If you’ve been involved in a road traffic accident that wasn’t your fault then it’s quite likely you’ll be entitled to a claim. However, for your road traffic accident claim to have the best chance of success, you need to be able to provide sufficient evidence to back it up. The best place to start collecting this is at the scene of the accident.

Photographic evidence

This is the best way to start when gathering evidence. If you can, you should take pictures of the accident immediately after it’s taken place. Luckily, most of us carry phones with built-in digital cameras and picture phone photos should easily suffice.

One thing you should be concentrating on is the view that both you and the third party had when approaching the accident scene. This is probably the most effective way of helping an impartial inquiry establish fault. It’s also very useful to capture an overall view of the road lay-out, focussing on any road markings or traffic signs that may have be relevant to the accident. Try and make these as clear as possible.

Creating a record of debris on the road is also necessary. However, it’s not the debris itself that you need to focus on, but rather its position on the road. Ensure that you do not clear it from the road or move it until you have a photographic record, taken from a good distance so you can tell its relation to the road and possibly even vehicles.

In addition, skid or tire markings on the road are usually a good way of piecing together an accident after it’s happened. Like the debris, you want to get a good shot of them from a distance, showing their relation to the road. It’s a good way of telling the speed of the vehicles, or the intent or concentration of the drivers.

Obviously, you also want photos of the damage to the vehicles involved. Both close-ups conveying the extent of the damage and angles showing the positioning of the damage on the car are important for your claim.

Statements

It’s important that you note down the name, address and other contact details for anyone that witnessed the accident.  These can prove invaluable when making a claim. If any police were present and any reports made, then even better. Ensure you record the reference number and pass these on to your representatives as soon as possible.

Injuries

Photographing these at the scene may or may not be relevant, depending on the injury. Whatever the injury, though, at some stage you will want to create photographic evidence of any injuries to go with your claim. Bruises can take a while to come up, but cuts, grazes and other such damage can be recorded instantly. Photos of injuries should be taken close up and at various angles, and should be taken in natural light.

For more serious injuries, you will need to obtain medical reports from professionals as evidence. You can also keep ‘pain diaries’ that record your healing process. For less serious injuries, like bruises or cuts, it might be worth taking follow-up photos showing how long they take to heal – perhaps a photo once a fortnight.

Spiralling costs of living and changes within the NHS mean that health insurance is now more important than ever. Private medical Insurance (PMI) can offer a full alternative to the NHS in case of serious illness. A cashplan on the other hand covers day to day costs of regular care such as dental and optical. They can be purchased separately according to your budget and needs or in conjunction with each other to provide comprehensive cover. People are more aware than ever of the impact of lifestyle, diet and exercise on their health and are increasingly looking for alternatives to drug-based treatment. This is leading to a growing understanding of the benefits of complimentary therapies, such as Hypnotherapy. But, are insurers keeping up with these changes by including cover for such treatments and therapies in their policies?

If you’ve been looking for health insurance that covers hypnotherapy you’ll know that a lot of insurers do not cover it as standard. Most major health insurance plans don’t cover any treatments that could be classified as unproven or experimental but hypnotherapy isn’t an alternative therapy. It is an approved complimentary therapy that is becoming increasingly popular and well recognised by the medical profession. Some top health insurance providers that cover hypnotherapy, in their PMI and/or in their cashplans, are:

• PruHealth
• Westfield Health (as part of its corporate package)
• BUPA
• AXA PPP Healthcare

Under their policies hypnotherapy is covered for the treatment of certain conditions including:

• Depression (combined with Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies)
• Smoking Cessation (for more info please see http://www.thetherapylounge.com/hypnotherapy/stop-smoking)
• Stress related illnesses
• Palliative care

As with all insurance there will be clauses. Most insurance providers limit cover to a list of approved practitioners, or stipulate which professional bodies the hypnotherapy provider needs to be registered with if they are to recognise them for reimbursement. The Therapy Lounge, for example, is a member of The General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR). The GHR is a professional body recognised by health insurance that covers hypnotherapy. Membership of these recognised professional bodies also means that GPs, hospitals and other NHS services can refer patients for hypnotherapy treatment.

Before purchasing a policy, or paying for any form of treatment, you should always check the terms and conditions of the policy. It is recommended you check the following:

• Does it require a GP or clinical psychologist referral
• What is the timescale of your cover
• Does hypnotherapy cover your given diagnosis
• How many visits are allowed in a year as some treatments consist of several sessions
• Is there a cap on cash back claims

Whatever type and level of health insurance cover you opt for, if you are interested in having the benefits of complimentary therapy alongside your dental and optical, and if you are in any doubt as to whether or not your health insurance provider covers hypnotherapy, always contact the insurer directly for details.

Spiralling costs of living and changes within the NHS mean that health insurance is now more important than ever. Private medical Insurance (PMI) can offer a full alternative to the NHS in case of serious illness. A cashplan on the other hand covers day to day costs of regular care such as dental and optical. They can be purchased separately according to your budget and needs or in conjunction with each other to provide comprehensive cover. People are more aware than ever of the impact of lifestyle, diet and exercise on their health and are increasingly looking for alternatives to drug-based treatment. This is leading to a growing understanding of the benefits of complimentary therapies, such as Hypnotherapy. But, are insurers keeping up with these changes by including cover for such treatments and therapies in their policies?

If you’ve been looking for health insurance that covers hypnotherapy you’ll know that a lot of insurers do not cover it as standard. Most major health insurance plans don’t cover any treatments that could be classified as unproven or experimental but hypnotherapy isn’t an alternative therapy. It is an approved complimentary therapy that is becoming increasingly popular and well recognised by the medical profession. Some top health insurance providers that cover hypnotherapy, in their PMI and/or in their cashplans, are:

• PruHealth
• Westfield Health (as part of its corporate package)
• BUPA
• AXA PPP Healthcare

 Under their policies hypnotherapy is covered for the treatment of certain conditions including:

• Depression (combined with Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies)
• Smoking Cessation (for more info please see http://www.thetherapylounge.com/hypnotherapy/stop-smoking)
• Stress related illnesses
• Palliative care

 As with all insurance there will be clauses. Most insurance providers limit cover to a list of approved practitioners, or stipulate which professional bodies the hypnotherapy provider needs to be registered with if they are to recognise them for reimbursement. The Therapy Lounge, for example, is a member of The General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR). The GHR is a professional body recognised by health insurance that covers hypnotherapy. Membership of these recognised professional bodies also means that GPs, hospitals and other NHS services can refer patients for hypnotherapy treatment.

Before purchasing a policy, or paying for any form of treatment, you should always check the terms and conditions of the policy. It is recommended you check the following:

• Does it require a GP or clinical psychologist referral
• What is the timescale of your cover
• Does hypnotherapy cover your given diagnosis
• How many visits are allowed in a year as some treatments consist of several sessions
• Is there a cap on cash back claims

 Whatever type and level of health insurance cover you opt for, if you are interested in having the benefits of complimentary therapy alongside your dental and optical, and if you are in any doubt as to whether or not your health insurance provider covers hypnotherapy, always contact the insurer directly for details.

When thinking about making a will there are some key considerations that you need to make.

First you need to consider how you would like to divide up your estate. Consider all the people who currently depend on you, both in and outside of your family, this way you won’t miss out people who are important to you.

Secondly, if you have children, you will need to consider how you would like them to be cared for you if you were not around. This includes financially, where they live, and what education they get.

If your children are older you may want to consider what kind of financial support they will need, and which of your assets they have particular attachments to.

Writing a Will

A will isn’t just about money however; it also includes your wishes regarding funeral arrangements and general property.

Once you have decided what to put in your will you will have to appoint an executor who will be in charge of distributing your estate according to your will once you have passed away.

It is always best to go to a solicitor firm or legal company when writing a will as often hand-written wills are contested or there is no proof that they were not written under duress.

This is why you should always seek professional advice before making a will as it is the only way to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your passing.

Other things to think about:

Should you ever become incapable of conveying your wishes, whether it is due to an illness or an accident, then it is important to consider appointing a power of attorney who will be legally allowed to act on your behalf.

A lasting power of attorney will be able to make decisions on your behalf regarding both your finances and your health care, which means you really need to think about who you want to hold this position.

Although most people assume they will never be in a situation where a power of attorney will be necessary, it is important to plan for the ‘just in case’ situations.

If a power of attorney is not appointed, until the time of your death, money cannot be retrieved from your personal bank accounts, which means you would not be able to financially support your family, even if you are financially capable of doing so.

Choosing a vehicle for business use is very important, especially when you need to get something to carry out specific tasks. While cost will naturally be a consideration, it is equally important to ensure the vehicle is able to perform the functions expected of it.

Whether you are looking for a small independent company or a larger firm, the basic requirements remain the same. You’ll need to pick a vehicle that is fit for purpose, along with a reliability that means it will remain on the road with few or no problems.

Vans

Vans, particularly transit-style vehicles are incredibly popular in the UK and used by many in building and other manual trades.

One of the advantages of a van is that it is securely lockable and a way to store equipment and tools relatively safely. The vehicle features an integrated design which sees the cabin and storage area set out as a single unit separated by an internal partition.

Whilst the enclosed storage area is highly practical with regards to weather protection, it does make loading the vehicle troublesome at times – especially for those dealing with awkwardly shaped items.

The interior cabin of a van is usually extremely sparse too, with little consideration given to driver and passenger comfort. Performance credentials are usually fairly good but will largely depend on the type and size of the van.

Pick-up trucks

A pickup truck is basically a light vehicle designed for the commercial sector which combines practicality with comfort. The vehicle includes a front cabin which, depending on the model of truck can offer a slightly more ‘luxurious’ driving experience than a van.

Its unique design features an open-top rear area or ‘bed’ which is ideal for the transportation of materials or tools. This is generally separated from the cab itself and provides great flexibility when it comes to load capacities.

The standard of comfort in a pick-up truck can, if you manage to find the right kind of vehicle, far exceed that of a comparable van. Some are offered with leather interiors, heated seats and even additional equipment such as Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone connectivity. This is a great development for the commercial vehicle market and ensures businesses are able to find vehicles with appropriate levels of comfort and practicality.

Pick-up trucks are often built to last in a number of testing conditions. Rust-proofed chassis with galvanised body panels on certain makes and models means that they can withstand the odd bump and knock, along with all sorts of weathering.

Choosing a business vehicle

Ultimately the choice between buying a van or a pick-up truck comes down to the type of work you need it for. There are advantages to both but you need to weigh up your options. Ultimately, for building and construction work a pick-up truck will be the superior choice because of the ease of use, it’s strong and robust build and the comfort it can provide.

Life cover insurance guarantees that, in case you pass away, your mortgage will be repaid and your family will be able to continue living in your house. Put simply, life cover pays a death benefit to your beneficiaries, if you pass away within the set term, which usually matches the length of your mortgage. However, if you survive the term, your dependants are not entitled to the death benefit.

To be provided with life cover insurance, you need to pay a fixed monthly premium to your insurance company, which, in return, is committed to pay a specified death benefit to your beneficiaries in the event you pass away within the term of the policy. The death benefit allows your family to anticipate the sudden loss of income and cover their living expenses adequately.

Types of life cover insurance

Life cover insurance can take two forms: as mortgage protection – also known as the decreasing term insurance policy and as life insurance – also known as the level term insurance policy.

The decreasing term insurance is a type of mortgage life cover suitable for homeowners who struggle with a repayment mortgage. As the years go by, the loan balance gets lower and the total amount of your insurance decreases as much as your mortgage. At this point, it may be a good option to purchase mortgage life cover. As time passes by, your mortgage amount decreases and, therefore, if you pass away, your dependants will have to pay less money on the remaining mortgage.

Level term insurance is a type of life cover that provides consistent coverage during a certain period of time, usually 1 to 30 years, at a fixed face value. Level term insurance has a fixed rate during the coverage period and does not build any cash value. The only possibility for the rate to be increased is if the probability of the policyholders’ sudden death rises.

How to select life cover insurance

Before selecting life cover insurance, you need to take into account several factors:
• What does life cover insurance include?
• Is life cover insurance beneficial to me and my family?
• How much will the death benefit be if I pass away?
• What is the fixed monthly premium for my case?
• What happens if I miss out on a payment?

Once you have answered all above questions, then you need to proceed with a second round of factors that address the insurer’s credibility:
• How renowned are they?
• Who underwrites them?
• Are they reliable enough to be around in the next twenty or thirty years to actually pay out the death benefit to my family?

Before choosing your insurer, make sure to shop around and approach at least five different insurance companies to get the greater picture of the different life insurance plans and options available to you, and then compare each plan using the above questions.

Why you need to insure your mortgage

The main reason why you need to purchase a life cover for your mortgage is because you need to protect the current level of your debt. This means that, as your mortgage decreases, so does your insurance and it will reach a point that your mortgage won’t be protected anymore. In the event of a sudden loss of income, your family will be unprotected. Therefore, it makes financial sense to purchase life cover for your mortgage so that you offer an extra protection to your family in case something happens to you, but also to have a level of coverage that you can afford paying while alive.

Your family is the most important capital to protect and your goal is to prepare them to deal with any financial emergency. The best you can do is start making all the necessary provisions today so that, in case you are not suddenly around, they are able to continue their mortgage payments and live in your house.

The background of a finance journalist who writes about the insurance services has helped Terry McBrearty compile particularly useful and factual overviews of the plans and products provided by big companies like Aegon . Read more of his articles and overviews on lifeassurancequotes.org.uk .

We have come to associate the term ‘personal injury’ for accidents that happen when someone else is responsible, and is a potential situation which could lead to the injured party making a claim for compensation.

In this article we take a look at some of the most common personal injury types and how they can be caused.

 Strains and sprains

This is mostly associated to jobs based around manual labour and lifting. However, even office and clerical work can require the moving of supplies or other boxes from time to time. Injuries sustained by this type of activity account for more than a third of work related accidents.

Much of whether a claim can be made will be down to if the relevant safety procedures have been explained to the employee beforehand, or if the appropriate lifting equipment has not been provided. 

 Burns and chemical damage

 When chemicals are not being handled properly or electrical equipment and installation not being maintained to a safe standard it can be extremely dangerous for those around it. Electric shocks from mains devices can be fatal in a worst case scenario and minor discharges can cause serious burns.

 Accidents involving hazardous materials often occur as a result of lax safety procedures. In any workplace where appropriate signage and training is not provided, injuries sustained will more than likely be eligible for compensation.

 Whiplash

 Most of us encounter traffic in our daily lives, where it is as a driver, passenger or even as a pedestrian. So it is no surprise that a great many personal injury claims arise from accidents involving motor vehicles.

 Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained by drivers and passengers of cars involved in collisions. It is inflicted by the weight of the head and neck being forced forward and backward during a sudden change of speed or impact.

 As well as causing great pain and discomfort, the damage it can cause to the nerves that travel through the vertebrae can lead to serious complications.

 Illness

It isn’t only physical injury that can lead to a successful claim. Illnesses, whether short or long term, are also covered and in some cases psychological complaints count as personal injury too. If these conditions are aggravated or triggered by your place of work or a third party then you may be entitled to lodge a claim for compensation.

 Ultimately, if something impacts your well-being, quality of life or disrupts your lifestyle then there may be a basis to claim.

With winter on its way, now could be the perfect time to take out home insurance cover with a company like HomeServe. It will help protect your premises in an emergency, but what should you look out for and what do you need to know about the different policies available?

The difference between home and contents cover

If you have become a property owner for the first time, it’s essential to understand that there are two main types of home insurance available – buildings and content. The former protects the physical structure of your home including the windows, roof and walls, as well as permanent fixtures such as a newly-fitted bathroom suite. It should also provide you with adequate protection against instances of fire, flood, subsidence, falling trees and other things that could damage your premises. You must insure your property for the amount it would cost to rebuild it from scratch including legal fees.

Contents cover, on the other hand, will offer you a financial safety net for the things inside your home including furniture and jewellery. It provides peace of mind that you’ll be compensated in the event of a natural disaster or theft, but you must read the small print to fully understand the contract. As the contents of your home might tally up to more than you think, estimate the value of your belongings as accurately as possible to avoid being underpaid if you ever need to make a claim.

Is there anything buildings insurance won’t pay for?

All policies are different, so take the time to read the terms and conditions carefully. You’ll probably find that major incidents are covered, but that normal wear and tear will be down for you to pay for. What’s more, if no one is living at your home for more than 30 days in a year, the insurance policy could become invalid, so always double check this with your provider. If you have a mortgage, the property lender might advise you on the type of insurance you need, but don’t sign a contract until you fully understand what it entails.

Do I need insurance if I’m renting a property?

While the landlord should sort out buildings insurance, it’s a good idea to protect the contents you have within the property including laptops, computers and other technical gadgets. Families and students are responsible for looking after their belongings, so think about insurance as soon as you move somewhere new. There are many different policies available, but be aware that some providers won’t insure you if you live in shared accommodation.

Theft and crime can happen all year round, but with temperatures set to drop, make sure you are insured this winter.

Medical negligence used to be something that people shied away from, unsure of how to carry out an investigation into pain and injuries suffered as a result of said negligence. However, with the rise of  ‘no win no fee’ solicitors, medical compensation claims are increasing in number each year.

If you play your case right, you will be able to gain a successful medical claim with the help of medical negligence solicitors. This article seeks to inform you of the variety of types of medical negligence that can occur.

Misdiagnosis

This can be an extremely grave mistake for a doctor to make, and one that can lead to a lot of health problems. Misdiagnosis can occur when the symptoms of your condition or illness are not already obviously apparent.

Doctors often fail to diagnose things like cancer, symptoms of an impending heart attack or a stroke, diabetes, meningitis or appendicitis.

If you are being treated for something that you don’t have, or worse, not being treated at all, it can lead to very serious damage to your health.

Surgery-related negligence

This is a rare, but nonetheless very grave offence that will hold your doctor liable for violating his or her code of conduct. If you are operated on without giving your consent to the doctor, this is classed as ‘battery’, legally speaking.

There are many other pitfalls when it comes to surgery, unfortunately. The unintentional laceration of an organ or tissue that isn’t related to the area of concern will cause extra, unwarranted damage to your body.

Wrong site surgery occurs when there has been a mistake in communicating the area of concern to the doctor, and he or she in turn operates on a different area of your body.

A lot of jokes are often made about foreign objects being left in the body after surgery; there’s not that much to laugh at, unfortunately, if it happens to you. If something is left inside your body after the operation, it will more than likely lead to severe, life-threatening infection.

Anaesthesia-related negligence

There are two areas where negligence-caused damage can occur with an anaesthesiologist. During your patient review, he or she will go through your entire patient history to see whether you have a particular allergy or other conditions they need to be aware of.

A mistake in the review will inevitably result in a mistake during the operation, where an allergic reaction could cause severe damage or even death.

Even if the review is successful and the anaesthesiologist is adequately prepared, slip-ups may occur during the surgery, where they may not react in time to changes occurring in front of them.

Despite the decrease of serious traffic accidents in the UK, there is always a chance you may be involved in an accident. Whether the damage to you and your vehicle is minor or serious, you are always able to seek compensation for an accident that wasn’t your fault. Here are some key considerations for those wanting to make a road traffic accident claim.

Never admit it was your fault

If you’re involved in an accident, admitting the accident was in any way your fault could invalidate your insurance claim. This means you should even avoid apologising, as some cases have been denied after a claimant was heard to have said ‘I’m sorry’. Instead, you should exchange all important details such as name, address and so on. If the other driver refuses to give you their details, note down their licence plate so your insurer can get them for you.

Contact your insurer

Failing to notify your insurer of an accident can immediately invalidate your policy, so make sure that you contact your insurer at the first given opportunity. From there, steps can be made towards getting compensation.

If you sustained serious injury as a result of an accident, be sure to consider the services of a specialist solicitor. For instance, if you’ve stained serious spinal damage, a spinal injury solicitor will be of much more use to you than a general practice solicitor.

Collect evidence

As with all insurance cases, you need to be able to prove that the accident wasn’t your fault. This means you should always try and prepare as much information as possible before going through the legal process. To help your case, you should try and collect any pertinent information from eye witnesses, as well as their names and address. If you managed to take any photographic evidence at the scene of the accident, be sure to have this ready for your solicitor.

If you were involved in an accident with an uninsured driver

If you have an accident with an uninsured driver, you will be unable to make a claim to an insurer. You will however be able to settle your claim through the MIB (Motor Insurers Bureau).

Repairing your vehicle

you should never get your car repaired without your insurers consent in case they want to have somebody inspect the damage. You should always check with your insurer first, as you may be required to use a mechanic who is approved by your insurer.

Liability

It’s important to remember that if an accident was partially your fault, you could be faced with a reduced amount of compensation. If for example you were seen to have been 50% responsible for an incident, you will only recover 50% of your compensation.

 Analysts have claimed that there has been an upsurge in the amount of successful medical claims being made against health services for malpractice and negligence. Indeed, now that solicitors are well versed in how to deal with such cases, more and more patients are stepping up to receive compensation for the damages caused to them.

Medical negligence lawyers can definitely get the job done; but it’s important that you don’t waste your time, as well as the court’s time, by filing a case when there really isn’t one to be made. This article aims to help you decide if your case is actually viable or not.

Early signs that you’ve been made a victim

Usually, when a mistake has been made, most of the time your health care staff will do their utmost best to remedy the situation. You will be informed at the right moment that something has gone wrong, and that everything possible is being done to fix it.

Unfortunately, bad apples do exist. Some healthcare staff will attempt to pretend like there’s nothing wrong, or gradually distance themselves from the mistake.

This in turn will lead to hesitant staff not answering your questions directly in an honest manner.

Trying out the official channels of complaint

There are several complaints commissions that have been set up specifically to deal with complaints of medical nature. The CQC, or the Care Quality Commission, will look into your case to see what can be done.

Of course, should this route of complaint lead you nowhere, adding to your frustration and anger at how you are being treated, it might be an indicator that it’s the right time to change tack.

Being sure that you deserve compensation

Some are understandably apprehensive about demanding compensation. It can take a lot of time; some are afraid that it would damage relations with their carers and thereby complicate future treatment.

Others choose not to pursue compensation because they feel like they just need to get on with their treatment. However, it is highly advisable that you do pursue it, for several different reasons.

The most important reason involves the fact that you could be losing colossal amounts of money that could be invaluable to paying for your further treatment.

It’s the responsible thing to do

Others may stand to gain from your experience; if you take your issue to court, you could inspire others in your position to get compensation for mistakes that they’ve had to suffer from.

This in turn would mean that healthcare services would be more careful in the future when it comes to practicing medicine and rectifying mistakes.

It’s always difficult to make the decision to embark on this journey; however, it’s usually worth it.

With the recent data revealing the steady increase in whiplash claims despite the drop in road accident injuries, many consumers may be rejoicing.

A report released by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries shows that the increase of claims has cost the insurance industry nearly £400m. However, companies have yet to mitigate the blow by relaying the cost to UK motorists. In fact, the data indicates that the average cost of an insurance policy has decreased.

This is partially because now, more than ever, it’s easier for UK drivers to file a whiplash claim. Whiplash, a soft-tissue injury to the neck, can occur whether the accident is severe or minor. A person experiences whiplash when there is an abrupt jerk of the head forwards, backwards or sideways.

The sudden extension and flexion of the head, known as a neck sprain, can cause damage to the ligaments in the neck, cervical muscles, nerve endings, intervertebral joints and discs. Although a person may experience whiplash, the symptoms may not be prevalent until 24 hours or more after the initial trauma. The symptoms can range in severity and may include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, dizziness, muscle spasms, pain in the shoulders and lower back, numbness in the arm and hands, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating and irritability.

Whiplash most often occurs during road traffic accidents when a car from behind collides, causing the head to jerk backward and then whip forward. Anyone can experience whiplash, even in a minor accident in which the speed was low or there is no damage to the car.

The length of recovery and the treatment required depends on the severity of the injuries. In minor cases, a person may recover within a couple of weeks. However, it may take several months or even years for someone to recover from a severe neck sprain and other injuries associated with whiplash.

Oftentimes, it is advised that motorists seek legal aid to help rectify the problems they have incurred from their whiplash. Not only does it cause physical harm and pain, but a victim’s injury may be so severe that there is an absence from work and a decreased quality of life.

A lawyer that specializes in road traffic accidents can help victims file a claim and receive compensation. The report indicated that on average, claimants in small third-party injury claims are awarded roughly £8,400 in whiplash compensation. This is on the lower end of the scale, as some claims can be as much as £100,000.

The payment can help cover any medical bills, lost income and other injury-related expenses. Yet, with so many insurance companies paying for claims, some experts question how likely it is that motorists’ insurance prices will continue to be unaffected. For now, it’s all a waiting game.

Sometimes it is possible to hear some quite extraordinary views about the nature of insurance protection and lifestyle.

Occasionally these are close to being potentially dangerous myths and here are a few of the more typical ones together with a rational comment.

The government will help pay your mortgage if you can’t

Although not totally incorrect, this is very significantly misleading.

If you lose your income and are unable to continue repayments on your mortgage, your mortgage provider may be willing to help, where they can, for a short period. 

After that, they may inevitably move to repossession.

Government help in such situations is extremely limited.  It may relate only to helping with the interest repayments on your mortgage and it might be conditional upon you having used any existing financial reserves you have beforehand.

If you’re keen to protect your family home in the event of things such as redundancy or sickness, it might be unwise to rely exclusively on the government aid. 

That is why various forms of mortgage protection insurance exist, such as those policies offered by Drewberry insurance and others.

My employer is under an obligation to keep paying my salary if I am sick

That might typically be true but it is important to recognise some of the limitations implicit in that statement.

Firstly, sickness is only one thing that may rob you of your income.  If, for example, you are made redundant, the statutory minimum redundancy pay is actually relatively limited – particularly if you have not built up an extensive service record with the employer concerned.

Secondly, even in the case of sickness, your employer is under an obligation to pay you sick pay for 26 weeks only.  After that time, your income may stop and then you may immediately struggle to continue paying your mortgage.

That is why it might be advisable to consider things such as mortgage payment protection insurance.

Mortgage lenders won’t repossess your property if you are seriously ill

Unfortunately, there may be little hard evidence to support this assertion.

Of course, you may hope that in such circumstances your mortgage provider may be sympathetic but their patience is unlikely to be unlimited.  The one thing you perhaps will not want if you are long-term sick and unable to work is to have to start to worry about whether or not you and your family will be able to retain the roof over your head.

In order to fully protect yourself against such circumstances, you might wish to consider investigating critical illness cover – something that might generate income cover for you for an extended period, perhaps running up to your normal retirement age.

You can’t have two people insured for the same mortgage

Yes, you can.

As it is perfectly possible for a mortgage to be in joint names, it is equally possible to cover the joint risks associated with the two mortgage holders.  That might include life, sickness and redundancy type issues.

Perhaps you’ve just started a new business that requires a van, or you’re moving house and need to hire a van for the day to move your belongings. Whatever the reason, it’s a legal requirement that you take out van insurance to ensure that, should anything go wrong or you are unfortunately involved in an accident, your insurer will cover any costs of damage or loss.

The cost of van insurance is determined by the category of insurance group your van falls in. There are 20 van insurance groups, with number one being the cheapest level of insurance. Vans are categorized on a number of factors, including:

Weight and size

This will affect the steering and breaking, so it naturally follows that heavier vehicles are much more difficult to drive and therefore the risk of an accident is higher. As a result, owners of larger vans will be quoted higher premiums than those who drive smaller vehicles.

Value

A no brainer this: the more expensive the van is the higher the cost of insurance will be.

Repairs

Another contributing factor towards which insurance group category your vehicle will fall in is the cost of repairs, as it is usually more difficult to source the spare parts for cheaper models, so they become more difficult to replace.

If this is the case, then it’s likely that your van will be assigned to a higher insurance group to reflect the costs involved in sourcing the parts in the event of a claim.

Security

Vans that are more likely to be stolen, such as those that are unsecured of lack security features, will also be categorised in a higher van insurance group, so it may be worth looking into investing into some immobilisers or security alarms before you contact a company like Swinton van insurance for cover.

Usage

How you intend to use your van will also have an impact on your level of cover and cost. If you are self-employed and hope to use the van to transport your own belongings, such as your ‘tools of trade’, you will most likely be covered by what is known as ‘carriage of own goods’ cover. On the other hand, if you’re transporting goods that do not belong to you, i.e. you’re delivering other people’s belongings, then this type of cover is ‘haulage/hire and reward’ cover.

Other factors

Where you choose to park your van will impact the cost of your insurance premium, so this will be vital information for the insurer. If you are able to park your vehicle in a secure location overnight away from the risk of theft, then you will be offered a cheaper quote than if you intended to keep it parked on the side of the road.

Owners of both car and motorcycles often find it difficult to insure their vehicles under one plan, citing that it’s generally more expensive than insuring them separately as well as it putting their no claims bonus at risk should they have an accident on one or the other. This, however, is not always the case, with many insurers now offering joint vehicle insurance, with discounted premiums for their safe drivers.

6 wheel insurance

Joint motorcycle and car insurance policies are now often referred to as 6 wheel insurance, allowing those who own both types of vehicles to be insured under the same plan. These insurance policies have been in demand for some time but only recently have they begun to crop up. Bikers are generally more prudent drivers as they are used to being more exposed on the road, meaning they also tend to be safer car drivers. Insurers have realised this and now have begun to offer competitive insurance policies to reflect this.

Save time and cost

Insuring your car and bike under one policy is also massively convenient as it saves a lot of time and effort reading into separate insurance policies that can often be confusing. Once you have your policy, your renewal dates are consolidated, protecting your no claims bonus for both vehicles. These insurance policies are a good comprehensive option, offering UK and European accident and breakdown cover as well as £50,000 in motor protection should you get in an accident that wasn’t your fault with an uninsured driver. These insurance policies are comprehensive, meaning that if you don’t want that level of protection, you could be saving more by using third party insurers.

How it works

With your average comprehensive motorbike insurance policy and car insurance policy costing more than £600 combined, having some form of six wheel car insurance can save you considerable amounts of money, with the average combined cost coming to around £550. The price of insurance will obviously vary driver to driver, depending on the age, previous driving history, type of vehicle, eye sight and criminal convictions. So, be sure to get a quote and you could find yourself making considerable savings.

Compare online

Depending on your history and circumstances, it may be cheaper to insure separately, so use price comparison websites to calculate exactly what savings can be made. Using Swinton motorbike insurance in conjunction with a cheap third party policy could be a wiser option, so shop around for the best deals.