Eye examinations cut company insurance costs

Eye-examinations administered by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare have helped reduce company car insurance premiums for a key client. Remarkably, the only current eyesight test that any driver has to take (even those driving for a living) is to read a number plate at 20-meters, when a driving test is first taken. With new legislation due to be introduced in 2011, which will require eyesight tests every 5 years for commercial drivers, forward-thinking insurers are already rewarding companies that implement more stringent tests. 

Kingstown Furniture Ltd, based in Hull, has introduced eye examinations for all its fleet drivers and is using Specsavers Corporate Eyecare to administer the programme. This is just one of a number of measures Kingstown Furniture has introduced as part of its extended duty-of-care programme. All of the measures combined have resulted in the insurance company reducing the proposed premium increase by 9%. This could translate into considerable savings for large fleets.

Between a quarter and a third of road traffic accidents are believed to involve people driving during the course of their work, and as such Kingstown Furniture wanted to put in place any measures that will increase the safety of their drivers.

Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare says, ‘Most companies will realise that examining the eyesight of their drivers is the responsible thing to do. Maybe once they see that there are also definite cost advantages they may be more tempted to implement a policy.’

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Mike Morland, Health, Safety and Environment Manager for Kingstown Furniture Ltd said, ‘Our duty is to ensure that all of our employees are safe and this includes our drivers who drive thousands of miles each year.  It’s an added bonus that our extended duty-of-care programme has also saved a significant amount on our insurance premiums, so it’s benefited areas right across the business. ’