MORE TH>N raises cash-for-crash awareness
by Gill Montia
Story link: MORE TH>N raises cash-for-crash awareness
MORE TH>N is raising awareness about cash-for-crash insurance fraud, having discovered that 41% of drivers have never heard of the crime.
The firm describes cash-for-crash as form of “highway-banditry” and while cases have fallen by 11% in the past two years as the result of actions by the police and insurers, awareness levels among drivers have [...]
Top Gear’s insurance fraud blunder
by David Masters
Story link: Top Gear’s insurance fraud blunder
Insurance advice from Top Gear presenters should not be taken seriously, a financial expert has warned.
In this week’s episode of the popular motoring TV show, presenter James May advised young drivers that they could slash their insurance premiums by getting their mum or dad to insure their car for them.
“The only realistic way of [...]
Kwik Fit sees sales rise during battle of the sexes
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Kwik Fit sees sales rise during battle of the sexes
On Monday Kwik Fit Insurance (KFI) enjoyed its second major sales day of the year by hosting a battle of the sexes.
KFI saw some of its best sales figures in a decade and a half, and negotiated substantial savings for its customers.
The firm sold 1300 new car insurance policies, its 5th best car insurance sales [...]
XS Direct launches new motor product
by Richard Kilner
Story link: XS Direct launches new motor product
XS Direct, the Irish motor insurer, has unveiled a new Full Cycle EDI motor product aimed at Open GI brokers.
The motor brand began trading four years ago and offers high premium drivers substantial savings on their motor insurance.
International Insurance Company, Hannover, is underwriting the new product and its launch brings the number of Full Cycle [...]
Motorists clueless about overseas driving
by David Masters
Story link: Motorists clueless about overseas driving
Motorists taking a road-trip overseas this summer should swot-up on the rules of the road in the countries they’re visiting, Sheila’s Wheels said this week.
A survey by the female-friendly car insurer found that one in three (33%) British drivers wrongly believe driving regulations overseas are the same as in the UK.
Nearly a third (32%) of [...]
UK road deaths down 14%
by Gill Montia
Story link: UK road deaths down 14%
The Department for Transport (DfT) has published encouraging statistics on UK road accident casualties for 2008.
The number of people killed on Britain’s roads fell by 14%, from 2,946 in 2007 to 2,538 last year.
In total there were just under 231,000 road casualties during the year, a fall of 7%.
The number of deaths among car users [...]
Banco Santander and Equity sign affinity agreement
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Banco Santander and Equity sign affinity agreement
An affinity partnership agreement has been signed today by Equity Direct Broking Limited (EDBL) and Santander Insurance Services UK (SISUK), part of Banco Santander.
The new motor insurance policy (Santander Car Insurance) is to be aimed at Abbey customers, and offers free breakdown coverage.
Abbey is one of several British banks the Spanish banking giant has taken [...]
Quinn blacklists deprived Dublin communities
by David Masters
Story link: Quinn blacklists deprived Dublin communities
Ireland’s second largest motor insurer has defended its decision to blacklist parts of Dublin because of the high number of claims received from these areas.
Quinn Direct this month started refusing to issue new premiums for cover in parts of Tallaght and Clondalkin, as well as deprived urban areas in Cork, Waterford, and Galway.
A spokesperson for [...]
Moorhouse launches haulier cover
by David Masters
Story link: Moorhouse launches haulier cover
Commercial broker Moorhouse has launched a new insurance policy for haulage firms, responding to research into brokers’ needs.
Available on Moorhouses’s Xbroker quotation system, and underwritten by AXA, the policy includes CMR cover up to £250,000 for any one vehicle.
Also included with the policy is £75,000 cover for goods in transit, and legal costs are covered [...]
Allianz creates centralised motor team
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Allianz creates centralised motor team
Allianz Insurance has created a specialist motor insurance team and centralised its commercial motor trade claims operation in the wake of a successful pilot period of the scheme.
The new team, which is to be based in Birmingham, will enhance turnaround time by presenting a single point of notification and will offer customers top flight customer [...]
Car crash costs highest in France and Germany
by David Masters
Story link: Car crash costs highest in France and Germany
Motorists travelling to the continent this summer are being urged to drive carefully as a car crash abroad could prove expensive.
Germany and France are the most expensive countries in Europe for a road accident.
Drivers who cause a crash in Germany will pay out an average of £2,940, over 50% more than the European average.
The French, [...]
AA: High premiums punish responsible young drivers
by David Masters
Story link: AA: High premiums punish responsible young drivers
Motor insurers should use more sophisticated methods to calculate premiums so conscientious young drivers no longer have to subsidise the 20% of young motorists who crash within a year of passing their test.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, said companies should reward young motorists who drive carefully.
“I believe the industry must work together to find [...]
Towergate Bakers develops “green” caravan policy
by Gill Montia
Story link: Towergate Bakers develops “green” caravan policy
Leisure insurance specialist, Towergate Bakers, is introducing a carbon offsetting policy for caravan owners.
The firm claims that caravan enthusiasts have a high level of “green” awareness compared to the public in general and are already more likely to be offsetting flights and using energy efficient products.
It has therefore developed a range of online caravan products [...]
Swiftcover acquires claims handler SIMS
by Gill Montia
Story link: Swiftcover acquires claims handler SIMS
Swiftcover has acquired SIMS, a specialist personal motor claims provider that already manages all Swiftcover’s claims activity.
SIMS was formed in 2004 and employs around 320 people based at sites in Kent and Gloucestershire.
Both companies have been working together closely on product development over the past five years.
According to motor insurer, claims management is a [...]
Carole Nash launches Irish website
by Gill Montia
Story link: Carole Nash launches Irish website
Carole Nash, the UK and Ireland motorcycle broker, has launched a new quote and buy website targeting the Irish market.
The site, which uses Open GI’s eBroker technology, enables consumers to access a range of bike quotes direct and purchase cover online via the Realex payment processing system.
Commenting on the development, the broker’s commercial director, Simon [...]
‘Crash for cash’ fraud increasing
by David Masters
Story link: ‘Crash for cash’ fraud increasing
The number of UK motorists deliberately crashing their cars to make fraudulent insurance claims is increasing, the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) warned this week.
‘Induced accidents’, or ‘crash for cash’ accidents, as they are more commonly known, involve a driver deliberately causing a crash so as to profit from fraudulent insurance claims.
After the crash, often caused [...]
Car hire excess sales on the rise
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Car hire excess sales on the rise
For the past five years jml insurance has acted as an introductory agent on behalf of insurance4car.hire, during which time they have introduced 17,000 clients to the company through websites such as www.jml-insurance.co.uk and www.jmlvillas.com.
jml’s Philip Suter has stated that there is increasing awareness amongst the public that renting a car also involves additional insurance [...]
Kwik Fit Insurance sees home policy sales soar 42%
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Kwik Fit Insurance sees home policy sales soar 42%
Kwik Fit Insurance has enjoyed strong sales figures for home policies during the last month whilst aiming to expand its presence in the home insurance sector.
The intermediary, which is based in Uddingston, has reported a surge in home policy sales compared to the same period in 2008, with a rise of 42%.
Comparing the year as [...]
Recession ravaged consumers cut home and motor cover
by Gill Montia
Story link: Recession ravaged consumers cut home and motor cover
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) has published new research showing that consumers are reducing insurance cover as a result of the recession, with home and motor insurance taking the brunt.
In a survey of its members, the body found 23% of respondents had seen their personal lines customers reduce their level of insurance protection since [...]
Helphire criticises late paying insurance firms
by David Masters
Story link: Helphire criticises late paying insurance firms
Helphire has hit out at insurance companies who delay paying their bills.
The accident management firm - which provides courtesy cars for no blame traffic accidents - said despite many insurers paying on time, a significant number are still paying too late.
According to the firm’s first quarter report, it received 106% of billed invoices during the [...]
