A CAR insurance expert has advised motorists against this de-icing tip that could cancel their claim.
With temperatures plunging to freezing lows, many drivers will have the urge to de-ice their windscreens in the morning.
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Many drivers keep the engine of their vehicles running before jumping in to warm up the interior.
But in a struggle to keep the view of your car clear and your seat warm ready for the journey, a simple and common trick can make your car insurance invalid.
Car expert Ali Ingram-Seal from Saga urged drivers to avoid the hack as it could invalidate your insurance.
He said: “Leaving the engine running to de-ice your windows and windscreen invalidates the insurance if the vehicle is stolen whilst unattended.”
According to the insurance company Saga, 52% of Brits said they have left their car running while it’s defrosting.
But the car insurance pro said that leaving the engine running while the ice in you vehicle is defrosting can make it a target for thieves.
Ali said: “In any circumstance that you leave your keys in the vehicle, the engine running, and unattended, your insurance would be invalidated if the vehicle was stolen.”
Even if you had left the car on a private driveway, you’d still be to blame for leaving it in a vulnerable position.
Ali explained: “The majority of car insurance policies have a ‘keys in car’ exclusion clause which means that you would not be covered for theft if you left your engine running whilst your car was unattended.
“This could be a very costly mistake so always make sure you stay with your vehicle when defrosting the windscreen and preparing it for driving and never leave it unattended.”
“The reason we say unattended is because even with keyless entry or start, once the engine is running, even if the keys aren’t in the car, it can still be driven away until the engine is stopped.
“Thieves wouldn’t take any notice of the ‘keys not present’ safety warning, light or noise.”
Drivers could have their insurance claim rejected under a clause of “reasonable care”.
According to insurers, the practice would be considered reckless and a lack of safeguarding the vehicle.
So they can refuse to pay out damage when something goes wrong.
It comes as drivers have just realised a 30p hack to de-fog their windscreen in seconds – and the three supermarket items to keep your windows clear.
Meanwhile, a former NASA engineer has revealed the quickest way to de-fog your windscreen in a YouTube science test.
Mark Rober conducted the test to help solve the condensation issue many motorists find on a cold morning.
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.