While Toyota embark on an epic safety recall programme for certain models of car, insurance companies have re-assured the customers affected that their policies will remain valid as long as they return their vehicle to a Toyota dealer for the necessary upgrade to be made. Owners of the specific models known to have had problems with the accelerator pedal will be contacted by Toyota by letter, but those who choose to ignore the recall may find their car insurance policy could be rendered invalid.

Toyota have increased their staffing levels and extended service centre opening hours to ensure those motorists involved are not expected to wait long, thereby causing unnecessary inconvenience or worry, and the upgrade itself is likely to be completed in around 30 minutes. Those targeted customers who have not actually experienced any problems are still advised to have the prescribed safety checks carried out, if only to guarantee peace of mind and prevent any relevant car insurance policy being placed in jeopardy.

Toyota are naturally keen to minimise the impact this safety issue is likely to have on future car sales by re-assuring potential customers that new cars are not affected, neither are used-cars purchased through official Toyota centres. And if you own a pre-2005 model you will not be required to return it as part of the recall programme, although it could follow that many Toyota owners will be seeking guidance and reassurance whether their car falls within the recall criteria or not.

If you’re expecting to compare car insurance quotes and find a huge increase in the price of cover for Toyota vehicles, it’s unlikely to happen in the near future, which is good news for anyone who is affected and whose policy is due for imminent renewal. But as car insurance premiums are based partly on claim rates it remains to be seen whether or not the cost of cover will rise significantly in the years to come, when it is as yet unknown how many – if any – claims will be made in respect of the identified Toyota problems.

With road maintenance being massively under-funded throughout much of the UK, car insurance quotes are set to escalate in response to the increasing number of claims arising from incidents involving potholes. Estimated at costing the nation’s motorists a whopping £320 million each year, potholes are an ongoing problem that is unlikely to ever be resolved, and as there are even more of them appearing since the recent cold snap, the chance of finding a cheap car insurance quote looks likely to remain slim for many years to come in the UK.

Quote comparisons will reflect the fact that Britain’s roads are gradually falling apart and the battle to prevent them deteriorating further is far from being won. Local authorities are paying out millions of pounds in compensation to the victims of potholes and therefore face increasing pressure to keep road surfaces in a satisfactory condition, the cost of which will inevitably be passed on in some way to both the driving and non-driving population of the UK. Car insurance quotes compare unfavourably to those offered a year ago, and even though increases to the cost of premiums is expected, cheap car cover will be hard to find as long as potholes litter the roads, pushing up the incidents of accidental damage.

Those driving along the same roads each day will become familiar with their local potholes, but extreme caution should still be employed until the necessary repairs have been made. Care should be taken to avoid potholes in the first place by allowing plenty of space for a clear view of the road ahead, and cyclists and motorcyclists should be given extra time and room in case they too need to take sudden evasive action. So for those who don’t want to see their next car insurance premium go through the roof, extra vigilance will be required on all UK roads for some time if you want to avoid a close encounter with a pothole!