Toyota’s recent recall of vehicles has raised concerns amongst Toyota drivers about whether it is safe to drive their cars, and some are uncertain if their car insurance would cover them in the event of an accident.
Toyota recalled six models of vehicles because of problems with the accelerator pedals. The models affected are the IQ, Aygo, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Avensis and Verso. The Times Online reported that the recall has cost Toyota $2billion which includes cars in Europe, China and the US. They also reported that drivers will have to wait another week before the new parts arrive in the UK, and repairs are only due to start on the 10th February.
More than 10 000 people in the UK have phoned Toyota with concerns, and to find out whether they should continue driving their cars. If you are concerned about your car and whether you will be covered if you have an accident, then it’s probably best to contact your insurance company to check.
If you are a UK Toyota customer and unsure whether your car is affected, then click here for more information.
February 5th, 2010
Readers of lovemoney.com recently voted swiftcover.com as the best ‘Value for Money’ car insurer for 2010. The awards were voted for by actual insurance buyers, which gives a real-life reflection of what customers think about the insurer.
Marketing Director of swiftcover.com, Tina Shortle says:
To be named the best, ‘Value for Money’ car insurer shows that our commitment to low cost car insurance backed by a service customers expect, is working
So if you are looking for value for money then it might be worth getting a quote from swiftcover.com.
February 3rd, 2010
After spending a fortune on a brand new car, it is frustrating knowing that as soon as you drive it away from the car dealership it loses value. You may be interested in a recent report from Parkers which named and shamed the cars which depreciate the most. Surprisingly the more luxurious cars such as a Rolls-Royce and Maybach were found to depreciate the most; you could lose up to £127,526 over a year- Is it really worth it?
If you are looking for a car that depreciates slowly then the Honda Jazz may be the car for you, as it topped the list for the top 10 performers of 2009, depreciating only £1379 over the year. Other good buys are the Fiat 500 (08 on) or the SEAT Ibiza. If you don’t want to lose so much money it seems the smaller cars are the ones to go for as they took up 35 of the 40 top places.
The figures were calculated by comparing the estimated market value of 10,000-mile car, which was bought new 12 months earlier, against its list price new. Here is a full list of the findings:
Top 10 performers:
1 Honda Jazz (08 on) - £1,379
2 Fiat 500 (08 on) - £1,460
3 SEAT Ibiza (08 on) - £1,552
4 Hyundai i10 (08 on) - £1,650
5 Mazda2 (07 on) - £1,702
6 Kia Picanto (04 on) - £1,760
7 VW Fox (06 on) - £1,781
8 Suzuki Swift (05 on) - £1,900
9 Toyota Aygo (05 on) - £2,148
10 Mitsubishi i (07 on) - £2,271
Bottom 10 performers:
1 Maybach 62 (03 on) - £127,526
2 Maybach 57 (03 on) - £115,253
3 Rolls-Royce Phantom (03 on) - £81,183
4 Bentley Arnage (98 on) - £66,040
5 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (05 on) - £51,627
6 Mercedes-Benz SL AMG (02 on) - £51,381
7 Bentley Continental Flying Spur (05 on) - £47,080
8 Aston Martin DBS (08 on) - £41,347
9 Bentley Continental GT Coupé - £40,110
10 Ferrari F430 (05 on) - £37,188
January 29th, 2010
A group of 68 skydivers recently jumped near Lake Elsinore, California and broke the US national record for the largest wingsuite formation.
The skydivers, who came from 16 different countries, were flown up in four planes and jumped from 13000ft before joining together in an unlinked diamond formation. The Telegraph reported that the skydivers wore brightly coloured wingsuites, and the formation looked like a spectacular kaleidoscope against the white clouds above them.
According to the Mail Online the event was organised by a non-profit organisation called raise the sky. The record raised $5000 for the charity City Year, which provides mentoring to keep underprivileged children in school. These people are not afraid to live life to the full and are an inspiration to others- maybe its time to get a life and do more.
January 26th, 2010
Nintendo have announced that they will launch the new Nintendo DSi XL in March this year. The hand held consol will be a bigger version of the DSi consol and will feature two 4.2 inch LCD screens.
The DSi XL, has been designed due to customer demand and will come in two colours, wine red and chocolate brown. According to the Times Online Robert Saunders of Nintendo said:
We find that families like to play games together huddled around one console, and the smaller screen was making that difficult. The new screen also brings a level of detail to the graphics that has never been seen before.
The Telegraph reported that it will come pre-loaded with two games, including Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1. If you find the Nintendo DS too small then this DS could be ideal for you.
January 21st, 2010
Legendary rocker Iggy Pop will once again feature in swiftcover.com’s TV adverts, but this year’s £30million advertising campaign comes with a twist as Iggy reveals ‘Little Iggy’, an impatient, trouble making Iggy Pop puppet.
Despite last years TV adverts being somewhat controversial, Marketing Director, Tina Shortle says:
Iggy loved the fact that last year’s campaign stirred up a lot of emotion, so this year we’ve played on the controversy with even more irreverent humour. The introduction of ‘Little Iggy’ allowed Iggy to play against type and become the chilled-out, golf-playing rock star whilst ‘Little Iggy’ causes havoc.
Iggy Pop also fronted swiftcover.com’s 2009 campaign which proved successful as sales increased by a third. This year’s campaign will continue to be about getting your insurance quickly so you can ‘get a life’. The advertising campaign will be seen on TV, radio, billboards, and online.
Keep an eye out for the new TV advert or you can view it on YouTube
January 19th, 2010
Over the past few weeks the snow and freezing weather conditions has resulted in flight disruptions, which affected flight arrivals and caused delays to departures.
Flights from Gatwick, Southampton, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter airports and passengers at Cardiff, Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted were all affected. The daily mail reported that some passengers were told to leave terminal five without their luggage due to flight delays, and it had been recommended that passengers contact the airline before going to the airport.
If you are planning on travelling make sure you are prepared and have adequate travel insurance, you never know when you might need it. Click here for the latest travel news.
January 14th, 2010
The start of a new year can be stressful as the Christmas period comes to an end, and after the Christmas spending some may feel financially strained. swiftcover.com have put together a 60 second guide to de-stressing so if you are having a stressful day why not take a minute to unwind.
Take slow deep breaths; focus just on your breathing rather than the stress you are feeling. It can help to walk away from wherever the stressful situation is such as your desk, this way you will remove yourself both physically and mentally from the stressful situation. And always remember to smile; even if you don’t feel like it, the simple act of smiling can make you feel much better.
Start the New Year positively and make 2010 less stressful. For more information take a look at www.stress.org.uk or find out more about stress by visiting NHS Direct.
January 7th, 2010
With the wet weather conditions and increased traffic on the roads expected at Christmas, it is important to take extra care on the roads. Here are a few tips which will help make your journey safer:
Check your tyres are properly inflated and have sufficient tread depth.
Check your headlights are working and you have a full tank of petrol, so you can avoid getting stranded.
Take along an emergency kit, including a blanket, water, high energy snacks, a torch, basic tool kit, first aid kit, jump leads and a tow rope.
Make sure your windscreen is fully de-iced before you set off.
Drive safely this Christmas to avoid starting the New Year with a car insurance claim.
December 23rd, 2009
swiftcover.com found that many people become impatient on the road and nearly one in ten men admit that their impatience has caused them to have an accident. 37% of people said they are more impatient now than they were three years ago, which has not only caused problems on the road but also at work and home. There are a number of factors which contribute towards drivers becoming impatient, such as tailgating, or when other drivers talk on their mobile phones.
Men were found to have the least patience with nearly 62% of male drivers confessing to swearing and gesturing to other road users, compared to 47% of women. The rudest age group are those between the ages of 45 to 54 with 53% saying they have made rude gestures or sworn while driving. Regionally drivers in the South West were found to be the rudest with 60% admitting to being rude, and London was found to be the most polite area with only 38% of people admitting to being impolite. 5% of people have taken up yoga to improve their patience and 11% have resolved to be nicer to others.
It is important to stay patient on the road, as impatience could lead to an accident which could push up your car insurance premium. To help ease the stress you could organise school lift clubs, car sharing or you could leave a little earlier in the morning to avoid the traffic.
December 15th, 2009
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