ICMIF member NFU Mutual (UK) is providing 1,000 car and light goods vehicle insurance customers with free two-hour personalised driving confidence sessions worth GBP 150 each. The sessions are delivered by advanced driving instructors from an organisation Drive Doctors and are tailored to the specific needs of the driver.
NFU Mutual has been successfully providing driving confidence sessions as part of its Young Drivers’ Scheme for seven years, helping over 3,000 young drivers. If the sessions are in demand from other driver groups, NFU Mutual will consider providing them to all car and van customer groups as an optional add-on service as part of its insurance product offering in the future.
In research conducted by NFU Mutual with 2,000 drivers in March 2021, nearly half (45%) said they would like to have a driving confidence session. The highest proportion (39%) went on to say they would most welcome training on how to use their vehicle in an emergency situation such as skidding on ice. A previous study by NFU Mutual during November 2020 also found that an astounding 42% of UK drivers have suffered a collision and 36% have had a near miss. Of these, over half (55%) said it has affected their confidence.
Jade Devlin, Propositions Consultant, at NFU Mutual, said: “Unfortunately there can be some degree of stigma attached to being a less confident driver which means for many it is a hidden problem. Our research shows a motorist’s confidence can be knocked for a whole host of reasons from past collisions to less frequent driving and the type of roads used, and with lockdown easing drivers are facing unique concerns. We hope the 1,000 free Drive Doctors sessions will go some way to boost confidence and help prevent accidents. We’re expecting high demand and if so, we’ll be looking at what more we can do to help make roads safer for everyone.”
NFU Mutual has also provided complimentary home and national recovery RAC breakdown cover to 600,000 car and light goods vehicle customers for nearly a year to support customers with flat battery breakdowns and keep key workers on the roads throughout the pandemic. First introduced during May 2020, the cover has been extended to 30 June 2021.
Existing and new NFU Mutual customers can enter for their chance to win the free ‘driver confidence’ sessions via the NFU Mutual website: www.nfumutual.co.uk/prizedraw
