Posts Tagged ‘misc’

Is Anyone Else Sick Of Seeing Insurance Adverts Everywhere You Go?

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

Driving up the M6 this morning I was struck by the amount of lorries on the road, not just the small ones but the large ones too. Here is a lorry carrying bricks, here’s another with a milk container on the back, another one with nothing on at all and naturally the supermarket one offering cheap insurance deals. I don’t think he had cheap insurance deals on the rear of his truck but he did appear to be advertising their availability above everything else that his employer had to offer.

At least this kind of advertising is restricted to the outside of trucks and lorries at this time. I wonder what it can be like later on? Will we see cheap truck insurance adverts on the side of planes, will our commuter trains be covered with the logos of insurance dealers offering cheap insurance?

What is this obsession with cheap insurance anyway? Almost everywhere you go you are being offered cheap insurance. On the television, on the tube, on our petrol pumps, even when we’re using the toilet at the service station there is the advert staring us in the face. “Aim higher for cheap truck insurance!”

Is it me or does it seem that only insurance is sold in this manner? You don’t very often see adverts for dog food or the most recent furniture sale at DFS in motorway service station toilets do you? Is the little doggie with the toilet tissue staring out at us from the back of a (cheaply insured) truck? No, I don’t think he is.

Perhaps it is the fact that these adverts for insurance are displayed us when we feel at our most vulnerable that makes the people in insurance advertising consider that they will work. The poor little car driver overawed by the size of the lorry careering by as he cowers in the slow lane is perhaps receptive to the thought of a cheap insurance deal.

Next time you driving on the motorway, look around and see how many cheap insurance deals you are being offered. You will have adverts on the sides of trucks, in fields, in toilets, on petrol pumps, bins and magazines. There will be adverts for cheap insurance on the radio and on the TV screens in the service stations. There might even be a low cost truck insurance salesman sitting alongside you now as you sip your well earned cuppa in the Watford Gap services. Cheap insurance is all around, let’s hope in the interest of our children that the idea doesn’t catch on!

If you really are interested in some sort of insurance at the moment, then it would be well worth getting an experienced broker on your side like the guys at Coversure. Whether you’re looking for truck insurance or caravan insurance Coversure have great relationships with countless insurance providers and can secure you a great deal.

Is Fleet Insurance Right For You

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

What is it about insurance that makes people want to buy it cheap? It doesn’t matter how much we pay for our cars we always want to buy the cheapest possible insurance for them. The latest wheeze to make our insurance premiums cheaper is to group a few together for people that live under the same roof and call it a family fleet insurance.

The concept of fleet insurance is all very well for people who have families of careful drivers (yeah, right) but what about those who live with a boy racer? It sounds like some family members could end up paying more for a combined fleet insurance policy.

The traditional look of a fleet for insurance purpose is about 100 Vauxhall Cavaliers insured by a firm for their sales reps. This isn’t actually how most fleets are made up. Many vehicle fleets are made of mixed vehicles. Tractors, Cars, HGVs, Minibuses, Lorries and even Motorbikes can end up insured under a fleet insurance policy.

If you’re really, really bored on a long journey a cheap (very cheap!) way of amusing yourself is to look at each vehicle that you pass (or passes you) and trying to work out whether they are insured under a fleet insurance policy or not. The good news is that this is a game you can’t lose (unless you’re planning to stop each of them and actually ask whether they are insured with a cheap fleet insurance) but to help make sure you win you might like to consider these tips;

Vehicles that are clearly owned by a company i.e. those that display a logo will probably be covered under fleet insurance, cheaper vehicles are probably not (if indeed they’re covered at all!) cars driven by racers who speed around roads are almost certainly not, police cars almost certainly are, and what about other kinds of businesses? Butchers, bakers, candlestick makers taking out fleet insurance? Maybe!

How would you decide whether to insure your vehicle on a fleet or not? Easy really - find out if it’s cheaper to insure your car that way before you start! It’s best not to ask a meerkat or an obese opera singer. Chances are they won’t be able to help you at all let alone compare you. Best to ask a real live walking talking insurance broker. If you want to find cheap fleet insurance it pays to discuss your insurance requirements with real live people! Enjoy the game!

If you think that you could benefit from fleet insurance then you should give Coversure a call. They are specialist insurance brokers with long-standing relationships with some of the country’s leading insurance providers so they can secure you great deals on anything from fleet insurance to motorhome insurance.

Caravan Lovers Need Not Concern Themselves With Volcanoes

Monday, May 31st, 2010

This Easter saw caravan holidays rise to the status of “most convenient” after the eruption of the Icelandic volcano saw most aeroplanes around the world either completely grounded or at least disrupted.

It was truly a great feeling, pulling my caravan home whilst air-traffic had ground to a halt and not even having to concern myself with whether or not my insurance covered volcanic eruptions covered happening in a distant country. It suddenly feels as if caravan lovers everywhere have been vindicated. Next time someone says something along the lines of “cars towing caravans are slow and only get in the way” you could remind them that there was a period around Easter 2010 in which a caravan could get from anywhere in Europe to almost anywhere else in Europe faster than the average plane.

As well as that, most anti-caravan type people often refer to caravans as being tight and claustrophobic, but even the smallest of caravans would have seemed thankfully open and spacious compared to a spot on an airport floor or a single seat on a coach.

Between those who love the freedom offered by caravan holidays, this is all, of course irrelevant. We like our thing, and you like yours. How tedious the world would be if we all liked the same thing. The reason for the gloat is that the uninitiated often see fit to poke fun at our choice, while we rarely do the opposite.

So… given that we didn’t have quite the same concerns this Easter that many other holiday makers had, what were we thinking about? I’d like to hear some good stories. I wasn’t thinking about whether my insurance covered me for all those untold additional costs that the plane brigade were worried about, but I did have some additional costs to think about. And they were costs that I couldn’t insure against too.

I took the a copy of Caravan Magazine with me on my holiday because we were thinking about buying a new one, and so had intended to browse over potential new purchases, but I ended up becoming engrossed in the insurance survey. It seems that because I never went to a broker to get my caravan insurance, I over paid for it - by a considerable amount. So if you’re in need of cheap caravan insurance it is well worth shopping around because there were lots of price comparisons in Caravan Magazine, some of which were quite surprising and are well worth a look into.

If you are looking for caravan insurance, but want to make sure you get the best deal, you should visit Coversure. They are an insurance broker with long-standing relationships with providers and can always secure a fantastic deal on static caravan insurance or touring caravan insurance.

Reasons Why You Need Caravan Insurance

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Caravan insurance is available for both touring and static caravans, which means that no matter what kind you own you will be able to get ample coverage. In order to choose the coverage that is right for your needs I would like to tell you how to choose your insurance and of course what it will give you cover for.

The type of insurance you will need is mostly dependant on whether your caravan is a static or touring one. You should think of when you will be using it and also how much the belongings you keep in there whether temporarily or permanently are worth. This will mean that should anything happen you will be able to get the items replaced.

Static caravans tend to also have outdoor furnishings and awnings added and as they are easily removed by dishonest people you will want to make sure that they are covered by your insurance also. You should ask your insurer whether this is something they will provide and of course ask at what cost.

You have more options if the whole caravan is stolen, as well as if a fire meant that it was no longer habitable. Some of the insurers will cover you so that you are able to get an old for new which is definitely worthwhile if you are able to pay the premiums as it will mean that you are not only able to replace the caravan with an updated one but also belongings inside and outside. Other coverage will give you the market value at the time of your claim.

It is worthwhile making sure that you have caravan coverage. This will ensure that should any accidents occur, whether on the road or when the caravan is static that you will be covered. It will also make sure that your belongings are covered whether you are at home or away.

The coverage is also great for those who live in their caravans full time. This is because it is usually harder to secure your caravan in the way you can a house or apartment, so you will want to make sure if there are any losses you are able to claim them back.

Caravan insurancecaravan Insurance is one of the most necessary things that you can get in your life. There are tons of advantages that you can look into when you get this kind of Insurance.

The Roads Are Full Of Them.

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Caravans and motor caravans have made quite a comeback. We’ve noticed it in the insurance brokers, and I’m sure they’ve noticed it in travel agents and caravan parks too. It seems that in a drive to save money, people have turned their backs on costly overseas destinations. Official Figures suggest that an extra 5 million holidays will be taken at home this year.

According to the National caravan Council there are now 500,000 caravans in regular use in the UK by no less than 1.5 million caravan fans. Meanwhile, the Camping and Caravanning Club has reported a massive 21% increase in the number of bookings. Perhaps its a counter cyclical marketplace, but the caravan manufacturers aren’t complaining about the recession. Swift recently reported 12% year on year growth.

However, one thing that all of this means is that the roads are going to be getting busier this summer and taking more and more punishment from people driving up and down the country to and from their holiday destinations. All this will be combined with the beating that the roads took over the harsh winter. Everyone has noticed the big potholes that have sprung up.

I wonder sometimes when I see these huge chasms in the road whether I will spot a kangaroo head popping out! I’m sure that these vast potholes must be causing damage to vehicles of any description, indeed, I’m sure that they must even cause accidents sometimes!

It’s not compulsory to buy insurance for caravans, but advisable. You wouldn’t pull any other important belonging behind your car, or leave it unattended in a park without insuring it, would you? There are, I’m informed over 30 motor caravan and caravan insurers, so it feels like the specialist advice is available to those willing to look for it. My advice would be to ask a broker to help you. In a recent survey conducted by well respected magazines brokers came out as the most competitive for price, and it’s good to be able to ask questions and get proper advice… from a human.

If you are looking for caravan insurance, your best bet is to have a broker secure you the best deal that they can as many of them have long-standing relationships with the insurance companies and so can get you the caravan insurance for a cheaper price.

Make Sure Your Motorhome Is Covered If You Hire It Out

Friday, March 26th, 2010

If you’re a grey insurance man like me, with a particular liking for early 70’s bands like Soft Machine & Caravan, you probably think you’ve seen the last of your summer music festivals and dripping tents in the middle of noisy fields in Somerset but it doesn’t have to be that way, because these days you can take your motorhome or caravan (or somebody else’s motorhome or caravan) along and enjoy the music without spending any nights under canvas. Listen to Caravan in your caravan!

Many people have found that the motorhome route is the one to take if you want the best of both worlds. You get all the atmosphere of the festival with the added bonus of a shower and a cup of tea in the mornings, there’s no queue for the loo and the bed is guaranteed to be dry and warm, or at least it will be as long as you don’t leave the sunroof open in a downpour!

Many motorhome owners rent out their motorhomes for just this type of event with most not realising that any such hiring of their motorhome for “hire & reward” purposes will not be covered under their standard motorhome insurance policy.

One of my more distinct memories from last year’s Glastonbury festival was that of a couple happily leaving their motorhome after having had breakfast under the awning, only to return that night to find that one of Glastonbury’s famous monsoons had put so much weight on the awning that all the poles were bent and broken causing the awning to be ruined. This must’ve been around 1000’s worth of damage which would have been completely uninsured if they had hired the motorhome without letting the insurance company know.

If you are thinking of letting your motorhome go to Glastonbury or any similar music festival this year, is well worth thinking about insurance.

So if you’re thinking of letting out your motorhome to family or friends for them to take to a music festival or anywhere really, the best way to go is probably to have them added to an existing insurance policy for the duration of their trip. This will allow you to relax at home safe in the knowledge that your motorhome is being looked after and even if it isn’t, that you have the right insurance to cover it.

If you are on the look out for motorhome insurance then you should visit Coversure, they are one of the leading providers of vehicle insurance providing everything from standard car insurance to caravan insurance

The Importance Of Having Caravan Insurance

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Chester Cooke was a man who one day decided that he wanted to have a caravan on the banks of the river Avon in a perfectly situated caravan site that was professionally owned, well maintained and had all the amenities that he could ask for. However, he wasn’t the type to go spending the best part of twenty grand plus annual services on a caravan without properly thinking it through.

He phoned his broker and asked about caravan insurance who told him that there shouldn’t be any problem and the broker would be delighted to give Chester a quote. Chester gave the broker details about the type, value and size of the caravan and where it would be situated.

A few minutes later, the broker called Chester back and said that unfortunately he was not able to find any insurance companies that would offer him insurance, not because of the caravan itself, or even the site that he had chosen, but it was to do with the exact spot that he had chosen. It was right on the bank of river Avon, which had flooded the year before, causing a massive number of insurance claims on the grounds of water damaged property, and so now insurers were very wary about insuring caravans that were right on the water’s edge. This meant that if Chester really wanted the caravan, and he wanted it right there, it would have to be at his own risk.

This news meant that Chester would have to re-think his ideas about buying a caravan. Since it was highly likely that the Avon would flood again at some point, he couldn’t afford to risk placing it there without insurance. He asked his broker what the “normal criteria” of a caravan site was so that he could bare it in mind if he was still going to go ahead and buy his caravan.

Ideally the site should be a registered CaSSOA site. There are insurance discounts for these because they have minimum standards of security. If the caravan is to be sited more informally, on a farm for instance, the caravans on the farm should be in their own compound with a defined perimeter. Some insurers insist that there are a minimum number of caravans on the site, safety in numbers as it were. Finally Chester should look for a site with good security, a mature hawthorn hedge or palisade fencing marking the boundaries.

Chester hadn’t thought that insurance would be such an important consideration when he was buying his caravan. He was grateful that he had a knowledgeable broker who could give him all this education and he was definitely going to check it all out again before finally taking the plunge and buying a caravan. After all, he just wanted to enjoy his caravan and the insurance was only to take the worry out of the ownership.

Caravan insurance is one of the biggest factors to consider when thinking about purchasing a caravan. Coversure are a leading provider of caravan insurance and can offer you advice, or a quote to insure your caravan

The Versatility Of Caravan Insurance

Monday, March 15th, 2010

The 1970’s rock band Caravan once released a rather oddly titled album called “For Girls Who Go Plump In The Night” which, let’s be honest, isn’t the kind of thing you’d expect to read in an article about caravan insurance, even if the writer owns one (a caravan that is!) An insurance man in a caravan is perhaps not that strange, but an insurance man in a caravan listening to Caravan? No way!

I’m not sure what got me thinking about this subject; I think it was looking back at some photographs of last years Glastonbury festival and noticing, in one guise or another, just how many caravans were there. Obviously as an insurance man I was thinking about their insurance cover and whether or not the underwriters were actually aware just what they were being used for.

Caravans were being used for almost everything you can think of that needs a sturdy shelter, i.e. people were living in them, some were being used as resting places for tired musicians, some were being used for paid showers and some were being used shops by refreshment vendors, and I still mean proper caravans, not mobile catering units.

Over in the camping fields there were caravans sheltering security staff from the rain, acting as the temporary weekend home for ageing rockers (some may have even been fellow caravan fans who knows?) and as the meeting point for lost festival goers.

Of course, another big user of caravans at music festivals are the musicians themselves. They usually have massive ones with an extra wheel at the front for steering and they use them for changing in, for hosting after-show parties in and doing whatever it is that rock-stars do.I dread to think. Saying that, I’m not sure if Caravan ever used one, that’d just be too good to be true wouldn’t it? Caravan in a caravan listening to their first album (which is called, you guessed it, “Caravan”). Or even better, maybe they went along in a convoy with their friends - a caravan of caravans including a caravan with Caravan in it, listening to Caravan!

Anyway as I said, I started thinking about whether or not they had the correct insurance cover and let’s face it, they probably didn’t did they? If you’re thinking about taking your caravan along to a festival this year it’s worth thinking about proper insurance. A caravan can get damaged by careless fellow festival goers, it can slide off of its own accord into the mud, they can get flooded inside, catch fire, get blown away and, well, almost anything can happen. Luckily you can insure your caravan against most things - even collisions with uninsured caravans being used as tea shops!

Coversure are leading providers of caravan insurance if you are thinking about taking your caravan to a place where it would be even remotely at risk, you should think about taking out some caravan insurance just to be safe.

Motorhome Insurance

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

I read in Insurance Times recently that the financial Ombudsman had decreed that it would, in certain circumstances, back a policyholder against an insurer excluding claims for leaving keys in or near a car. I can’t help but wonder if the same would apply for a motor home. As an insurance broker, I almost feel that this story is not one to publicise.

The family and I had a late night in our motorhome playing cards and went to sleep very tired. As a result, when we woke up the next morning we were already late for a rendezvous that we had arranged with our close friends and fellow motor homers, the Wilsons. The usual queue for the shower ensued and by the time we were finally ready to go, our friends had decided to explore the country-side without us.

I then realised I had no idea where the keys were so I looked for them, and couldn’t find them. My family then joined in the search and in my usual calm and patient manner I accused each family member of stealing them, then moved on to accusations of half-hearted searching before finally accepting my son’s version of events which was that aliens must have come from mars and stolen the keys to our motorhome. So I then went to the cab to get my mobile so I could call my insurance company for help. I was stranded in a field with a grumpy family and to make matters worse, it was about to rain.

There in the middle of the cab, sitting next to my phone, were the keys! I couldn’t believe that I’d left the keys to my beloved motorhome in the cab. Being an insurance man I couldn’t help but wonder if my motorhome would have been insured if it had been stolen under those circumstances. And so my mind drifted back to the Insurance Times article.

If my motorhome had been a car the ombudsman would have considered

Location

Was I in a position to deter a thief

Was I recklessly ignoring the risks

Mitigating factors

Whether I knew about the exclusion in the insurance policy

I would like to think that this kind of thinking would have applied to me and my motorhome. If you use an insurance broker there is a much higher chance of finding a comprehensive insurance policy to cover you whatever your situation.

For a class leading service in motorhome insurance contact Coversure. Their motorhome insurance is a cut above the restand you’ll leave with peace of mind that you need when you’re on your holidays.

Straightforward And Simple Caravan Insurance Advice

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

Going on holiday in a caravan is great fun for all ages. In order to make sure that you get the most from your caravan you need to have insurance for it. This will protect your caravan against it being stolen or damaged in some way. If this is something you are considering here is some straightforward and simple caravan insurance advice.

Before you take out any insurance it pays to know there are many types. So if you have a touring caravan you will need different cover to someone who has their caravan on the same site constantly. So bear this in mind when you are selecting your insurance.

Many people forget to include costly items that are stored in the caravan. So when you are looking at premiums you need to mention these. There are too many people who overlook what they have in their caravan, so don't fall into this trap when you purchase your insurance.

Some of the insurance companies that provide caravan insurance will also bring out magazines on a regular basis. These will feature special offers and new caravan sites that are of interest to people who enjoy caravans. So if you would like more information on caravans and so on, think about this when purchasing insurance.

Don't forget to get plenty of quotes. This is essential if you want to get the very best deal on your insurance policy. Use an online comparison website and you will be able to choose from a range of prices for the type of cover that you want.

By applying this caravan insurance advice and help you will get great cover. You should never leave insurance to chance, so be proactive and get a low cost quote now. Then you can enjoy your caravan every time you use it.

Locate more about caravan insurance by going online. Learn if you need to have caravan insurance or not and what coverage is correct. Go online now and learn more.