BBQ season could put homes at risk

Many people in the UK take out home insurance to protect both their belongings and their homes against damage, which can come in many different forms. One industry official has recently warned consumers to make sure that they stay safe when having barbeques at home, as there can be many dangers associated with this type of event.

With the lovely warm weather we have had recently and the summer season coming up there could be an increase in the number of people that are now having barbeques in their gardens and yards. These can be fun events for family and friends to enjoy but can also be fraught with danger, especially if there are kids around or a lot of people that are drinking at the BBQ.

Of course, consumers need to make sure that they do have adequate insurance in place to protect themselves financially in the event that something like this does happen during a barbeque. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has spoken out to urge consumers to be careful when they are holding a barbeque to ensure that they are taking precautions, having safety equipment at hand, and keep drinkers and children away from the barbeque to prevent any accidents that could damage the home and worse still cause serious injuries.

At this time of year the number of people having barbeques goes up and whilst this is great fun for those involved it does mean that danger levels also increase accordingly.

Sheila Merrill, RoSPA’s public health adviser, stated: “Hopefully, the good weather will continue throughout the summer and taking care with barbecues will mean that everyone stays safe to enjoy it.”

Tags: Hopefully, adviser, accidents, fraught with danger, number, home

Take out affordable home insurance

Most of us will know the feeling of having to cut back on outgoings, especially over the past couple of years, with the recession and the global financial crisis both taking their toll. For many a decision has had to be made with regards to whether they can afford certain services and purchases, and many have had to cut out services that they have always been reliant on.

However, it appears that one of the areas that some people are cutting back on is protecting themselves financially, and this includes taking out cover such as home insurance. This can, however, be a very costly mistake, and means that you could find yourself in hot water should something happen to your property or your belongings.

Your home and its contents are susceptible to a range of problems, from fire and flood damage to burglary or even damage caused by accidents. Those that do not have home insurance in place will suffer financially if they are not covered and something happens to their home or belongings. However, despite this there are more and more people that are now skimping on this cover and recent figures have revealed an alarming number of people in the UK who have no home insurance in place at all.

Fortunately, there are some good deals available on home insurance cover these days, which means that there is no need to go without this valuable protection, as you can find cover for a reasonable price. This will give you peace of mind and financial protection in the event that something does happen that results in damage to your home or your belongings.

When you choose home insurance cover you need to make sure that you get the right price, with premiums that you can comfortably afford to pay. However, you also need to make sure that you have the right level of cover, and that your home and belongings are adequately covered.

There may also be many people that do have home insurance cover but have not take an adequate level of cover out. It is important to consider whether you cover needs to be updated – for example, you may have received some expensive gadgets or items for Christmas that are now in your home but have not been included in your cover. Take some time to look at your policy and if additional cover is required get it updated.

Tags: accidents, financial protection, reliant, Disaster Accident, crisis, good deals

Tackling uninsured drivers show some success

Over recent years the insurance industry has been battling to try and combat the financial damage that has been caused by uninsured drivers, and many insurance giants and the insurance industry as a whole have been fighting to crack down on uninsured drivers. Read more

Tags: car insurance, Tackling, insurers, Bureau, uninsured drivers

School holidays could mean more insurance claims

With the long stretch that is known as the school summer holidays, many parents are trying to think of ways to keep their children amused for the six week break, which any parent knows is not always easy.

Many children spend a great deal of time in the house over the school summer break, and particularly in the case of younger kids this can often lead to boredom and mischief. There is also an increased risk of accidents occurring when the kids are in the house all day every day, and according to a leading insurer this tends to result in an increased number of insurance claims.

According to officials from Halifax Home Insurance 20% of all claims for accidental damage are made during the months of July and August, when the kids are off school, and are often running amok in the house. These two summer months see claims for accident damage rocket by around 23% according to the insurance company, with claims for accidents ranging from smashed windows and damaged carpets to broken equipment and more.

Officials from the Halifax have been urging parents to make sure that they have accident damage as part of their home insurance policy, and also to ensure that they have an adequate level of cover in case of costly accidents. Without this type of cover parents could find that the summer holidays turn into a far more expensive time than they ever imagined, as they will have to foot the bill for accidental damage themselves.

One Halifax Insurance spokesperson stated: “It’s particularly important at this time of year for parents to check their home insurance policies and make sure they are covered for accidental damage to the home and contents. This summer’s heavy rains show little sign of abating, meaning children may well find themselves cooped up indoors for hours on end when they want to be outside playing, so they may get restless and find mischievous ways to amuse themselves.”

Tom Smith
13th September 2007

Tags: cover, school, claim, holidays, home, accidents, damage, Insurance

Motor insurance set to rocket in the UK

Motorists in the UK are set to face huge increases in motor insurance over the next year according to recent reports relating to some of the larger motor insurance companies in the UK. It has been reported that the biggest motor insurer in the UK could be whacking up the cost of premiums in 2007, increasing the gap even further between the prices from some major insurers and some of the cheaper motor insurance companies.

Unfortunately, the large rise in premiums could mean that those companies currently seen as budget insurance companies, which are able to offer huge discounts, could also be forced to push up premiums, making it even more costly to own and drive a car in the UK. Norwich Union has already raised premiums by up to forty percent over the past few months, and other major players are set to follow.

The largest motor vehicle insurer, the Royal Bank of Scotland, is now set to follow suit and push up its insurance premium rates, and smaller companies could follow. One spokesperson from the Admiral Group stated: ‘We believe Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance is the decisive factor in taking the market up in price. If it were to sustain a series of increases over the next 12 to 18 months, that would take rates up substantially.’

According to statistics forthcoming rises could push up an average insurance premium of around seven hundred and fifty pounds to around nine hundred pounds. Officials from the Royal Bank of Scotland Insurance stated that the rises were largely due to the heft cost of claims that had been made over recent years. An AA spokesperson also spoke about the rises, stating: ‘You will find people will shop around even more now. The market is going to be even more polarised between the highest and lowest prices.’

Tags: norwich union, rbs, aa, motor, Insurance, claims, increase, car, accidents