If you have a disability, depending on it’s severity, you may well be used to facing challenges in your day-to-day life. Having a disability can be restrictive and frustrating. However, learning to drive, despite your disability can provide a kind of freedom you may not have experienced before. The feeling of freedom one feels when out on the open road is something that can bring real pleasure and joy. Depending on the severity of your disability, learning to drive is mostly exactly the same as it is for everyone else; take your lessons, take your theory and practical test and hey presto!

Age restrictions

The minimum age to learn to drive in the UK is 17, but if you receive the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance, including the mobility component you can start to learn to drive at 16. Furthermore, if you are aged between 16 and 24 you can get financial support to put towards the cost of driving lessons from a scheme called Motability.

Specialist instructors

When you have decided to learn to drive your fist step should be to seek out a professional driving instructor. Of course, all drivers should seek professional driving lessons, but as a disabled person, you may want to think about seeking out an instructor who has specialist knowledge of your specific needs. If possible try to find a driving instructor who has taken a specialist course in teaching disabled people. Always ask to see accreditation; instructors often take their special courses at Banstead Mobility Centre or the Transport Research Laboratory. Specialist instructors can teach you more than just how to drive. They can teach you how to get in and out of the car easily, how to get your wheelchair in and out of the car if you have one and how to use any adapted controls you may have. If your disability is minor, you may be able to learn in an unmodified car, or one that needs only minor alterations, making your search for an instructor and suitable vehicle slightly easier.

Insurance

Once you have learnt to drive and have passed your test, you may want to buy your first car. Buying your first car is one of the most exciting things to do in life, but it comes with a big responsibility and considerable cost. Once you have decided on the car you want, adapted it where necessary and informed the DVLA of your purchase and circumstances, you will need to insure your car. It is unwise to assume that a regular insurance policy will meet the needs of a disabled driver. There are some insurers that specialise in insuring disabled people; Chartwell insurers are experienced and knowledgeable in the field of disabled motorist insurance. Their ‘Freedom’ range of disabled motorist policies offer highly competitive rates.  More so, you will not be asked to answer invasive and irrelevant questions about your disability .You can learn more about disabled motorist insurance by vising chartwellinsurance.co.uk

Buying car insurance can be tricky, especially with the amount of different companies in the market and the range of different policies available to you. We all want to find the best car insurance quotes and may spend hours searching for what we think is the best deal, but what many of us may not realise is there can be significant costs hidden within your policy. So what are they and how can we avoid them?

Speeding Offences

In recent years car insurance companies have started to penalise drivers who are convicted of driving offences such as speeding or using a mobile phone whilst driving.

This can mean that on top of a paying a fine for such offences, drivers could face a considerable increase to their insurance premium in the months following their conviction. Drivers can help reduce, or in some cases even stop, this price hike by completing a speed awareness course or similar course depending on the nature of the offence.

Aside from driving offences, checking your insurance quote thoroughly before you buy could mean you avoid costly and unnecessary charges. Quite often quotes will be shown as a total price per year. However, be aware of interest rates if you decide to pay in instalments. Car insurance can be a costly affair so many people chose to pay in instalments, but if you can afford to pay for the year’s cover in one fell swoop then you could potentially save over £100.

Policy Adjustments

Policy adjustments are also an area where car insurance companies may charge you more than you’d expect. A simple change of name or address could cost you over £50 for each change made. Around Two thirds of car insurance companies will charge you for making any changes to your policy after you take it out.

Although this may seem steep, it is essential that you do tell your insurance company about any changes that affect your policy. It could prove to be much more expensive if your policy is incorrect as the insurance company could refuse to payout if you need to make a claim.

Cancellation charges

Finally, if you have to cancel your insurance policy mid way through the year, you may find that you get the remaining month’s payments back, but you could be charged a fee for cancelling your policy. On top of this you may also face increased premiums later on because you don’t receive any no claims discounts on future policies. By transferring your car insurance to another vehicle you could avoid these charges and also continue to build up a no claims bonus.

Other charges you may want to look out for are renewal or re-activation fees, which car insurance companies, justify as administration fees. These are uncommon but are definitely something to be aware of when you’re looking for car insurance quotes.

If you owned a small business back in the day, keeping it in the family was a no-brainer – in the same way that the eldest prince of a nation spends his life preparing to take over the throne, the eldest son of a business-owning family would’ve been trained up from birth to take over his parents’ little kingdom.

Nowadays, when more opportunities are available for everyone, personal ambition is more important and the laws of equality trump the traditions of ascension, having a family member take over your business is an altogether more complicated affair.

public liability insurance

Perhaps you’ve always assumed that your son and daughter will join the family business, and their education and involvement in the company reflects this. Hopefully, this means they’ve got valuable experience and have already proven their worth to you and your team – your staff has faith in their abilities and their ambitions, and will support your decision to keep them around full time.

But it could mean that your offspring have never really considered alternatives to joining the family business, or your staffers have insights about their character which give them cause for concern. Talk to everyone – in depth – about what they expect and what you expect. Raising potential problems now will save time, hassle and relationships in the long run.

1. 1.     Separate earnings, shares and dividends

Your family member might have a share in the business, or otherwise profit from its running: it’s crucial you don’t take this into account when working out their salary. The money they earn is for the job they do, it’s not an extension of their pocket money or part of what is ‘owed’ to you. Dividends are also taxed differently to earnings, so it’s important they’re clearly defined income streams.

Also make sure you’re open about your business plans: do you want it to evolve and improve as a company, or just make it a valuable asset to sell on? Your family member hasn’t just got a financial interest once they’re employed by you: they’ve invested time and effort. You want to be on the same page or you risk alienating them.

1. 2.     Have a set appraisal, advancement and awards system for every employee – family and non-family

 If you haven’t already got one, it might be helpful to employ someone from outside the family in a HR role. Having someone dedicated to employee wellbeing will give staff a place to turn when they’ve got concerns, without them feeling as though they’re in danger of crossing family lines. Yearly assessments of all staff, including yourself, will give people a chance to discuss any issues they have; if they’re handled by the HR department then you can’t be accused of nepotism or favouritism.

Which you’re less likely to be, if you have a bridge between you and your staff: not only will a person who’s objective and well-versed in conflict resolution, assessment procedures and employment law reassure them that the company is still professional and open, they’ll give you a sense of perspective when it comes to decisions about any family you employ. You need to make sure they’re advancing at a similar rate to everyone else, and not being promoted without it being reflected in an increase of their responsibilities.

1. 3.     Employ a small business consultant

The service that consultancy firms offer will be invaluable to you – find one that specialises in small or family-run businesses, and they’ll act as an impartial eye, a mediator and an advisor. If your son or daughter is looking to take over from you when you retire one day, it’s likely they’ll have ideas to modernise or do things differently: a consultant can help you balance the old with the new, help resolve any disputes and provide flexible solutions in difficult times.

Accidents can happen when we least expect it. In our day to day life we can be exposed and vulnerable to various risks and accidents which can happen at any time, causing bodily injury, disability or even death. While accidents cannot be avoided completely, even if you observe all safety measures and precautions, their impact can be reduced by monetary compensation if you take out personal accident insurance.

Personal accident insurance provides monetary compensation in the case of an accident, which can sometimes lead to death, injury, total or partial disability. This type of policy will cover accidents of all types and in many cases also incidents of terrorism. The various events covered under personal accident insurance are personal damage caused due to accidents in a variety of circumstances, such as on the road, rail and air, injuries due to fall or impact or collision, injuries due to drowning and poisoning and burns.

There are three main features to personal accident insurance which you should be aware of to make sure that you are covered in all eventualities.

Death Due to Accident
If the policy holder dies in an accident, the amount assured under this policy is payable by the chosen insurer. However, it is important to note that if death takes place after 15 days of the accident the cause of death could be contested and therefore the insurance company may not entertain the claim. To avoid this, if you do suffer an accident be sure to make sure medical notes are taken by your doctor, as well as keeping personal notes, evidence and photos.

Permanent or Partial Disability
If the insured party sustains injury in an accident and therefore becomes physically disabled either partially or wholly, the insurer is liable to pay compensation to the insured party, depending on the seriousness and intensity of the disability. However, the claim becomes payable only if the disability of the insured party continues beyond 180 days. If the injured party is able to work and is not impaired after 180 days, they will not be entitled to receive any claims.

Disability Due to Severed Limbs
If an accident should result in the severance or removal of upper or lower limbs of the policy holder’s body, thus causing permanent disability then they are entitled to receive compensation as per the terms and conditions assured in the policy. The compensation for loss of limbs are as follows:

• For loss of one leg or one hand, the compensation payable is 50% of the assured sum.
• For loss of both hands and one leg, the entire assured sum as per the chosen policy, is payable in full as compensation.

It is vital to note that there are a variety of incidents which are not covered under policies, and therefore the policy holder will not receive any personal injury compensation, these include:

• Natural Death.
• Injury of disability that is due to suicide, intentional suicide or intentional self-injury.
• Due to participation in extreme sports such as bungee jumping, mountaineering, hot air ballooning etc.
• Acts that are done with criminal intention or are against the law.
• Arrests or detention by the law.
• War, civil disturbance or an attack by a foreign country.
• Anything related to childbirth and pregnancy.
• Any injury caused by the ingestion of alcohol or drugs.

When choosing  personal accident insurance, make sure that you read the finer details and understand policy restrictions completely before deciding on what course to take. Many insurers also advise that you take out insurance for your entire family, so that you are covered for a wider variety of accidents.

photo credit: Oneras

Alan Boswell Group

Being in business for yourself is the dream of many offering the opportunity to innovate, be your own boss, work the hours that you want and build something to be proud of. The downside is all that responsibility on your shoulders with the need to market the business, do the work and deal with any problems all ending up at your door. It’s imperative to have adequate insurance cover in case the worst happens. Thankfully it’s possible to obtain cover for disasters, both small and large, enabling you to have the peace of mind and sleep well at night.

Some types of insurance are essential whatever your business. For example, Employers Liability Insurance is a legal requirement in UK for all businesses that are not single man operations or employ only close family members. This cover will protect you against claims made by employees due to accidents at work. Public liability insurance is not a legal requirement but it’s recommended if you interact with the public at all. This includes any work done outside of your premises and protects you in the event of you causing damage to property or people. It will also indemnify you against claims made by members of the public who have an accident whilst on your premises.

Some businesses will have specific requirements to cover them adequately. For example, farming is a tremendously rewarding vocation but can be a tricky business at the best of times. With costs on the rise and profits hit hard farmers need to have great farm insurance to protect against the unexpected.

A farm is an intricate machine with many  interlocking processes; machinery, livestock, crops, people and most importantly weather. A break in the chain, something as simple as a broken tractor can have reverberations throughout all of the work that needs to be done. It may be something as big as a threshing machine, or as small as a laptop but it’s essential to be able to recover quickly from such situations and get back to work as soon as possible. Both Material Damage Insurance and Mechanical and Electrical Breakdown Insurance may come into play depending on the situation, enabling you to seek replacements or repairs and get on with the task in hand. Crops and livestock can be protected as well. In the UK, Insurance against hail damaged crops is vital, as is insurance for livestock against diseases such as bovine tuberculosis, foot and mouth and brucellosis. Commercial property insurance should also be considered to cover farm buildings.

Additional cover may be required when pursuing activities beyond traditional farming. For example, farms that are open to the public will require extended liability cover or those intending to host hunting, fishing and shooting events will require specialized insurance for this type of activity.

Likewise, pub landlords have a very specific set of needs that are best met with specialised pub insurance. With such diversity in opening hours, styles of properties, locations and business sizes it pays to get advice from a specialized broker.

The cost of keeping your van on the road is creeping up all the time and it is difficult to know where to start cutting costs. Like the MOT and road tax, van insurance is required by law and you risk losing your vehicle if you drive without it. Unfortunately, cheap van insurance can be hard to find, especially if you fall into a “high-risk” group such as young drivers. Luckily, there are several things you can do to reduce the amount you have to pay to insure your van or van.

Insurance companies work out how much insurance you pay, by deciding how much of a risk you and your vehicle are to insure. For example, if you park your van on the street outside your house and it has no type of alarm, you will pay more than a driver who parks off road and who has an alarm system. Where possible you should try to park your van on a driveway or, ideally, in a garage. This will reduce the cost of your van insurance premiums. Purchasing a simple alarm system from a van accessories specialist will also mean less money going towards your insurance. This way, the extra money goes towards your van and not towards an insurance premium you may never claim on.

Another way to get cheap van insurance is to ask for it. While you may not think your insurance company will reduce your payments, most companies will consider a reduced premium for valued customers. Insurance is very much a buyers’ market and if your insurance company will not budge on the quote they offer you, another company will be only too happy to take your business. You don’t need to wait till your premium runs out either, even if your policy still has months left to run you can ask the company for a deal. If they agree, you will receive a refund of any money owed to you.

Whether you need affordable cover for your van or cheap car insurance, using a comparison website means you can view a number of suitable policies in one place. It also means you can compare quotes between different companies, so you know you are purchasing the absolute best deal around. Some of the larger comparison services also have special deals that are only available if you purchase the policy with them. This means the cheapest van insurance for you may not necessarily be available straight from an insurance company. There are several comparison services available and you should get quotes from each one before deciding which the best is for you.

photo credit: gruntzooki

New research by Moneysupermarket.com has identified the places in the UK where householders are most likely to claim on their home insurance policy due to being burgled or being the victim of theft.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the dubious honour of the worst burglary hotspot goes to London and the Stoke Newington area in the north of the city. The N16 postcode saw nearly 34 people in every 1000 making a theft-related insurance claim.

With statistics such as these, it’s no surprise that customers who have recently searched for a moneysupermarket contents insurance quote, will be keen to properly protect their belongings and get a cost-effective and competitive price for their premium.

In joint second place were the postcodes B71, in West Bromwich in the Midlands and BD10, which covers the upmarket Apperley Bridge area of Bradford. Both had nearly 32 claims per 1000 people. Leeds and London have the most entries in the most burglary prone postcodes, but no areas in Scotland or Wales made it into the top 20.

The research was conducted using data from three-million home insurance quotes gathered on the site and covers the period from December 2010 to November 2011.

For the insurance companies, various factors, including the burglary rate in a particular postcode, are considered when they are working out how much to charge you for your policy.

There was better news, however, for people living at the opposite end of the burglary risk scale. The survey showed seventeen places where you are least likely to be burgled. They included Heston in Cornwall, Elgin in Moray and Peterlee in County Durham, which all recorded less than one claim per 1000 people.

If the burglary hotspot research does show that you live in an at-risk area, then you may want to take measures to upgrade the security of your home. However, wherever you live it’s important to protect your property from burglars and make it as difficult as possible for them to gain access to your home (including your garden, shed or garage) and take your belongings.

A few simple measures, such as having security lights and installing effective door and window locks, can all help to deter thieves from choosing your property to break into. A Neighbourhood Watch scheme is also a good idea – you could join an established one or, if none exists in your area, set one up.

Make sure you have adequate contents cover in place by accurately calculating the value of your possessions, just in case the worst does happen and you are burgled. You may need to update the policy if you buy new high-value items and you might also need additional cover for items that are regularly taken out of the home, such as jewellery or laptops.

Having proudly acquired my first classic car I was faced with the problem of finding suitable insurance, as the needs in respect of a classic car are specific and different from mainstream vehicles.

I need not have worried, the internet came to my rescue in the form of classic car insurance comparison sites. It is less than 13 years since it was difficult to access a large number of insurance companies in a short period of time. Often, people did not go beyond searching their yellow pages directory, and the local newspaper adverts.

With the development of personal computers and access to the internet for people of all income brackets, shopping for classic car insurance has completely changed.

Advantages

Comparison sites offer a fabulous way to find suitable and reasonably priced insurance for your classic car. The main benefit is that you can compare quotes from a variety of car insurance companies simultaneously, from the comfort of your own home.

There are an overwhelming number of choices and it is helpful to narrow these down by focussing initially on websites that specialise in this type of insurance. The search can be widened to companies providing insurance for a range of vehicles, which include classic cars, if this becomes necessary.

Pointers to Finding Savings

Specialist cover is needed for classic cars and this includes elements of cover not available on a standard policy. Make sure you look for:

1. Discounts for senior citizens if you are in that age group.
2. Limited mileage discounts if you do not anticipate driving a high number of miles.
3. Discounts for membership of a classic car owners club.
4. Agreed value cover so you know the amount that will be paid in the event of a claim for total loss.
5. Discounts for classic cars kept in a garage.

There are many benefits to using car insurance comparison sites, but you should be aware that not all insurance companies advertise on them, and consequently, carrying out a search of individual companies should not be ignored.

It is also important to compare like for like products, for example, one policy may appear cheaper than another, but on closer examination it may have a number of exclusions/restrictions, and a higher excess figure for the customer to pay than other policies.

Comparison sites are a useful tool for securing significant savings!

This guide was written by the editorial team at Classic Car Insurance. For more information – please visit our website at http://www.classic-car-insurance.co.uk

photo credit: Hugo90

 You have a fantastic business idea and are ready to leap into action. Whilst you are completely aware that you need public liability insurance until you start to get quotes, you have no idea just how expensive it can be. Hopefully the explanation below will help you understand why it’s so valuable and give you some tips on how to keep the costs down.

Public Liability insurance is essentially protection for you and your livelihood. It covers any costs  incurred through damages given to a member of the public because of an injury or damage to their property caused by you or your business. It also covers any related legal fees, costs, expenses or medical treatment.

To understand the value of this insurance we have listed some examples of when you might need to claim:

1. You are a plumber. When visiting a customer, you install a hot water valve improperly and a child is burned by hot water. Perhaps you leave a tool behind and someone trips on it and breaks their arm. In both cases, bodily injury claims insurance would cover you against any claims the individual may make.

1. You are a restaurant owner. A family comes for a nice meal and two of them suffer from food poisoning from accidental use of out of date ingredients. If found responsible you may have to compensate your customer, but the business is in its first year of profit and you really cannot afford to do so. Again you will be covered if you have public liability insurance.

1. Obtaining a business insurance quote is vitally important, especially if you own a painting and decorating business. Your employee drops a tin of paint onto the customer’s carpet.  The insurance will cover the cost of replacing the carpet should a claim be made.

Cover does not always have to be expensive and can actually start from as little as £40 a year. You can make significant savings by shopping around and tailoring a package to suit your business needs. The amount of cover you need will vary according to your business type and several other factors, so it is best to speak to an advisor to see what suits you best. You can usually save money by using a previous no claims record to get costs down.

Public liability insurance isn’t compulsory, but will give you, as a business owner peace of mind. You can sleep soundly knowing that a small incident or mishap will not end up causing you thousands of pounds to put right. In today’s ‘no win, no fee’ claims culture it pays to be safe rather than sorry, as there are too many eager ambulance chasers who will try to profit from even the smallest mishap.

small> photo credit: Mystery in the mail

There’s loads of great aspects to having an elderly parent move in with you: a chance for your children to bond with their grandparents, an extra pair of hands around the house and an opportunity to repay the sacrifices they made for you when, in childhood, you were unable to look after yourself.

But, if it’s not carefully thought through, what initially might seem like the less expensive, more traditional and caring alternative to a retirement home can turn into a situation that’s not comfortable for anyone – least of all your mother or father. So, think thoroughly about the changes that you and your parent are going to have to make to co-habit happily.

There are, of course, financial concerns to be taken into consideration: though the addition of their pension to the household income might offset expenses, there are hidden costs to having an extra person living with you. Electricity and water bills will of course be higher, and things like home insurance might be more expensive; it’s worth trying and project a year’s incomings and outgoings factoring in everything so you know what to expect. And remember, even if it looks impossible, you might be able to apply for a carer’s grant.

Also, there’s the question of what you’re going to do with their possessions: though they might be open to selling some on or putting things in storage, it’s likely they’ll want to bring a few of their most treasured pieces of furniture or trinkets to personalize the space you’re providing for them. This means you’ll need room and understanding: it might be harder than you think to relinquish control over your décor but having their own things around them will make your parents much more at ease.

At a more basic level, you need to think about your house’s layout in relation to what your parent can manage: they might find stairs challenging and are likely to feel the cold more than the younger members of your household. They’ll probably also want a bathroom on the same floor as their bedroom, so they can easily access it at night; think about how big it needs to be in order for them to manoeuvre about in.

Of course, if your parent has Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia, your problem is infinitely more complex but still, not impossible: you need to make sure that locks are placed on your front, back and kitchen door, as well as carefully check the house for anything that might hurt them.

A ground-floor bedroom might be best for access, but does it mean they’ll find it easier to wander off if a door is left open? A balance needs to be struck between their private needs and the provision of care they require. Don’t forget it works both ways, too: you’ll need a good level of privacy for yourself and space to unwind. Think about getting an extra television for your bedroom so you can watch separate programs and take into consideration how you’re going to organize social time with friends.

Finally, remember that they as well as you are used to living more independently, so any frustrations you feel are likely to run both ways. Encourage them to explore other interests now you’ve removed some of the burden from their living arrangements. Community centres, sports clubs and schools all offer courses and activities for seniors, so make sure that they’re making the most of their time with you and you’re both enjoying your precious moments together.

photo credit: BGO1

A public liability insurance policy is one that will pay for a legal defense if someone walks into a place of business and is injured in an accident. These types of lawsuits can result in large judgments against the business owners. Many businesses have decided to settle out of court but, this also requires a large sum of money.

How Public Liability Benefits Business Owners

When business owners have a public liability insurance policy, their insurance companies pay for their legal defense and the money they are ordered to pay the plaintiffs if they lose in court. The price of the policy is worth it if the cost of such legal action would diable or impair the business.

Establishments Most In Need of Public Liability Insurance

The types of businesses that benefit most from public liability insurance are:

• Retail stores
• Bars
• Nightclubs
• Theaters
• Sports facilities
• Hotels

Some industries are very expensive for insurance companies to insure. These types of companies may be denied a policy because they are considered such high risk, or they may just be charged extremely high rates. In order to find the insurance company that will charge rates that are reasonable for any business in any genre, business owners can visit InsuranceQuotes.org to find out what more than one insurance company will charge them for a policy. This will help them find low quotes for a policy that will adequately cover them.

Without public liability insurance, a business has the potential to be closed if there is an accident. The policy will provide a legal defense and payment of the award to the plaintiff. Those who refuse to purchase these policies will be financially responsible for everything, and they may not be able to afford it.

photo credit: Garry Zeweniuk

 by Alan Boswell

Being a landlord brings with it a whole host of challenges. Not only do you need to pay the mortgage each month, you have to protect both your property and your tenants. It’s a common misconception that a standard buildings and contents insurance policy will cover all three once it’s let – but unfortunately this is not the case.

In practice, landlord insurance is very similar to a standard household insurance policy – the buildings are covered and you can still get contents insurance to cover furnishings as well as accidental damage. However there are a few main differences…

The main difference is that, because you are physically not living in the property, it is not classed as ‘owner-occupied’. Standard insurance policies are not designed to cater for the process of earning an income through letting a property, nor is it designed to cover your legal obligations to protect your tenants whilst they are living there.

Public Liability Insurance

All landlord insurance policies include what is known as a ‘Public Liability Insurance’. This is designed to protect landlords for injury or damage to others, including tenants, as residents in the property. It will cover your legal costs in defending a claim and the legal costs of the claimants if you are judged to have been at fault. It will also cover damages awarded to the claimant as well as loss of earnings – without it you could be in for an expensive time!

Loss of Rent

Another standard cover found within landlords insurance policies is ‘Loss of Rent’. This is very important as it covers landlords against expenses they could incur should their property become uninhabitable. You could have to find and fund alternative accommodation for your tenants, as well as make up the loss of rent during the period the property is out of use – Loss of Rent covers all of these circumstances.

If you are worried about your tenants not paying you your rent each month ‘Rent Guarantee Insurance’ can often be added to most policies. It isn’t normally standard on landlords insurance but may be available as a bolt-on or as a separate insurance policy itself.

What about contents insurance?

What insurers consider contents in landlord insurance is usually slightly different than for a standard household policy. Most policies will only cover accidental damage to the contents that the Landlord has provided for the use of the tenants. This can include, but is not limited to, carpets, white goods and communal contents in hallways.

It is also worth remembering that it will only cover items and furnishings owned by the landlord and not any contents owned by the tenants – they will have to arrange their own contents insurance separately.

And remember…

How much you pay for landlord insurance will all depend on the type of property, its age, location and the buildings sum insured. It will also take into account your history of claims and how many tenants will be in the property.

But in order to benefit from all the cover of your particular landlords insurance policy then you will have to have a number of measures in place. This may include a boiler that’s checked annually by a registered Corgi engineer, and proper measures in place regarding the structures of the building.

photo credit: Regina Rentals

Obtaining typical motorbike insurance quotes requires that you provide the insurer with certain key information, including:

• information about your age, sex and where you live – things such as your postcode, where the bike will normally be parked when not in use and your age may have an effect on the final premium of your motorcycle insurance;

• your estimated annual mileage – as a general principle, the higher your mileage each year is, the less cost-attractive your final insurance premium may be (be careful to avoid deliberately underestimating this figure in an attempt to keep your premiums down, as this may result in a future claim being rejected);

• the nature of your motorcycle (including the make and engine size etc) – motorbike insurance quotes for bigger and more powerful machines may tend to carry commensurately bigger and more powerful price tags;

• your licence details – if you are a young rider or have held your licence for only a short period of time, you may need to be realistic and assume that you will be paying a higher price for your insurance than someone who is older and with more experience;

• your security measures – motorbike insurance quotes may be a little more cost-attractive if you are able to indicate that you have fitted additional security devices to your bike and/or securely garage it overnight in a locked premises;

• details of any modifications to the bike – insurers are traditionally uneasy about bikes that have been modified away from the manufacturer’s original specification – so those new extended forks may look cool on your machine but you may have to anticipate a detrimental effect on the cost of your insurance;

• details of any no claims discount you may hold – this may be particularly appropriate if you are considering changing from one insurer to another, as any cumulative discounts you have may be transferable (there is little point in making a false declaration in this area, as the new insurer will typically require evidence to support your assertion);

• information relating to any claims you have made recently – related to the above points, insurers may wish to see whether or not you have a history of accidents and claims (they may also have their own sources for checking this particular point of detail);

• the final declaration that the information you have provided is accurate – remember that insurers may have ways of checking the truth of your statements and particularly in the event of a subsequent claim, making a false insurance declaration, as part of seeking motorbike insurance quotes, may be considered to be a prosecutable offence. You may also find it very difficult to obtain motorcycle insurance in future if you are caught out in being economical with the truth.

photo credit: Flannol

A MoneySupermarket home contents insurance expert is stressing the need to find out the exact worth of any valuables before getting annual cover after research revealed that the average British household currently insures over £3,500 of gold items among other treasured belongings.

Findings by the Moneysupermarket.com Monitor, which delivers analysis and insight into home insurance, show that Brits are collecting all sorts of antiques and rare objects as long-term investments at a time of economic uncertainty for some many people.

Nearly three million home insurance quotes were examined between June 2010 and May 2011 and as well as insuring 10 per cent more gold than last year, average households are also getting cover for coin and medal collections worth over £4,400 each, stamp collections worth £6,138, art or paintings worth £4,209, furs worth £2,819 and almost £3,500 of antiques. An average of £3,619 is also being spent on ‘curios’ and these are rare and interesting items.

Julie Fisher is the head of home insurance at MoneySupermarket and is urging collectors of all paraphernalia to correctly value their belongings or risk being left without adequate insurance.

She said: “The era of ‘Rule Britannia’ is alive and well but whether people have inherited valuable heirlooms, or have scoured shops and markets to unearth valuable retro treasures, it’s crucial to understand how underestimating the overall value of home contents could leave you underinsured and severely out of pocket.”

Fisher continued: “This ‘hoarding’ is an interesting phenomenon seemingly borne out of our current difficult economic times.

“Perhaps many are shunning more traditional savings routes, buying gold and antiques rather stashing their money in the bank. It seems we are all looking at our possessions and scrutinising their proper value, keeping and insuring things that we may have thrown away or sold.

“Also, with the price of gold hitting close to a staggering high of $1,900 an ounce, it’s interesting that many homes in Britain are holding onto their gold, rather than selling it for cash as many have done in the past.”

Laptops (42 per cent) proved to be the most frequently insured individual items by homeowners in spring 2011, followed by bicycles (22 per cent) and jewellery (19 per cent).

The Moneysupermarket.com Monitor is also reporting that the average annual buildings and contents insurance premium now currently stands at £152.44 following a decrease in price of 0.4 per cent from June 2010 to May 2011.

photo credit: Gray Marchiori-Simpson

Touring caravan insurance is an essential purchase for anyone that intends to take their caravan on public roads. It’s there to provide valuable financial backup in the event of an accident or any kind of damage occurring, and whilst some car insurance policies will include this level of cover it’s often wise to go for a separate policy if you want complete peace of mind.

What should be included in a policy?

There are always different levels of cover to choose from depending on your needs, ranging from basic third party protection to fully-comprehensive cover that ensures you’re ready for anything. The type of policy and the added extras that you’re looking for will often come down to a combination of budget and personal circumstances, but the following will always be worth looking for in any kind of policy:

• New for old cover.
• Breakdown assistance.
• European cover.
• Accidental damage cover.
• Windscreen protection.
• Legal and medical expenses cover.
• Storm damage protection.
• Cover for alternative accommodation.
• Public liability.
• Contents and personal effects cover.
• 24-hour claims lines.
• “All risks” protection (including fire, theft, accidental damage, storm and flood cover).

These are just a few things worth thinking about when searching for your policy, but always remember that different caravan insurance companies will be able to offer different levels of protection accordingly. That’s what makes research so important, and if you spend the time to look you’ll have a much better chance of finding the policy that suits your needs.

How to find your perfect quote

In order to find the perfect quote you’re going to need to scour the market thoroughly. Doing so gives you a far better chance of finding the policy that’s suitable, and never be tempted to save time by opting for the first quote you come across – this will invariably mean you’re left with a policy that’s inadequate, so if you want complete peace of mind make sure to spend the time to look.

This needn’t be that time-consuming though, because if you head online and seek specialist price comparison sites you’ll be able to find the perfect quote before you know it. Comparing the options is key and will ensure you’re left with a quote that gives you the perfect level of cover at a price you can afford, and if you make sure to carefully look at the policy features and price of each quote you’re bound to make the right decision.

There are a number of things you’ll need to bear in mind when searching for your policy, however. The first one is to be aware that your postcode will often affect the quote you’re given, with certain areas being deemed to be more of an insurance risk than others. You’ll also have to provide totally accurate information to ensure the validity of any subsequent claims, and always remember to check the small print of your policy so you don’t get any nasty shocks – exclusions and limitations will always be apparent, so it’s essential to know exactly what’s covered before you head off on your holiday.

Essential tips to reduce your premiums

Once you’ve done adequate research you’ll have a much better idea of the options available to you, but don’t think you have to spend a fortune to get a policy that meets your needs. Comparing the options is only the beginning – there are plenty of things you can do to reduce your premiums even further to result in extra cash in your pocket, and here are just a few you might like to try:

• Invest in as many security features as you can. Basic security precautions (e.g. hitch locks and having securely locked doors and windows) are essential and failing to have them could nullify your claim, but it’s often best to go for more advanced options such as burglar alarms and even satellite tracking devices. Not only will doing so ensure the safety of your caravan, but many insurance firms will be able to give you great discounts as you’ll be less likely to make a claim.
• Store your caravan securely when not in use, preferably in a locked garage or storage area. Again, this could result in fantastic discounts as theft and vandalism will be less likely.
• Become a member of a recognised caravan club. This many not seem that important initially, but it can actually be a great way to reduce your premiums. By signing up to one of these clubs you’re showing any potential insurance firm that you’re a responsible caravan owner who takes their obligations seriously, and you’ll often be given discounts accordingly.
• Increase your excess. Excess options aren’t always fixed and many insurance firms will let you choose your own level in order to reduce your premiums, and as long as you keep it realistic it can be a great way to keep costs down.

These options all require advance consideration if they’re going to be worthwhile, but spending the time to properly arrange everything can be one of the best things you do. Of course, there are plenty of simpler things you might like to try as well – haggling, for example, or simply keeping an eye out for any additional discounts – and if you bear in mind all the options you’ll be able to get the policy you’re looking for at a price to suit.

Overview

So, always remember the importance of investing in touring caravan insurance if you want complete peace of mind when you’re on the road. Not only is it a legal requirement to have your vehicle insured but it also makes sound financial sense, particularly when you consider the cost of your caravan and of the possessions contained within it, and with the right policy behind you you’ll find you don’t have a thing to worry about. Spending the time to search can make all the difference and can ensure you find the level of cover you need without spending a fortune, so head online and you’ll soon have the perfect policy that will leave you free to enjoy your holiday.

photo credit: pedrosimoes7