AA - over 166,000 people used the AA website to get a car insurance quote on Xmas Day last year

Thousands of bored Brits will be shopping for car, home and travel insurance on Christmas day if statistics from AA Insurance are anything to go by.

According to the broker's online statistics, last Christmas nearly 200,000 people obtained quotes for insurance on Christmas Day with nearly 300,000 getting their quotes on Boxing Day.

According to the AA on Christmas Day alone, over 166,000 car and 32,000 home insurance quotes were provided while 141 people sought travel insurance.

Those figures rose to 242,000 car insurance quotes and 46,000 home insurance quotes being provided on Boxing Day.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance says:

"My Christmas is pretty busy and I wouldn't have the time or the inclination to sort out insurance. But I can understand arranging travel cover if a holiday was given as a gift, although it seems odd that people might want to fix their car or home cover on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

"But then, may be thousands of people looked out of the bedroom window on Christmas morning to find a brand new car with a giant ribbon tied round it!"

As to home insurance, Simon Douglas speculates that a near miss in the kitchen or an accident with a candle led some families to realise that their home insurance might not be adequate.

"It's also possible that receiving a costly gift might lead some people to suddenly realise they aren't insured, along with the rest of their possessions, and decide to do something about it. Or all these online applications might simply mean that people are trying out their new tablet!"

In addition, 94 people applied for home emergency cover on Christmas day while a few downloaded legal documents – including a comprehensive guide to writing a will and guidance on sorting out a building dispute.

AA quotes issued at Christmas 2012:

Car Insurance:
- Christmas Day - 166,415 quotes
- Boxing Day - 241,747 quotes

House Insurance:
- Christmas Day - 31,854 quotes
- Boxing Day - 46,455 quotes

Travel Insurance:
- Christmas Day - 151 quotes
- Boxing Day - 323 quotes

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

'Crash for cash' - 17 charged in connection with alleged bus smashes

The Liverpool Echo has reported that Cheshire police have charged 17 people in connection with alleged 'crash for cash' bus smashes.

They report says that four Merseysiders were among those charged in connection with the conspiracy to commit fraud - this follows a 20-month investigation.

The charges all relate to alleged staged bus crashes in and around Chester between 2010 and 2012.

The force said the crashes involved 215 people claiming for whiplash on seven different bus collisions.

Among those charged in connection with the investigation were:

Mark Taylor, 47 of Vyner Park, Prenton
Christopher Bethell, 28, of Crosthwaite Avenue, Eastham
and Sean Kettyle, 42, of Westminster Road, Ellesmere Port.

All three were bailed to appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court on December 19.

Rachel Cooper, 31, of Oxton Green, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, was bailed to appear the following day, December 20.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp