Saying Sorry Could Save Money

As your grandmother will no doubt have told you, manners are free. But a reluctance to say sorry could be costing UK drivers up to £28 million a year in excessive motor insurance claims.

Nearly 90 per cent of drivers say that their natural impulse following an accident is to apologise. But as many as a fifth of all drivers suppress this urge, believing that apologising will be an admittance of liability.

Remaining stony faced could be counterproductive however, with many motor insurance holders saying they would be more likely to play up damages and press a claim to the full if someone was unapologetic after a crash.

"Not saying sorry has two effects, it encourages some people to exaggerate minor damages or injuries and prevents others from correctly identifying the extent of their injuries," said a motor insurance spokesman.

"Both have an escalatory affect on the cost of claims that are passed on to motorists in the form of increased motor insurance premiums and excesses."

Almost a third of motor insurance holders said they would exaggerate injuries or damage if they thought another driver had been rude or hostile. Two fifths said that they would be less likely to do so if another person had been friendly.

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