New research from Allianz Australia has revealed a sudden spike in the popularity of dash cams on Australian roads, showing that one fifth (21%) of all Aussie drivers are currently recording their car trips.
The research also revealed that more than half (54%) of those who own a dash cam had bought the accessory within the past 12 months alone. This trend shows no sign of slowing with 39% of Aussies indicating they are looking to purchase a device in the next year, if they haven’t done so already.
So why are dash cams becoming so popular? A huge majority (83%) of Australian dash cam owners said the main reason for purchasing a dash cam was to assist in insurance claims. Second to insurance claims, close to half (49%) of Australians said they would also purchase a dash cam to report reckless/ illegal driving or incidences when their car is parked.
Allianz General Manager, Customer and Partner Services, Matt Wood said the research was backed up by Allianz data which shows a 92% increase over the past two years in the number of customers using dash cam footage as part of their motor insurance claim.
“While still relatively new, we have certainly seen an extraordinary rise in the number of customers using dash cam footage to assist in their insurance claim,” Wood said.
“The main advantage of having a dash cam when it comes to a car insurance claim is its ability to help prove who is at fault. Dash cam footage can be used to support a claim if it has recorded how an incident occurred and the responsible party’s details have been provided, in which case you may not have to pay your excess.”
This is supported by the research which shows 1 in 3 (30%) of Aussies have used their dash cam footage as evidence after being wrongly accused on the road and 25% have used their dash cam footage to report reckless driving.
And it seems Aussies aren’t worried about the issue of privacy when it comes to the use of dash cams. The research showed an overwhelming majority (78%) believe that safety is more important than privacy and four out of five Aussies are happy to sacrifice their privacy when on the roads, in the name of safety.
“As an insurer we believe the more evidence the better, but there are some things people should consider in making the most out of their dash cam footage and ensuring it can be used to support their insurance claim,” explained Wood.