Thornside selected for Shop Direct pet insurance
by Gill Montia
Story link: Thornside selected for Shop Direct pet insurance
Thornside has been selected by Shop Direct Group to provide online pet insurance through the group’s Littlewoods.com and Very.co.uk brands.
The firm, which is part of the Capita Group, already provides pet insurance for Shop Direct’s customers over the phone, and managing director, David Seel, says he is delighted to be supporting the development of [...]
Plum announces ambitious plans for the future
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Plum announces ambitious plans for the future
Plum Underwriting, the non-standard household specialist, has announced its intent to increase its rate of expansion over the course of the next two years.
The firm has set itself the target of doubling new business and expanding its agency base in 2010.
These targets follow the success of Plum’s Flex offering, a non-standard household product.
Plum also wants [...]
Winter freeze costs insurers £650m
by Gill Montia
Story link: Winter freeze costs insurers £650m
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has reported that its members paid out £650 million in total in dealing with claims arising from the coldest winter in the UK in thirty years.
Policyholders submitted 335,000 claims for damage to their homes, businesses and vehicles, broken down as follows:
Motor insurance – 268,400 claims at a cost of [...]
Vet bills gallop ahead of inflation
by Gill Montia
Story link: Vet bills gallop ahead of inflation
Over 50s specialist, Saga, has revealed that the average annual vet bill for the UK’s cat and dog owners has risen by 53% since 2007, to £598.
With costs increasing at twice the rate of inflation, the North West has emerged as the most expensive region in which face a trip to the vets.
The average annual [...]
New law on third-party dog insurance
by Gill Montia
Story link: New law on third-party dog insurance
The Government is considering plans for legislation that will demand every dog owner in the UK carries third-party insurance against their pet causing injury to a person.
Concerns that dogs are being bred solely for the purpose of intimidating others have led ministers to review the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
According to Home Secretary Alan Johnson: “The [...]
Hastings opens first High Street branch
by Gill Montia
Story link: Hastings opens first High Street branch
True to its word, Hastings Direct has made an appearance on the High Street with the opening its first branch, in Bexhill-on-Sea.
The firm says the move will provide the local community with a face-to-face service that includes an annual review and price check; help managing claims; and access to exclusive offers and promotions.
The [...]
Most trusted car and home insurers revealed
by Gill Montia
Story link: Most trusted car and home insurers revealed
Thisismoney.co.uk has named the UK’s most trusted financial providers, based on a poll of 5,000 of its readers.
According to the financial website, firms providing savings accounts, current accounts, mortgages and car and home insurance have all been evaluated on the basis of trustworthiness and customer service.
In all but one category the same provider took the [...]
Fire risk blights modern construction methods
by Gill Montia
Story link: Fire risk blights modern construction methods
“Building” has warned that insurance companies, including Aviva and AXA, may refuse to cover some UK buildings because of fire risk.
According to the construction magazine, recent figures from insurance research body, RISCAuthority, indicate that 40% of fires involving a loss exceeding £150,000 are related to timber-frame and light-gauge steel-frame buildings.
Concerns centre on the performance of [...]
Auger launches DrainShield UK
by Gill Montia
Story link: Auger launches DrainShield UK
Auger is claiming an industry first with the launch of a new insurance-backed warranty scheme.
The drainage inspection specialist has developed DrainShield UK, an independent, stand-alone, decade-long warranty on any work carried out by the firm.
Cover applies across both the commercial and domestic property sectors and is transferable from one property owner to another.
Best of [...]
Santander promotes home insurance with mortgage offer
by Gill Montia
Story link: Santander promotes home insurance with mortgage offer
Santander is promoting its “Peace of Mind” home insurance with an offer to its mortgage applicants and borrowers.
They need only request a full home insurance quote from the lender by 7th March to be entered into a prize draw that could relieve them of monthly mortgage repayments of up to £1,000 for a year.
The Spanish [...]
Know Your Flood Risk campaign gains momentum
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Know Your Flood Risk campaign gains momentum
The Environment Agency has issued a report indicating that the terrible floods of 2007 affected some 48,000 homes.
The cost per house was up to £30,000, with businesses having to fork out £112,000 to get their firm back up and running.
As the dangers of flooding become more widely known, 150 persons have signed up to the [...]
1 Answer launches non-standard household cover
by Gill Montia
Story link: 1 Answer launches non-standard household cover
1 Answer Network has teamed up with specialist insurer, Avantia, to offer its members access to non-standard household insurance.
The personal lines network is confident that homeprotect will enable brokers to meet the needs of many property owners who are refused cover or face high premiums.
Those with previous flood claims, properties built on flood plains or [...]
Could using Facebook increase your insurance premiums?
by David Masters
Story link: Could using Facebook increase your insurance premiums?
Home insurance providers could start hiking premiums for users of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Price comparison site Confused.com issued the warning after it revealed that users of social media websites make themselves vulnerable to thieves by posting information about their location online.
Potential criminals could use information posted on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace [...]
Insurers slow on plumbing and heating emergencies
by Gill Montia
Story link: Insurers slow on plumbing and heating emergencies
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has published its latest bulletin in which it highlights a significant number of complaints relating to delays experienced by those who have taken out insurance for domestic plumbing and heating emergencies.
According to the watchdog, some insurers have left homeowners without heating for weeks, leading to “damaging knock-on effects”.
In the cases [...]
L&G appoints Sterling as network partner
by Gill Montia
Story link: L&G appoints Sterling as network partner
Legal & General (L&G) has named Sterling Insurance as a network partner.
The latter’s Executive Home Insurance complements existing products available from L&G, providing as it does a contents sum insured of over £70,000, rebuilding costs of over £800,000 and specified personal possessions cover of £20,000.
Under the agreement, L&G will pass referrals to Sterling, which will [...]
Defaqto warns against wardrobe under-insurance
by Richard Kilner
Story link: Defaqto warns against wardrobe under-insurance
Ratings agency Defaqto has warned against undervaluing the contents of a wardrobe, with women’s wardrobes worth an average of £7,000.
The warning comes as London Fashion week gets underway, and is aimed at women who may be undervaluing their wardrobes and thus exposing themselves to under-insurance.
The firm’s research indicates that most women value their wardrobe at [...]
Valentine’s engagement ring insurance reminder
by Gill Montia
Story link: Valentine’s engagement ring insurance reminder
Romantics who chose Valentine’s day to propose marriage are being urged to check whether the engagement rings handed over to prospective spouses are insured.
According to Defaqto, the average British male spends £1,800 on an engagement ring, a sum that may be above the single specified item cover provided on a home insurance policy.
In fact, research [...]
Kwik Fit reports strong sales
by Gill Montia
Story link: Kwik Fit reports strong sales
Kwik Fit Insurance has reported its strongest sales figures for a single day since the company was established in 1995.
The Lanarkshire-based firm saw more than 2,000 new policyholders signing up to the Kwik Fit Insurance brand in just 24 hours, with sales of new car insurance policies topping 1,600, alongside 400 new home insurance [...]
EasyInventory launched to help cut under-insurance
by Richard Kilner
Story link: EasyInventory launched to help cut under-insurance
Research from AXA has recently revealed that Britons under-insure their homes to the monumental tune of £255bn, potentially leading to a great financial burden for those who have to make a claim.
Compiling an inventory has the double benefit of reducing the chances of being under-insured and making it easier to track belongings if a home [...]
Wesleyan launches Private Clients service
by Gill Montia
Story link: Wesleyan launches Private Clients service
Wesleyan is launching a new service aimed at affluent professionals with busy lifestyles.
The mutual has developed a dedicated home, motor and travel insurance offering, promising a more personal approach and flexible cover.
Private Clients Insurance provides immediate cover on newly purchased items, a 24-hour customer call centre based in the UK and an advice service for [...]
