The latest must-have gadget for your dashboard is one that could even save you money. The trend towards installing dashcams in your car is one many have adopted for a range of reasons. Moreover, it turns out that some insurers will now reduce the cost of your car insurance by up to 20% if you have one installed too.

It seems that the growth of dashcams has really taken off in the UK and there are now well over 1 million in use on the roads today. Insurance companies are also encouraging more drivers to install one in their car because it means they can save money on accident claims by using video evidence to speed up claim time and resolve costly decisions where there is split liability or claim fraud.

Catching the incident

People have taken to installing dashcams with the aim of avoiding being caught out in scams on the road. Moreover, they also appeal to insurers as they can record footage of an incident. It could prevent costly legal disputes about who was at fault by providing clear evidence of what happened. As a result, this could see a reduction of up to 20% in your premium when you install one.

The main reason people are installing them is to stop those dodgy insurance claims made against them. Recently footage was shown of a cyclist who threw himself in front of a Nottingham motorist and then ran off when he realised he was being filmed. It can also track attempts made by fraudulent drivers who brake very hard causing the car behind to crash into them from behind. This is known as a classic “forced rear-ending” or “crash for cash” scam; dashcams eliminate any chance you can be made to pay for this.

Combating the scams

While these scams are highlighted via YouTube, many others cannot be proven, and dodgy insurance claims are costing the industry £36 million a year. Dishonesty in the car insurance sector is the highest in any area of the industry. A total of 70,000 fraudulent claims were detected last year which was a drop of 2%. Moreover, measures such as the increased use of dashcams could help continue to bring this figure down.

The AA says that around 1 million people already have a dashcam installed in their car that records what happens on the road ahead. They predict that this figure will double in the next couple of years as manufacturers begin to install them as standard. It compares with the number from four years ago where just 300,000 drivers had the tech installed.

Visual deterrent

Not only does a dashcam help to stop fraudulent claims, but it is a general deterrent to bad behaviour on the roads. One driver from Surrey recounted how she paid £130 to have a dashcam installed in her Golf. While she has not seen a reduction in her insurance, she does believe it has stopped other drivers’ bad behaviour.

If someone is tailgating her or cuts her off, she merely points to the camera to make them aware that they are being filmed. It often results in a friendly wave and a more cautious approach due to being on camera.

Improving technology

The dashcam technology itself is also developing to make the devices more useful and cost-effective. They can be picked up for as little as £30 or up to around £200 and come with a pad to stick behind the rear-view mirror. They plug into the car charger socket.

Devices can run on an hour-long loop or even restart for each journey. Moreover, if you are involved in an incident, you can stop the recording to make sure that the event is saved in the memory. If you can make a 20% saving on your car insurance, the dashcam pays for itself in the first year.

If you are involved in a non-fault incident where you cannot prove you were not to blame, you will see a big increase in your insurance the next year – it can double in some cases. However, having a dashcam can prove cases where otherwise it would go against an innocent motorist.

Dashcam insurance policies

So far, only a few insurers have confirmed that they offer a discount for dashcam installation including AXA, Adrian Flux, SureThing, and Swiftcover. They offer discounts of between 10-20% for having the device installed and some now even come with a free dashcam, such as Co-Op Insurance. The added benefits include making the car less attractive to thieves who may not know if it is active. Moreover, the chance to catch out those scammers who cost us all money in higher insurance premiums is a definite positive to having a dashcam.

Great dashcam deals

PetrolPrices recommends two dashcams for members.

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The DriveSmart Ultra HD 4K Dashcam is an amazing piece of kit, and with PetrolPrices you can get it for 47% off here

Have you installed a dashcam and own a dashcam car insurance policy? Would you consider it if it saved you up to 20% on your insurance? Let us know in the comments below.

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