Tag: dash cam

Will a dash cam reduce my insurance?

Being cautious on the road is a given, although there are many careless drivers that are putting other people at risk. For this reason, dash cams are becoming increasingly popular with motorists as they act as a 24/7 silent witness that can be used to provide recorded evidence, that can protect drivers from any fraudulent claims and in some instances, reduce your insurance premiums.

There is an extensive range of specification dash cams on the market with the less expensive dash cams offering simple video recording whereas the more premium cameras offer HD quality footage along with several features, such as built in GPS, Road Safety Alerts, Time and Date stamps, Images, Parking Mode and G – Sensor Detection. The innovative technology makes driving easy and most of all provides you with important evidence if an accident does occur, it can prove who was at fault. Some insurance companies will provide reduced car insurance for drivers with dash cams, although this doesn’t apply for all companies.

With the increasing popularity of dash cameras, insurance companies are recognising that drivers with a camera fitted are more likely to be cautious on the roads and therefore dash cam insurance discounts are becoming more common.

Dash cams start from £26.50 and can save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds through providing recorded evidence of a faultless accident. Along with eliminating any blame disputes this footage can be shown to your insurer or police after a traffic accident.

If you choose to invest in a dash cam to record video footage of your journey it is recognised by insurance companies that drivers who have installed a dash cam are careful, confident drivers who want to feel safer on the road by providing video evidence of every journey, so that if a traffic incident occurs they are not subject to blame for another party’s fault.
Therefore, some insurance provides, bearing this in mind offer special discounted insurances. However, this only applies if your dash cam is of a high quality that provides clear and crisp footage that captures all element of the drive with number plate recognition. Manufactures such as Thinkware offer a high specification dash cam that includes various Road Safety and GPS features. The higher the resolution of the camera the better-quality footage you will receive. Often cameras cheaper than £150 will be a low resolution and therefore not accepted by insurers.

If you are looking to purchase a dash cam solely to reduce your insurance premium, it is advised that you contact your insurance provider before investing in it.

In some instances, a dash cam can reduce your insurance premiums, however they are guaranteed to protect you against false insurance claims.

What is a dash cam?

As the integration and need for high tech in modern vehicles is constantly growing, you are probably looking for some clarification on what their benefits are and how they can improve your driving experience. In the past 3 to 5 years the consumer demand for a dash cam has surged to try and combat the growing amount of fraudulent insurance claims.

They serve a much narrower purpose than other gadgets, but they are one of the most useful providing you with quality video evidence in the case of an accident or incident. The footage can be used to settle disputes about who was at fault.

Are dash cams different from normal cameras?

One of the main questions asked is, how do they differ from a normal camera? Firstly, they have been developed to seamlessly integrate with the vehicles existing electronic devices by running on 12V DC they can simply be attached to your rear-view mirror, windshield or dashboard due to their small size.

They will be permanently running whilst the vehicle is in full motion and some dash cams have integrated features to record even when the engine is turned off. They can overwrite old data if it isn’t useful, however if the motorist wants to keep it, they simply need to press save.

As the footage is saved straight to its server, you cannot be accused of modifying the footage.

After the footage, has been recorded, you can upload it to your smartphone or PC to use it as evidence.

Depending on your budget, the sophistication level of the dash cam can differ.

Dash cams usually can be hardwired into the vehicles electronic system; however, you don’t need to worry about this, our patrols can fit them for you whether you’re at work or at home.

The impressive features that are included in the best dash cams go beyond their core function, such as lane departure detection, collision detection and velocity change detection. The more advanced dash cams can be used to capture the most unforgettable travel moments.

They are a great money saving solution as they could reduce insurance premiums and often can alert you when you are approaching speed cameras to prevent you from gaining hefty speeding fines and points on your licence. However, this function is illegal in other European countries, so ensure you disable it before you begin to drive around specific countries.

Compare our dash cams to see which is most suitable for your specific budget and requirements. We guarantee that each one contains technology of the highest spec to deliver to the clearest results possible. It will be one of the most invaluable investments that you ever make.

Is having a dash cam legal?

A dash cam recording the road in front.

Motorists are starting to think more about buying and using a dash cam as these can be used to by people who want to try and protect themselves against bogus insurance claims after an accident/incident has occurred by gaining quality video footage. The evidence can be sent straight to insurance companies or the police to settle any disputes, but you are probably wondering whether they are actually legal or not.

Are dash cams legal in the UK?

In the UK, dash cams are a desirable device that can be used to capture idyllic scenery of your journey as well as provide police with recorded evidence if a traffic incident occurs. Some insurance companies offer discounts for drivers who have dash cams fitted in their vehicle which could help you save money and ensure road safety.

Providing your view of the road is not obstructed by your dash cam it is legal to have it installed in your car and there are many discreet and slimline dash cams on the market that have incorporated innovative technology to give you high quality recorded footage and safety warnings that help you drive with confidence.

Cameras can often ring alarm bells in people’s minds as a question of personal privacy can be argued. Although, dash cams have not been designed to intrude in personal privacy therefore, there is no “reasonable expectation of privacy” on public roads.

If you own a vehicle and are an executive driver or taxi driver, then it is important that passengers are informed of a camera in the vehicle. If sound can be recorded on the device this could cause a breach of personal privacy and misuse of the device therefore it is advised to keep this muted.

When driving in Europe it is important to recognise that there are some restrictions on the use of dash cams. For example, in Luxembourg the use of dash cams is illegal, but owning one is not. Their government see this as a breach of a person’s data protection rights therefore they are not permitted. However, in France, dash cams are thought to be a great device and a development in the right direction to provide recorded evidence and for road safety.

If you are thinking about using a dash cam abroad it is important to understand the rules and legalities before doing so.

Dash cams are completely legal in the UK, however in some parts of Europe they are not permitted, meaning it is essential to check with the authorities before you drive around the country with a in car camera unit.

Dash cam installation guide

Over recent years, the demand for a dash cam has surged. Dash cams are becoming a popular item that can be integrated into vehicles. You can gain quality footage in case an accident arises, which will help to protect them against false insurance claims.  

We have the most advanced range of dash cams available which can be suitable for different vehicles and budgets. Each of our dash cams include the most sophisticated GPS features velocity tracking alongside being able to detect collisions.  

There are endless benefits of installing a dash cam, motorists are often put off as it seems quite intruding, however, you will not even know it’s there!

 

How to install a dash cam

Dash cams can either monitor the front of the vehicle or the rear, or both in some instances, so it probably seems like an impossible task to install it, however this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Firstly, you need to ask yourself where do you want in mounting?

If your device is the simplest mirror mounted camera or front facing wired camera, it is likely that it came with a simple installation kit, so all you need to do is plug it in and go, by attaching it to the window and pointing the lens to road, then adjust the viewing angle by rotating the camera.  

When you have secured it into the right place, simply run cameras wire around the body of the car, under its carpet in the foot well, then plug it into the cigarette lighter or other alternative power socket. You can conceal the wire under the windows edge.  

If your windscreen is heat reflective, the GPS function will not be able to work, however the camera will still be able to function without it. Be aware that they often have blank patches which allows a GPS signal to penetrate through. However, they are not guaranteed.  

Ensure that it doesn’t obstruct the view of the driver.  

Hardwiring a dash cam

The higher end dash cams often require hard-wiring into your vehicles electronics permanently. However, you don’t need to worry, our patrols can do this for you, in a location that’s best for you.  

We recommended that you invest in a dash cam in case an emergency arises which potentially could save you tonnes of money.  

Take a look at our dash cam range which all go above and beyond their core function.

Choosing the best dash cam/in car camera

As the demand for high tech devices is growing, so is the demand for dash cams, especially for those who do a lot of driving. The main function of a dash cam or in car camera is to provide you with video, image or audio evidence if an accident occurs to prevent against fraudulent insurance claims. Also, some insurance companies often offer discounts for those who have them installed, meaning you can save tonnes of money after the initial investment.

We have a range of dash cams that all include the most sophisticated features but we understand that it can prove difficult to choose one that is most suitable for your specific requirements, so we have put together a guide to help you out with your decision which will probably depend on how much you drive and what your budget is.

How to find the most suitable dash cam

Whether you are looking for a video only model or a camera with advanced features, we guarantee to have one that will be perfect for you.

Obviously, the more driving you do, the more sophisticated camera you will need, especially if you drive at night on motorways, as they contain night vision, lane departure warnings and front collision alerts.

If you only partake in short journeys but you would like some extra coverage in case an incident occurs, a simple model that records in continuous loop will be perfect for you.

The high-end features in dash cams means that they do a lot more than just fulfilling their core function.

Some of dash cams allow footage to be shared straight to the server, meaning that it is easier to be shared with insurance companies or the authorities and you cannot be accused of modifying it in any way. However, the lower range dash cams are only stored on a memory card.

Some have G-sensors which detects and harsh deceleration, then the footage will automatically be saved before and after it occurred which reduces the need for you having to manually save the footage.

Swiftcover are one of the insurance companies that offer around a 10% discount for those who have a dash cam installed, however they need to be “insurance company approved”, meaning that it has GPS and velocity detection features and saves the footage efficiently. Also at the RAC, we offer a £30 discount to those with a RAC model.

If an incident occurs, you could save money on false claims which also could prevent your insurance premium from rising the following year.

A dash cam is the perfect investment to make to cover yourself in the occurrence as an incident. Take a look at our dash cams for further information.