‘Telematics and training’ the key to managing motor fleet risk – SambaSafety

Evidence of pricing moderation in motor insurance is appearing in parts of the UK, although persistently tight capacity – most notably for fleets with poor claims history – remains, leading to an increased demand from insurers for risk management practices such telematics to secure improved rates.

This is according to driver risk management firm SambaSafety’s inaugural Driver Risk Report 2025, released today (23 September 2025).

The firm said the report aimed to investigate the impact of data-led safety programmes on reducing claims frequency and severity by studying two large fleets – a 138,000 strong cohort of global logistics vehicles and a 73,000 strong cohort of UK drivers – over a multi-year period, both before and after the adoption of risk management strategies.

According to the report, the UK fleet insurance market has faced sustained pressures that can be attributed to an eclectic mix of interdependent factors – supply chain volatility, the switch to electric vehicles, labour shortages, rising claims costs and increasingly sever weather events to name a few.

Speaking in the report, Rob Kemp, chief executive of commercial risk at Aon UK, explained: “We continue to see the impact of megatrends on our clients through more volatility, increased complexity and new risk interdependencies.

“These megatrends are generating significant business challenges for organisations whose revenue and profitability rely on moving goods or people around by road. The link between these megatrends and their impact on risk and insurance is not always obvious, but they underpin the availability of risk capital and its cost.”

Of these headwinds, claims inflation was identified as the major challenge to motor insurers, as is currently the case in many other insurance lines.

Redefined repairability

New technologies such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) have increased the complexity of repairs, with Mike Anderson, owner of industry consultancy Collision Advice saying the technology had “redefined repairability” with “costly calibrations and diagnostic repairs” adding between £250 and £600 to the repair of newer vehicles.

SambaSafety highlighted the leveraging of telematics and data analysis as a key method of improving insurance coverage for fleets.

Indeed, the firm identified several factors linked with an increased chance of being involved in a collision in the next 12 to 24 months, including penalty charge notices for failing to give way, using bus routes, failing to comply with no entry signs, taking prohibited turns and speeding.

A combination of training and telematics was proposed as the most effective way to manage risk, with the report suggesting that 72% of fleets that implemented this combination saw a reduction in crashes or claims.

Speaking in the report, Marc Spurling, executive director of transport and logistics at Aon UK, said: “The cost of risk continues to be a challenge. However, the rewards for organisations that demonstrate a commitment to risk management are significant. Safer driving keeps vehicles on the road, avoids hire costs, reduces service and repair costs, reduces fuel costs and reduces collisions.”