Archive for November, 2009
Research was taken out by car insurance company swiftcover.com, to see how many motorists knew what their motor insurance policies included and what exactly they were covered for. The research returned provided some interesting results.
Facts showed that 17% of car insurance customers admitted to never reading their policies, and diving straight in at the deep end. Online car insurance provider swiftcover.com try to solve this issue by providing motorists with useful, broken down information on every little aspect or term that is involved in a policy document.
The first ever online car insurance jargon buster which helps people who are looking for a car insurance quote was produced by swiftcover.com, and helps motorists understand terms from car modifications to voluntary excess, in fact 23% of car owners had no idea what voluntary excess actually meant. Some other facts included; 51% do not know that ‘material fact’ is the information that you give to your insurer that could affect your insurance policy, such as having points on your licence.
Swiftcover’s car insurance jargon buster proved to have helped 46% of motorists, providing them with more detailed information, helping them understand what they are buying and how to receive cheaper car insurance quotes.
Read more information on what car insurance customers were puzzled about when it came to understanding car insurance.
November 27th, 2009
Google are in the process of scanning millions of out of print books, which will be added online to form the biggest online library. The idea has recently been approved by British publishing groups and authors. Readers will be able to go online and read extracts from books or buy the full copies. The idea has been a controversial one and according to the Times Online there are concerns that it will breach the copyright of some international authors. Others welcome the idea as it will be an important source of revenue for authors.
Although there are pros and cons to the idea, it certainly would make access to books easier and quicker and it may even encourage people to read more.
November 25th, 2009
Flooding has caused chaos on the roads as torrential rain has hit some parts of the UK, and the rainy weather is set to continue over the weekend.
The environmental agency has put 27 flood warnings in place, and severe gales may also accompany the rain.
With these warnings in place it is important not to drive unless essential, as driving conditions are treacherous and many roads are closed. However if you do decide to drive in these conditions then keep this advice in mind:
• Lower your speed
• Leave a longer gap between yourself and other traffic
• Watch out for any shiny patches as they could be puddles of water
• Be alert and ready to slow down if needed
If you are planning a journey this weekend remember these tips and ensure you have adequate car insurance cover. Click on the article link below for more advice on flooding and for information about road closures.
Article: Flood rescue: what you need to know
November 20th, 2009
Many people use comparison sites to find the best deals, as they take the hassle out of shopping around, making the process much quicker and easier.
Research from Which? Money recently found that some consumers are disappointed with the standard of customer service they receive from these sites. They found that on average customers were 50% or less satisfied when it came to customer service.
However, in response to the survey moneysupermarket.com challenged the credibility of the research saying:
Our own customer satisfaction survey, which runs monthly, shows 83% of our customers are extremely satisfied or satisfied (sample size 20,488 since March 2009). What’s more we are making steady and continual improvements to our satisfaction score.
At the end of the day comparison sites save people a lot of time, and as comparison sites continue to improve and grow, they are becoming a more popular way of shopping around. If in doubt, in some cases it may be good to check the price directly before you buy.
So keep this in mind the next time your shopping for the best car insurance deals.
November 19th, 2009
Friday 13th is known as a day of good or bad luck. Some people will approach today with caution, whilst others will just carry on like it’s any other day.
According to BBC Online, research has found that people who consider themselves unlucky are more likely to believe in superstitions associated to bad luck; however people who consider themselves lucky tend to believe in superstitions related to good luck.
Friday 13th, nonetheless, could be unlucky for road users. Research from the AA and the Work Wise UK organisation found that Fridays are the worst day for road accidents, and the month of November has consistently been a bad month for road accidents, so a combination of the two may result in an unlucky day.
So whether you believe in luck or not, make sure you avoid a car insurance claim by adapting to the deteriorating road conditions, and take care on the road.
November 13th, 2009
Seatbelts are an important safety feature in every car, however some people can still suffer from bruising or even broken ribs when in an accident due to the force of a seatbelt. Most of the time these injuries are minimal compared to what could have been, but could these injuries be avoided as technology and safety improves?
Ford has launched an inflatable seatbelt which is based on airbag technology. In the event of an accident the seatbelt will inflate and expand in the space of only 40 milliseconds. It will stay inflated for a few seconds after the crash, and then it will slowly deflate as the air escapes out of the pores in the airbag.
The inflatable seatbelts will initially be introduced in the backseats of the latest Ford Explorer 4×4 model, which goes into production in the United States next year, and according to whatcar.com, Ford would like to use the seatbelt in more of their products in the future.
This could possibly be the future of the seatbelt, and if the trial works well, then we could see a decrease in the number of injuries caused by seatbelts.
November 12th, 2009
It has been nearly six months since the scrappage scheme started and it seems to have been a success so far, after it was announced that there was a record increase in car sales in October.
According to BBC Online,168,942 new cars were registered last month, this is an increase of 31.6% compared to last years sales, and it is thought that over 20% of them resulted from the scrappage scheme.
The Times Online also revealed that the Ford Fiesta was the best selling model in the month, for the eighth time this year.
When the scheme was launched it looked likely for it to run out this month, but in September the government decided that it would be extended to early next year. So you still have a few months if you are thinking of making use of the scheme, and with the VAT increase planned for January it’s probably worth making the most of it before the end of the year.
November 6th, 2009
Road Rage is a common part of everyday driving for some motorists, but identifying an angry driver is often impossible unless you hear a horn, or manage to get a glimpse of an angry stare.
However, US Academics have researched into these actions and came up with a somewhat interesting fact about motorists and their car stickers. Research has shown that drivers who display stickers on their cars, have the tendency to become more aggressive behind the wheel, due to car stickers acting as a territorial mark.
Research was conducted in the UK by car insurance company swiftcover.com. Thankfully only 3% of UK drivers displayed these ‘territorial marks’ in their vehicles, although 13% admitted to having an ornament hanging below their rear-view mirror. 2% of the focus group also admitted to displaying furry dice in their cars.
In the US, Colorado State University found that drivers who displayed stickers, were also prone to acting more territorial while driving on the roads, and were shown as aggressive drivers when other motorists invaded their space.
swiftcover.com took the information with a pinch of salt, and expressed that something like this would never provide enough proof for anyone’s Motor Insurance to increase.
November 5th, 2009
