Archive for September, 2009

Why bike insurance is as vital as your crash helmet!

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Bicycle insurance is as crucial a piece of protection equipment as any padded garment or crash helmet according to the article “Instant Expert Guide to Bike Insurance”.

Bicycles are not cheap. Ideally you buy one and want it to last for as long as you want to keep it, so when it gets pinched you will naturally feel devastated! But what can you do?

Taking some extra care when parking your bike could help prevent the likelihood of it being stolen. Look for some good bike locks and attach it to anything you can find that is solid such as a roof rack on the top of your car.

The perfect back-up strategy is to take out some bicycle insurance. If your bicycle cost more than two hundred pounds you may have a problem with some insurance providers. In their world, a bicycle that cost over two hundred pounds is considered ‘high value’. Many prefer to add their bike to their home contents insurance – but as previously mentioned this is not a problem for bikes under the value of £200. For those who find adding a bike to home insurance policies a problem, check out some quotes from specialist bicycle insurance companies for satisfaction. Ensuring that you will be protected in the event of an accident occurring while riding or racing is essential at this stage.

When taking out some insurance on your bicycle it is vital to check the specific requirements of your policy. Make sure you are familiar with parking requirements (it may turn out your bicycle is not insured if parked anywhere other than inside your home). Check also that your bicycle is protected from anything happening abroad if planning on taking your bike on your travels.

Travel insurance is essential when cycling abroad. Many insurance plans will cover you for bicycle riding abroad but not mountain bike riding. By making sure on the outset that you and your insurance company have an understanding is the best way to avert disaster. Travel insurance is vital when cycling abroad because an accident could leave you with astronomical medical bills you cannot afford.

Bicycle insurance and travel insurance – a marriage made in heaven!

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Walkies on a short lead for ‘Nanny State’ dogs!

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Watch out, your dog could be risking it’s life just by playing! According to the article “Dogs best avoid sticks and ponds” Sainsburys Bank is urging pet owners to keep their dogs on a short leash in order to avoid potential life threatening dangers.

These new reports appear as a result of studying claims made on pet insurance. Every year there are on average nearly twenty nine thousand claims on pet insurance equating to a value of about five million pounds. Many claims are to do with lacerations caused by chasing a stick – that all time favourite pastime of a dog.

Dogs that love to chase sticks can become vulnerable to cuts and grazes to their skin and when infected could become life threatening. If a cut from infected sticks this foreign bacteria could lead to a dog catching septicaemia.

Sticks are not the only problem because there is nothing a dog likes more than throwing himself into a mucky pond or puddle! Poisonous algae are very real concerns causing problems to a dog’s health. Should these kinds of pond growth become ingested, a dog could fall ill. Nearly ten million pounds were paid out in pet insurance settlements because of drinking pond water.

The days of carefree playfulness on walks could be numbered as we all invest in a harmless rubber stick for our dogs to chase and stop our dogs from diving into those ponds.

Unfortunately we can’t protect our pets from every potential disaster out there but we can make things easier on ourselves. One definitive action we can take is to take out some pet insurance – just in case.

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How to outwit thieves when cycling to work!

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Every 65 seconds a bicycle is stolen in the UK. Cycling commuters would do well to buy a second hand bike to avoid the attention of thieves rather than purchase a shiny top-notch item. According to the article “Cycle to Work Scheme – why bike insurance is important” it is better to have an old reliable bike still in the rack on your return from work than a brand new trendy one that is no longer there!

You could easily spend up to five hundred pounds on a new bike with all the accessories in an effort to save the planet as well as petrol costs. But is it worth it when your new ‘pride and joy’ attracts the eye of an opportunist thief within moments of parking it up? It’s rotten I know but a fact of life all the same. Consider these words because you don’t have to learn the hard way!
According to bike theft statistics, a bicycle is stolen every minute or so. Don’t become a complete victim to this rising trend, take some reasonable precautions and purchase some comprehensive bike insurance.

If a thief has in his/her possession a set of powerful wire cutters, there is a strong chance that your bicycle will be stolen. No matter what immobilising device you adopt or locks you use, the determined bike thief will not persevere until satisfaction has been achieved! Whilst a double chain lock system can reduce the chances of bike theft, cyclists are put off by the impracticality of it.

It is always worth it to check on your home insurance whether your bicycle (including accessories and related cycle-wear) is covered on it.
Other types of insurance to check out would be that for public liability to cover you in the event that you accidentally scratch a passing car or hit a dog. While bike theft insurance is of considerable assistance when you need it, public liability can be the most costly of all.

If you are a new cyclist, welcome to the world of cycle lanes and a great workout before work! Remind yourself not to become a statistic and check out insurance for liability and damage to be on the safe side!

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No World Cup travel insurance? It’s football CRAZY!

Friday, September 11th, 2009

As we speak thousands of football fans are planning next year’s trip to South Africa for the World Cup. We couldn’t have asked for better, England have qualified for the World Cup next June and everyone wants to go. To get hold of these tickets is going to take some doing (and spending) so there is all the more reason to get some travel insurance just in case!

According to the article “Travel insurance priority for fans heading to the World Cup finals” football fans would be well advised to sort out their travel insurance now instead of leaving it till the last minute for fear of something going wrong between now and then!

In many cases customers claim on their travel insurance before the trip or holiday even begins but would not have been able to do so should they have left their protection arrangements to the last minute.

There are numerous things that could go wrong prior to a trip in less than a year’s time such as being made redundant from your job, becoming ill and unable to travel and being called up for jury service.

The people at M&S insurance remind football fans that travel insurance could provide support from the moment a flight is embarked to returning back to England. For this reason it would be unwise to skip investing in a policy that is fully comprehensive well in advance of booking a trip.

All football fans who will seek the bargain offers of independent travel need be aware they will not have any of the protection a package tour operator will provide. Imagine if your flight is cancelled which meant you were unable to make other connections, travel insurance will allow you the freedom to finance the additional unplanned costs of your trip.

Don’t become a casualty of England’s World Cup place. Be organised – get travel insurance!

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No place like home – a sensible student’s guide!

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Starting university can be an exciting time! New course, new friends and independence – all good things come in threes. To help prepare you for your new life at Uni, there are one or two considerations you would be well advised to take on board, according to the article “Keeping your house in order – top tips for student renters!”

Students who rent will need to be prepared for contributing to a shared home, budgeting and cooking. It’s not very ‘rock and roll’, but keeping your home in good order is the best way to encourage everyone to commit to keeping things shipshape so that you get your deposit back at the end of the tenure.

According to the aforementioned article, there is an approved Government tenancy scheme, which has been devised to protect tenants deposits from unscrupulous landlords. It is this deposit protection scheme, mydeposits.co.uk – who offer help and advice.

First off, check how much money you will need from the outset and budget sensibly in order to be able to pay initial outgoings of deposit and first month’s rent. Protect your deposit by ensuring your landlord has signed up with one of the three protection schemes. Ask to see proof that your landlord is on the scheme before handing over any money. If he is unable to show proof, he is breaking the law and you should report him.

While renting a property you are entitled to privacy but a landlord does have the right to inspect his house or flat. Although this is the case he or she will have to provide you with at least 24 hours notice before setting foot in the property.

Keep your home in order or your landlord can hold on to your deposit. Fifty eight per cent of disputes at the end of a tenancy are due to damage or cleanliness so we’re telling you now, look after your new home or suffer the consequences!

Last but not least insure your belongings with home contents insurance. It is not the responsibility of the landlord to provide cover for your I-Pods and laptops so make sure you have taken this on board yourself. Additionally, always ensure your property is securely locked when not in occupation as unfortunately burglars like to target students.

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