AOL has reported that major motor insurers are now accepting dashcam footage as evidence when policyholders make a claim, leading to sales of cameras rocketing.
29 of the biggest car insurers, including the likes of Churchill, Direct Line and Admiral, all said they would look at footage when judging a disputed claim.
A dashcam is a camera you place on the dashboard of your car, which then films the driver’s view.
The cost can vary widely from less than £10 to more than £200. Cheaper cameras are solely SD-card based and aimed at private individuals driving a few hours a day. More expensive, professional cameras are aimedd at fleets users and are designed to record 24 hours a day and even send back real-time notifications and provide remote video feeds from the vehicle.
Sales have leapt by an astonishing 918% in the last year. As well as the evidence they may offer in the case of an insurance claim, this is also down to high street retailers stocking consumer versions more widely.
The benefits to the insurer are clear, they act as an independent witness for drivers and businesses who can use the footage to demonstrate that they’re in the right should they be involved in the event of a non-fault accident or even attempted fraud. They give insurers the opportunity to make huge cost savings, and could help to end crash-for-cash fraud.
Dashcam footage also protects drivers who are not at fault for an accident from losing their no-claims bonus.
Vehicle owners can also potentially benefit from discounts as a result of fitting dashcams, with Swiftcover last year announcing it would reward dashcam users with a 10% discount on their car insurance premium.
