Posts filed under 'advice'
Over the past 12 months Moneysupermarket.com have analysed 12 million quotes and has announced that Kwik Fit and Swiftcover are the most competitive companies for car insurance in the UK.
According to the London Stock Exchange, Kwik Fit and Swiftcover were tied for the top spot with average premiums on car insurance of just £276.74.
Peter Gerrard, head of insurance research at moneysupermarket.com said that smaller online insurers who have lower overheads are being very nimble on price.
Swiftcover.com for example have no call centres so they can pass these savings on to their customers. Make sure that you aren’t paying over the odds on your car insurance.
At a time when we are all trying to reduce our expenditure as petrol prices soar, it is well worth visiting the Kwik Fit and Swiftcover websites to see if you can save on your car insurance.
May 27th, 2008
We all resent having to buy car insurance and spend our time hunting around for the best deals, but what do we look for when choosing which car insurer to use and exactly what are we covered for?
I think that a lot of people take into account the reputation of the insurance company but the vast majority of people make a decision based on price first and foremost. But do we really know what the price actually gives us.
Recent research carried out on behalf of swiftcover.com found that we are all very confused about what is and isn’t covered. Here are some common misunderstandings when it comes to car insurance:
Some people think that their insurance policy automatically covers them for driving other people’s cars but in reality you are not always covered and if you are it is normally for third party cover only;
Have you ever put petrol in a diesel car? I know a friend who did this, twice. Luckily the car was fine but they may not have been covered under their car insurance policy. 10% of people from the research wrongly assumed it would be covered;
Apparently 36% of drivers smoke whilst driving and a staggering 65% of us eat. If you ever have an accident whilst smoking, drinking or eating you could be caught for negligence even if you weren’t to blame.
I found quite a funny article called The 10 most dangerous foods to eat while driving. It’s number one offender was ‘coffee’. Not technically a food but a real distraction due to its dripability. People tend to be more prone to accidents when trying to clear up coffee that has dripped on to clothes, especially on the way to work. Foods that made the top 10 included Tacos and chilli (why would you?), hamburgers, fried chicken and chocolate (don’t even try eating a flake when driving).
So make sure that you read the policy details before you buy to make sure that everything you need for your car insurance is included and when you have bought your insurance, don’t eat and drive.
May 21st, 2008
Are you one of the millions of people that suffer from Hayfever? If you are I completely sympathise with you. Just as the weather starts to turn nice and you want to spend more time outdoors, along comes the runny nose, itchy eyes and the sneezing. Not only do we have to walk around looking like we have colds, but to add insult to injury we are also now likely to have our car insurance premiums increased as we are seen as more of a risk on the roads.
Like smoking, eating and drinking, sneezing is also a distraction when driving. Especially if you are reaching down for a tissue at the same time. Joking aside - the main concern that insurance companies seem to have isn’t so much in the sneezing but the side effects that hayfever medication can have on you. It is very important that if you are taking medication that you read the instructions and understand what the side effects could be. Some may cause drowsiness and a slower reaction time when driving. If you suffer very badly from hayfever you may be tempted to mix your medication and this can make matters worse.
So if you are taking medication, please read the label before driving. There are so many speed cameras on the sides of our roads and hidden cameras in cars that it is much easier to be caught driving dangerously, so be vigilant.
May 14th, 2008
It is actually finally starting to feel like summer and it is that time of the year when people start to book their holidays. It is very easy to spend all your time choosing your holiday destination and then busily buying new summer clothes and shoes that forgetting to buy or check your travel insurance is common place.
There are many travel insurance providers and it can be very confusing as to what type of policy to go for and who to go with. Some people may already have received free travel insurance through their bank account but please ensure that you have read the small print and understand exactly what you are insured for.
The Times Online have compiled a really helpful article about how to choose your travel insurance policy. It takes you through what The Foreign and Commonweath Office recommend your travel insurance should cover and more useful information.
Don’t forget that if you are travelling in Europe you need to apply for your European Health Insurance Card as this entitles you to free or discounted medical treatment.
Make sure that the Travel Insurance you buy is the best for you in terms of price and cover. For example if you normally have two or three holidays in the year then it would probably be cheaper to buy an annual multi-trip policy rather than a single policy for each trip. Also, if you are a sporty person and plan on taking part in a certain sporting activity on holiday, make sure that this is included on your insurance. An article by MSN gives more tips on this including ensuring you have adequate car insurance cover if driving abroad and the all important luggage and baggage cover should anything go missing or get damaged.
May 6th, 2008
I read an article on The London Stock Exchange website which identifies the rising cost of car insurance as a contributing factor to people not being able to afford to run a car any longer.
A poll carried out by MoneyExpert.com says that 25% of motorists who completed the poll are using their cars less as a result of increased costs. 8% of these people said increased car insurance premiums was the main reason. However, a substantial 76% said that it was the rising petrol prices that effected how much they use their car.
These people won’t be happy to hear that petrol prices could hit £1.50 per litre by late summer according to a report in The Guardian. The increase is due to the price of a barrel of crude oil hitting almost $114 and the sharp fall in the value of the dollar.
Gordon Brown in visiting the United States at the moment to discuss the Credit Crunch and has called on Opec to increase production in a bid to drive costs down. It looks like it is a simple supply and demand situation. However Opec appears to be standing firm.
So with all these costs rising it looks like we all need to tighten our belts a little. Spring is officially here so now would be a good time to Spring Cleaning your finances. Make sure you are getting the best deals for your loans, car insurance, mortgages and shop around for the cheapest petrol prices.
April 17th, 2008
As a member of the public, I was really pleased to read that The RSPCA has announced that at their Society summer conference they will be examining the challenge of managing dogs within our communities.
There have been many reports over the past couple of years where children have been unexpectedly and uncharacteristically attacked by family pets in their own homes, some leading to them sadly dying. It is certainly something that I am more aware of nowadays and more nervous about when I see a stray dog in the street.
Miranda Luck, RSPCA Strategic Campaigner said : “There is a concern amongst the public at the moment about dogs, whether it be high-profile attacks on children, organised dog fighting, or young people with tough-looking dogs on street corners. The RSPCA wants to bring people together to discuss these issues, and hopefully we’ll come up with effective solutions.”
Speakers at the one day conference will include Richard Brunstrom, North Wales Chief Constable and Neil Davies, the head of the Dog Unit for Merseyside Police. Following the death of Ellie Lawrenson in 2007, Neil Davies introduced the ‘pitbull amnesty’.
The RSPCA have also launched a new scheme in Brixton to try and address the problem of anti-social behaviour and the intimidation of dogs on London’s streets. The scheme brings together Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, The Blue Cross and the RSPCA and has the backing of the Mayor of London.
An educational pack was put together with a video exploring issues of dog ownership. It addresses topics like irresponsible dog breeding, inappropriate exercise areas and organized dog fighting.
With so many high profile attacks it brings to the fore the need to have some level of pet insurance. Make sure that you are covered if your pet injures or kills someone or damages someone’s property. It can happen so easily and can cost you thousands of pounds. Also, with pet’s rating so highly in our affections it is good to know that your pet will also be looked after if they are ever hurt or attacked by another animal.
April 10th, 2008
Like many home owners I am in the position that in a few months time my current mortgage deal ends and I will be looking for a better deal. Unfortunately, even with the announcement today that The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee is to cut interest rates to 5% from 5.25%, it looks like I will be lucky if I manage to get a similar deal never mind a better one.
But I am a lot better placed then people looking for their first mortgage. Many mortgage companies have started to pull some of their products from the market. First Direct, owned by HSBC, were the first to withdraw their entire mortgage range from new customers, followed by the Co-operative Bank pulling all its two year deals and others followed suit. Bristol and West Mortgages, a subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland, has become the latest bank to take action withdrawing about 60 percent of its products.
HSBC has decided to try and cash in on the situation announcing that it will match the interest rate of any borrower who is coming to the end of their fixed rate deals. What’s the catch? Well apparently it is in the arrangement fee which can be as high as £4,999, although HSBC are quick to reassure us that they estimate that three quarters of people will pay £999 or less.
The effect has already been felt in the housing market with prices falling by 2.5% in March, the biggest monthly decline since September 1992 according to The Halifax. And who knows how much further prices will fall. Anatole Kaletsky reports for The Times Online that prices could fall by as much as 30% if we follow the United States.
At times like these it is a great opportunity to review all your finances. Make sure that you are getting the best deals from your banks and building societies, check your insurance to make sure you aren’t paying above the odds and reduce weekly shopping bills by trying more own branded products. You can find more great tips on Money Saving Expert.
April 10th, 2008
As a parent I am all to aware of the problem parents have in helping their children to be happy with who they are and how they look. The perfect image portrayed in magazines, newspapers and online of the Celebrity often makes children feel very insecure about themselves. I was shocked to read over the weekend that a new ‘virtual fashion game’ had been launched targeting girls between the ages of 9 and 16 called Miss Bimbo. The aim of the website is for girls to create a Bimbo that is ‘the coolest, richest and most famous bimbo in the world’.
Players can choose where to live, what job to do, shop for the latest fashions, become a socialite, date a famous hottie and even resort to plastic surgery and diet pills. It is free to register but apparently you buy ‘dollars’ to spend on your character by texting at £1.50 a text.
It amazes me that such a website can be launched. It clearly plays on the desire of young girls to be famous and encourages them to take diet pills and have plastic surgery in order to be the best. As adults we can differentiate between what’s online and the real world but children can’t do this so easily. Dee Dawson, the medical director of Rhodes Farm Clinic, treats girls from the tender age of 8 who are suffering from eating disorders. He was commented in The Times Online as saying “This is as lethal as pro-anorexia websites. A lot of children will get caught up with the extremely damaging and appalling messages.”
Mr Dawson isn’t the only one to be outraged. Many of the national newspapers has picked up on this new website and I am sure that there will be lots of debates on this over the next couple of weeks but in the meantime, this is definitely one of those websites that I will be blocking on my home PC. Will you?
March 25th, 2008
Something that I was shocked to read about today was that some of the best selling cars in Britain can be broken in to in under three seconds, according to The consumer group Which?.
Although some car crime is premeditated, the vast majority of car crime is opportunistic carried out due to possessions being left on show.
Back in February 2007 thefts of satellite navigation devices from cars had soared by 35 percent in a 12 month period. The smash-and-grab culture was hitting Britain. People were finding their car windows being smashed and contents removed when their car was parked outside their homes and, in some more worrying instances, when they were waiting at traffic lights. I now lock my car doors if I am driving alone so that my bag can’t be stolen or my car carjacked.
As the majority of car crime is opportunistic there are things that we can do as car owners to try and prevent our car being broken in to or stolen.
You can have a car alarm or immobiliser installed and use steering locks as a visible deterrent to car thieves. And one of the most important things that we all can do is to keep all belongings out of sight. Leaving bags, laptops, money, jewelry, satellite navigation systems etc on view is like a written invitation.
It is also essential that you remember to remove any suction pads or cradle supports off the windscreen or dashboard as these will give thieves a clear indication that certain equipment is used in the car.
We can do our best to try and beat the thieves but sometimes all our best efforts will be in vain. So the next best thing we can do is make sure that our car insurance covers us against car theft. Swiftcover now offers their car insurance customers the optional additional benefit of Gadget Cover. You can insure your personal electrical items, e.g. mobile phones, satellite navigation, Ipods, digital cameras, if stolen from the car or if damaged accidentally whilst with the car.
March 18th, 2008
Alistair Darling has delivered his first budget as the chancellor. The main theme of his budget was on creating a stable economy. It has been a tough first year for the new chancellor dealing with excessive public debt and a looming recession and the nationalisation of one of the country’s biggest mortgage lenders, Northern Rock.
There were the usual increases in alcohol and tobacco duties but as predicted the chancellor did implement some changes to encourage people to be more green.
From April 2010 there will be no tax payable in the first year on new cars that emit less than 130g per kilometer of CO2. A higher first year rate will be charged on the most polluting cars that emit more than 255g of carbon dioxide per kilometer with Vehicle Excise Duty of £425. Also from April 2010 the most polluting vehicles will face a £950 showroom tax. The chancellor said “It is right that if people choose to buy a more-polluting car that they should pay more in the first year to reflect the environmental cost. The changes will provide a real incentive to manufacturers and motorists.” He also said that new funding will be set aside to develop technology for national road charging which could reduce congestion and help environment measures”.
Charges on plastic bags may be introduced in 2009 if the voluntary progress is unsuccessful and a total of £26 million will be committed to the Green Home Service to help families cut fuel bills.
The planned rise in fuel duty which was scheduled to go up by 2p per litre in April, has been delayed until October. Much to the anger of environmentalists. John Sauven, Greenpeace executive director is quoted in The Independent as saying “Darling’s safe pair of hands have dropped the ball on climate change. Suspending the promised increase in fuel duty has fatally undermined his boast that this is a green budget, and tinkering with taxes on planes and cars isn’t going to stop new runways and roads being built. The Chancellor should have channeled cash into clean technologies, energy efficiency projects and support for the renewables industry. On all these counts, his measures have failed to match the scale of the challenge we face.”
Mr Darling announced that the first carbon Budget will be delivered alongside the Budget next year. Maybe that announcement will do a little more to appease environmentalists.
March 12th, 2008
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