As a nation of animal lovers we are potty about our pets and are often guilty of over-indulgence. Take driving as an example where the majority of dog owners give their pooch the run of the car. Surely there’s nothing wrong with Rover riding shotgun or Fido curled-up on the back seat? The law sees things very differently and if you are involved in an accident your pet could become a very expensive passenger. Read the rest of this entry »
Can your dog invalidate your car insurance?
May 24th, 2013Six of the Best: Interesting Insurance Stories
May 21st, 2013
It’s been another busy month in the world of insurance, with headlines ranging from the sublime (cheaper home insurance premiums) to the ridiculous (a policy to protect against the Loch Ness Monster), here are the best of the bunch:
Lock-Up Your Cars
Superintendant Gilbert Houalla of Wycombe is starting a one man crusade to stamp-out bogus insurance claims made by absent-minded vehicle owners. The top police officer says “the number of people who leave their cars open with bags on display is beyond logic” and he’s fed up with other motorists being penalised for the “carelessness of a considerable minority”. From now he’s vowed to notify insurance companies when a break-in has been assisted by a forgetful owner failing to lock their vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for preventing theft when on holiday
May 16th, 2013
Having your pocket picked or your handbag pinched is an upsetting experience that’s made even worse if you are abroad. Being the victim of crime can leave you seriously shaken and your holiday in tatters. Fortunately there are a number if practical steps you can take to stay safe overseas.
Do your homework
Before you go anywhere it’s worth spending time researching your destination. There’s a wealth of useful information online ranging from: informal forums, such as Lonely Planet’s excellent Thorn Tree, to more formal sites such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Read the rest of this entry »
Does Car Insurance Cover Recalled Vehicles?
May 13th, 2013
Insurance providers are urging drivers to comply with vehicle manufacturer recall notices or risk rejected insurance claims. Motorists failing to respond to an official recall may invalidate their insurance policy, even if the claim has little or nothing to do with the faulty part.
Every driver has a legal responsibility to make sure their vehicle is safe and roadworthy, and by ignoring a recall notice you could be found at fault if you are involved in an accident. Of course the insurer would have to prove that you knew about the recall, and that it contributed to the accident, but theoretically you could be held partially responsible. Read the rest of this entry »
The Most Common Scams in the Country
May 8th, 2013
It’ Scam Awareness Month and we are tackling the issue head-on. Yesterday we posted on ‘how to spot and prevent scams’ and today we put the country’s most common scams under the microscope.
Mail Scams
Mass mail scams target the vulnerable with the promise of a cash windfall. Maybe you’ve won the lottery or perhaps you’re due a hefty refund; you’ve just got to pay a processing fee and the money is yours! By now the alarm bells should be ringing loud and clear: Did you enter the lottery? Have you ever purchased PPI? If the answer is ‘no’ the mail should go straight into the bin. Read the rest of this entry »
Spotting Scams & Avoiding Scammers
May 7th, 2013
Citizens Advice and Trading Standard have designated May as Scam Awareness Month in a bid to help people fight fraud. In the UK more than three million people fall victim to scams every year costing an estimated £3.5 billion. The good news is that there are plenty of practical steps you can take to avoid becoming another statistic. Read the rest of this entry »
Do you keep driving secrets from your partner?
April 30th, 2013
The American author Philip Roth said that “you can tell the health of a marriage by the number of teeth marks on your tongue” and maybe he was onto something. While biting your tongue may help to grease the wheels of a relationship, it’s hard to imagine there’s a place for flat-out lying.
However, a recent survey from the US suggests that there are an awful lot of motorists who are more than willing to bend the truth. The survey of married couples suggests that driving habits are a significant cause of matrimonial friction and provide fertile ground for breeding little white lies. Read the rest of this entry »
Signposting Helps Seniors Find Car & Travel Insurance
April 25th, 2013
While the government and the insurance industry continue to lock horns over the future of flood insurance and the murky business of personal injury referral fees, at least they can agree on one thing: ‘signposting’ for customers over 65 has been a great success.
The signposting agreement came into force last April and has already helped more than 43,000 customers to find appropriate insurance cover. It tackles problems faced by older customers who are routinely refused car and travel insurance due to age or ill-health. Read the rest of this entry »
Identity Theft Explained
April 22nd, 2013
Identity theft is a growing crime that affects 1.8 million people in the UK and is estimated to cost the economy an eye-watering£2.7 billion each year. Despite the fact that most people have heard of identity theft, a surprisingly large number fail to take these simple steps to help stamp-out identity fraud. Read the rest of this entry »
Insurance News Round-up
April 18th, 2013
March has been another busy month in the world of insurance and as winter (slowly) turns into spring the weather has understandably played a large part in writing the news headlines. However, our top editorial pick goes to the prohibitively high premiums facing young HGV drivers.
HGV Premiums Don’t Add-Up for Youngsters
Teenaged Lizzy Coulson was delighted to pass her HGV test and be able to provide more help on the family farm in Lincolnshire. However, when she began shopping for insurance her plans came to an abrupt stop. One insurer suggested waiting four years until her 23rd birthday and another quoted a whopping £11,000 premium. Lizzie said “You have got to give young people a chance …if the government allows you to take the HGV test at 18, why won’t the companies insure you?” and at Quoteline Direct we couldn’t agree more. Read the rest of this entry »
