Listen
Photo: 123rf
Consumer NZ says car insurance premiums have risen by almost 40 percent in the last three years.
Investigative team leader Rebecca Styles says with the steep increase, some New Zealand drivers are weighing the risks, and opting for third party and theft insurance only. The Insurance Council says there are lots of variables, driving the hikes - including the age of drivers, area, type of car and its gadgetry, rising repair costs, last year's extreme weather events and the state of the roads.
Meanwhile, in the United States, insurers are using data from car computers to hike premiums based on driving behaviour. New York Times technology feature writer Kashmir Hill has investigated how insurers there are using data provided by automakers.