will not penalise those who decide to drive late at night or early in the morning. Rather, those with low mileages and safe driving styles will receive rewards from the company.

The new type of cover certainly won’t suit everybody, but it is likely to provide certain benefits for female drivers who don’t tend to use their car each day and also have safe, reliable driving styles.