Motor experts warning for tradespeople as defrosting hack could VOID your insurance
Posted by: electime 13th January 2023
With questions over whether the UK will experience a ‘Beast from the East 2’, motor experts are reminding Brits of an easy mistake that can land you an on-the-spot fine!
Experts at Nationwide Vehicle Contracts have given a warning to drivers about leaving their engines running whilst defrosting their cars, as well as other top tips when deicing your car.
As tempting as it is, you should never leave your car running to defrost, even if it make save you time during your commute. Whilst being harmful to the environment, it also goes against the highway code and is illegal, with fines of up to £40 able to be issued by police if caught.
Leaving your engine running can risk your insurance being voided
Under some vehicle cover policies, you may be able to claim for the cost of possessions left in your vehicle when it was stolen, and for business vehicle cover it may allow you to claim the cost of equipment, tools, and even stock for business purposes.
However, automotive specialist Mark Smith at Nationwide Vehicle Contracts warns,
“Your insurer may refuse to pay out if you have left your car unattended while the engine is running. Keys are the weakest part of a vehicle’s security, and most policies have a clause that you agree you will not leave your car engine running whilst unattended. This is because it is seen as negligence and drivers are seen as not taking precautions to prevent theft, potentially making your insurance void.
In minutes of heading back into your house and leaving your vehicle unattended, motorists could see their vehicle stolen, with the vehicle and any possessions being uncovered by your insurance, costing thousands to replace and having a huge impact on the individual or business.”
Additionally, it’s not enough to just clear the ice from the driver’s side of the windscreen, with the entire area having to be clear. Failure to do so can land you with a £60 fine with three points on your license, according to Highway Code rule 229, with an additional fine of £1k if your registration place is not readable.
Using alcohol spray to remove ice quickly
Too many people still take the risk of pouring boiling water on their windscreens as a quick fix to their ice problems. The issue with this method is that it can actually cause your windscreen to shatter, particularly if you have tiny nicks and chips.
Even the plastic bag filled with warm water hack comes with the same risk. Instead, all you need is a spray bottle, rubbing alcohol and tap water. Mix one part water with two parts rubbing alcohol and fill the spray bottle with the solution. This can then be sprayed on your windscreen to melt ice. What’s best is that this solution will not freeze, as rubbing alcohol has a freezing point of around -88 degrees celsius, which means the bottle can be kept in your car until next time.
You can also use hand sanitiser to remove the frost from your keyholes if necessary.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
