One in four homeowners believe that trustworthy neighbours are the key to feeling secure at home, according to the latest consumer survey from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). However, the research also suggest that many are putting themselves at risk needlessly, with nearly three in ten respondents admitting to leaving doors unlocked and windows [...]
Ofcom has today fined HomeServe £750,000 for making an excessive number of silent and abandoned sales calls. The watchdog opened an investigation into the home emergency insurer last year only to discover that the firm exceeded its abandoned call rate on 42 separate occasions between 1st February and 21st March 2011, resulting in around 14,756 [...]
Britons face an income gap of £411 per month between their current net income and what they believe would allow for a comfortable life, according to new research from Aviva. The insurer’s latest “Times of our Lives” report puts the perceived shortfall at £7,236 per year gross, although the 25 to 34 age group felt [...]
Which? is claiming that some home and car insurers are taking consumers for a ride by charging exorbitant “hidden” fees for basic policy changes and renewals. The consumer group reviewed the terms and conditions on the websites of 39 car insurers and 34 home insurers only to find that there are often costly fees to [...]
With Easter approaching and three-quarters of Britons due to do a little DIY around the home, AXA is warning of costly accidents as claims are expected to spike on Easter Monday. The Easter break is expected to see 71% of people doing DIY or maintenance around the home, but AXA has warned that the 50% [...]
Which? is claiming that the price you see isn’t always the price you pay, when it comes to buying insurance through aggregator sites. Having tested out 11 of the most popular sites, Which? found many of them using pre-selected answers and assumptions in their online forms and the consumer group warns that this can lead [...]
New research from esure home insurance claims that the average Briton misplaces almost 200,000 items over a lifetime. If so, Brits must be used to searching for about nine items per day, with mobile phones, house keys, car keys, and important paperwork and documents the most commonly misplaced items. Hairbrushes, gloves, clothing, umbrellas, books, train [...]
Aviva is reminding homeowners to secure their sheds and garages as British Summertime approaches. Analysis of 10 years of the insurer’s claims data reveals that thefts from gardens and outbuildings shoot up by over a quarter when the clocks go forward, with the average haul totalling around £850. Children’s toys, bikes and garden tools are [...]
As parts of the UK become gripped by drought the Association of British Insurers (ABI) is advising homeowners not to worry unnecessarily about the risk of subsidence. Trees, especially ones that are large or especially near a home, can increase the risk of subsidence due to the substantial quantity of water they absorb, which dries [...]
Analysis by The Co-operative Insurance has revealed that the cost of home theft claims has increased substantially over the last two years. In 2010 the cost of theft claims increased by 8%, followed by a 9% rise in 2011, after three years of the cost remaining flat. The average burglary claim of today costs £225 [...]
Nine out of ten Britons using social media at least once a week have been asked to connect online with someone they have never met, and over half have accepted these requests, according to Legal & General’s latest CyberSafety report. Nearly two thirds of those who have connected with people they don’t know have done [...]
Councils in England and Wales are calling for urgent action to tackle an £11 billion flood insurance problem. According to the Local Government Association (LGA), councils and residents close to water could be left facing an £11 billion liability because of “unfair and unaffordable” insurance premiums. The LGA, which represents over 350 councils, is therefore [...]
Mercer and Marsh have established a new brand for international markets outside the US. The move is aimed at addressing employee benefit cost growth around the world by bringing together the companies’ expertise and resources to help solve the issue. “Mercer Marsh Benefits will provide clients with a single source for managing the costs, people [...]
The number of Britons exaggerating their home insurance claims appears to be rising. Research carried out by AXA UK shows a 17% jump in those prepared to enhance their claims in the past year, with an estimated 200,000 consumers having added an average £607 to the cost of a claim. According to the study, insurance [...]
Major electrical retailers have offered legal undertakings to improve the way the UK’s extended warranties market works, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) reports. Competition concerns in the £1 billion per year market prompted an OFT study and the promised measures include improving the information provided to shoppers and the launch of a comparison website. [...]
Six months on from the summer riots, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has issued an update on the progress insurers have made in settling claims. So far, eight in ten claims for damage under household policies have been settled and over seven in ten businesses have seen their claims for property damage settled, or [...]
Responding to Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman’s comments about insurers looking for a subsidy to insure against flooding, the Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) director general, Otto Thoresen, says: “We are not arguing for a subsidy to benefit insurers. “We want a long term solution, negotiated constructively with the Government, that will help the insurance industry [...]
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has launched a political campaign highlighting the scale of flood risk faced by constituencies across England and Wales. Quoting the latest Environment Agency flood data, the ABI claims that unfulfilled Government pledges to tackle the rising flood threat have left thousands of homes with a greater than 1 in [...]
As of today homeowners can benefit from a 30% introductory discount, as part of the Direct Line Sale, with a further 20% discount for shopping online. Stuart Curson, head of home insurance at Direct Line, said that after the high spending of Christmas January was the month to get finances in order, including home insurance. [...]
Home insurer AXA has warned Britons that a range of factors could make 2012 one of the riskiest on record for home insurance claims. Britain is poised for an eventful year, including occasions such as the Olympics, the Diamond Jubilee, the possible continuation of drought conditions and ongoing economic pressure. Thefts from homes increase by [...]
