Archive for August, 2009
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) have reported today that one in five your motorists are driving illegally with no car insurance.
It is estimated that the total number of 17-20 year olds without insurance is as high as 243,000 and it is being blamed on the rising costs of motoring and lack of knowledge on their behalf.
Police are cracking down on offenders. When police are on patrol their ANPR (automatic number place recognition) camera can scan hundreds of passing cars every few minutes and they are alerted to any cars that don’t have an MOT certificate, a valid tax disc or valid car insurance. They then have the power to stop, question and, if necessary, arrest the driver.
Some people are saying that young drivers can’t afford to pay for the rising costs in motoring, but in my opinion, if they can’t afford it then they shouldn’t be driving. By driving around in cars that don’t have MOTs they are putting other peoples lives in danger and they impact on other peoples insurance costs if an innocent third party isn’t able to claim for damage to their car from another insurance company.
August 27th, 2009
Research by ‘You and Your Wedding Magazine’ shows that the average cost of a wedding is nearly £16,000 which can leave many couples starting their married life with little or no savings.
However, there is some good news. Online insurance company swiftcover.com says that
Adding a spouse to your car insurance policy can save you up to 20%
For example:
A man adding his female spouse to his insurance policy could see his premium cut from over £388 to under £345 - if both drivers are male and in a civil partnership, the new premium would be around £348 because male drivers are considered a higher risk.
However, if a woman driver put her male spouse on her policy, the premium would fall from just over £341 to little more than £303 - the cost for two women in a civil partnership would also be around £303.
It isn’t just those who are ‘officially hitched’ who benefit. Couples, whether hetrosexual or same-sex partners, will still see a saving with swiftcover.com, although it may not be as high as those in a legally recognised partnership.
Click on the article link below for more information about how you and your partner can save money on your motor insurance and what to do when shopping around.
Article: Marriage can Cut the Cost of Car Insurance
August 26th, 2009
Are you a wannabe rock star? Would you like to see your name in lights? Think you’ve got the moves?
Then visit www.dancelikearockstar.com and you can be a rocker, thanks to swiftcover.com - the UK’s 100% online car insurance company.
It’s simple - upload an image of you, or your mate, and send an e-card to your friends and family of you bustin’ a move dancing like a rock star. And when they receive the e-card, they can also upload their photos and live out their own rock fantasies!
Awesome!
And if you know of any really good virals - send us your comments and a link. Let’s see if we can have a top 10 list.
August 21st, 2009
For all those speed camera haters it brings me great pleasure to announce that more of the dreaded Yellow boxes could be switched off - Bournemouth are considering following in Swindon’s footsteps and removing its fixed speed cameras according to a recent report by the Bournemouth Daily Echo.
A committee has been set up to discuss the necessity of the cameras just two weeks after Swindon became the first town in the UK to turn off five of them because the council claimed the £320,000 maintenance bill was too high.
There are 20 speed cameras in the south coast town of Bournemouth - which has a Conservative council - and the committee are said to be investigating whether or not the cameras actually help prevent accidents or reduce car speeds.
So it could only be a matter of time before Bournemouth’s motorists start celebrating the demise of the speed camera.
August 18th, 2009
Swiftcover are proud to be named as the UK’s ‘Best Online Motor Insurance Provider’ by the readers of Your Money magazine. The car insurance provider were shortlisted for the prestigious award based on price and service with the final decision made by a panel of mystery shoppers from Your Money magazine.
And it’s not just Your Money magazine who have recognised swiftcover.com as one of the UK’s leading car insurance companies. Personal finance website Moneywise awarded swiftcover.com the title of ‘Most Trusted Motor Insurance Provider’. This was after the online car insurance company won a poll from over 10 000 readers who rated financial services providers on a number of factors including whether they would recommend Swiftcover to other people.
Tina Shortle, marketing director at swiftcover.com, said, “We are delighted to have won these two important awards because they are honours voted for by our customers. It shows that not only does swiftcover.com provide the UK’s cheapest motor insurance, we also give drivers an excellent level of service and the trust and confidence they demand from a motor insurer.”
Swiftcover has had a fantastic year so far as these accolades are not the first proudly placed under their belts in 2009.
August 13th, 2009
To many drivers, abstaining from your car air conditioning is a stupid folly akin to giving away a winning lottery ticket or refusing to buy a dishwasher. But as the summer heats up (slowly) have you noticed your car’s air con has lost its mojo? To get that icy cool smell back into your car try this do-it-yourself guide that explains how to easily recharge the refrigerant in your car’s cooling system. It’s a breeze.
Firstly, if your car AC is completely broken it’s probably best to get a professional to look at it. Information site wikiHow has come up with an AC fixing guide that explains how to get that showroom fresh punch back into your car. However you will need a charging kit, refrigerant and possibly a pressure gauge. AC kits are available to buy at car stores. Take a look at the instructions and let us hear your comments on the operation AC fix-up.
August 7th, 2009
An Electric Car you can Plug in at Home - Nissan reach an era of Green Motoring
Nissan have unveiled the world’s first affordable electric family car. It’s called the ‘Leaf’ hatchback and averages a top speed of 100mph after it is charged from a plug socket at home - now that’s a powerful green machine. The five-seater is powered by a lithium-ion battery and could soon be sitting in thousands of garages around Britain very soon.
The zero emission vehicle will be sold first in the U.S, Japan and then Europe towards the end of 2010 and Nissan bosses have stated the car’s batteries could be made at the Sunderland plant - creating hundreds of jobs and giving the car industry a boost during the recession. The Leaf’s batteries can be fully charged overnight or reach 80% full in half an hour and they appear to fit neatly in place of your petrol cap.
The hatchback’s price could start at around £13,000. The best part however, is that owners will not have to pay road tax because the Leaf has no emissions. So, could you turn over a new leaf? Speaking of ways to keep your costs down, get cheaper car insurance online and check out Swiftcover.com for a UK car insurance quote in under 60 seconds.
August 7th, 2009
