This is how defrosting your car windscreen could leave you with a fine - or lose your insurance

24 November 2018, 15:57

Leaving your car while it defrosts could risk your insurance policy - and gives criminals the perfect chance to steal your motor.

As the temperature continues to plummet below freezing, many of us will have to wake up earlier to defrost car windscreens - but you could be risking losing your insurance or being handed a hefty fine.

While it can be a tedious task to manually scrape the ice off the windscreen by hand, choosing to ramp up the heating and pop back inside your house for a brew could damage your insurance agreement.

Drivers could also land themselves a £60 fine and three penalty points for what's being dubbed 'potholing' - when the windscreen isn't fully de-iced and misty patches remain.

Because these patches could provide blind spots for the driver they're existence is against the Highway Code, so make sure you scrub effectively!

Daily Express spoke to GoCompare Car Insurance’s Matt Oliver, who warned readers of the risk of landing a hefty fine.

Matt explained: “By law you have to de-ice and demist all of your vehicle, however, depending on how drivers go about this, they could find themselves without cover.

“Despite the freezing conditions, motorists will not be covered if they leave their vehicles unlocked and unattended while de-icing their car, especially if they leave their keys in the ignition. 

“This is due to most policies having a duty of care clause.

“So, while it might be tempting to stay inside the house as the car warms up and demists, if someone were to jump in the car and drive off with it, you wouldn’t be covered. So maybe it’s just better to get thermals on instead.”