Churchill Car Insurance Research Women Have Miles to Go as They Risk Being Stranded Due to Poor Car Knowledge

LONDON--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--To help, Churchill is giving away free breakdown cover with every car insurance policy sold until the end of September**

The research addressed how confident men and women are when it comes to basic car maintenance skills. It then put them to the test by asking them to identify points under the bonnet, such as the brake fluid and the windscreen washer fluid reservoirs.

The research shows that men are more knowledgeable when it comes to their motors and, as a consequence, are buzzing with more confidence than women.

In fact, whilst well over a quarter of men (28 per cent) consider themselves to be an ‘expert’, only one in twenty women (5 per cent) rate themselves this highly. At the other end of the spectrum, only one in ten men (10 per cent) consider their basic car maintenance skills to be poor or non-existent compared to nearly a third of women (31 per cent).

It seems as though male confidence comes with good reason – when put to the test, the research shows they do have more knowledge when it comes to basic car maintenance skills:

Percentage of motorists who failed to identify basic maintenance points:

	Men	Women
Where to check oil levels	21%	44%
Where to add extra oil if the level was low on the dipstick	7%	37%
Where to check the brake fluid	35%	72%
Where to check the windscreen washer fluid	63%	76%

The research also addressed motorists’ reactions to their vehicle suffering a mechanical breakdown. Men are more likely to attempt to fix it themselves (34 per cent compared to 5 per cent) whilst women are more likely to phone a friend or family member with knowledge for support (34 per cent compared to 12 per cent).

Women seem more comforted by being able to contact someone to help them if their car breaks down. Two thirds of women (66 per cent) said they feel much more secure in the knowledge they can contact someone to help them if their car breaks down compared to nearly half of men (46 per cent).

Claire Foster, spokesperson for Churchill Car Insurance, says:

“Our research shows that many drivers lack essential car knowledge. In particular, many women told us that they don’t feel knowledgeable when it comes to their cars. However, having basic car maintenance knowledge can not only help prevent car breakdown situations, but can keep motorists, especially women, feeling more confident on the roads.”

For added peace of mind on the roads, Churchill is currently offering free breakdown cover for new car insurance customers**.

Notes to editors:

* Research conducted online on behalf of Churchill by Opinium Research between 21st and 24th April 2009 amongst 2,009 respondents, representative of the UK adult population. http://www.opinium.co.uk

** Offer: Free breakdown with every motor insurance policy

Available: 1 May till 30 September 2009

Terms and conditions: Introductory offer only ends 30 September 2009.

Churchill Breakdown Service. Applicable to the policy purchased. Excludes N.I.

Churchill Insurance reserve the right to extend or withdraw this offer

Churchill

Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering award-winning car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.

Churchill is part of RBS Insurance, the second largest general insurer in the UK and is wholly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0800 200300 or visiting http://www.churchill.com

Churchill Insurance Company Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered office: Churchill Court, Westmoreland Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 1DP. Registered in England and Wales no.2258947. The Financial Services Authority's Register can be accessed through http://www.fsa.gov.uk/