Monthly archive for April 2012

WARNING: ARE YOUR KIDS INSURED TO DRIVE CORRECTLY?

On April 25, 2012   /   Current News, Products  

Make sure that your young drivers are insured correctly as the consequences can be disastrous, as the following tale will prove…..Learner Driver Insurance

For anonymity purposes lets call our family the Smith’s.

Mr and Mrs Smith were very pleased when their son passed his driving test, after all, it is a big achievement. They decided to buy him a small car to start off with and purchased the car insurance over the internet, mum being the main driver and son being the named driver.

Sound familiar yet?

Now, as sometimes happens, young Mr Smith had quite a serious accident and the car was a total write off. Fortunately there was nobody else involved and there were no personal injuries.

The insurers, as standard practice, sent a Loss Adjuster to assess the extent of the damage and to investigate the claim. After the Loss Adjuster had interviewed Mrs Smith and her son, he then went and knocked on several of the neighbour’s doors and asked if they had ever seen mum driving the car.

The insurers turned down the claim because it was found that the son was the main driver of the car and not mum. Luckily for the Smith’s it was an old car and worth very little, however if a third party had been involved the costs could have been massive.

The question is: if it happens to you, can you afford to pay for repairs or ongoing costs for injuries?

Don’t leave it to chance, ask A1 Insurance, the insurance professionals.

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Thinking of buying a Motorhome?

On April 18, 2012   /   Current News  

Many people still hold a very old fashioned view of holidaying in a motorhome.  Of course the old VW type of campervan brings to mind bygone days and nostalgic memories, but in truth things have changed dramatically. Campervans were often used to travel to music festivals and of course were lived in while parked in the middle of a muddy field with primitive conditions.  Today, campervans and music festivals are still very popular but both offer much more comfort.  In the case of campervans there are now many more models to choose from, going from basic to out and out luxury.

Whichever model of campervan is chosen the owner will need to look for insurance.  Research taken during a recent motorhome caravan and camping show revealed that while 93% will spend a huge amount of time looking at all aspects of a motorhome, only 40% will do the same with the insurance.  This is because they wrongly believe that one insurance policy will be just like another.  An insurance broker may not be the best person to give advice on buying a motorhome, but there is no-one better at finding the best, cheapest and most competitive insurance policy to protect it.

Facing the challenge of finding the best motorhome and the best motorhome insurance can be quite daunting.  To start with it is best to identify what the motorhome will be used for.

  • Will it be used to tour for months on end or just for a couple of weeks twice a year?
  • Will it just be used at weekends or for all trips to festivals and sporting events throughout the year?
  • How many people will be travelling and sleeping in the mobile home?

These are all questions that need answering before the best motorhome and the best motorhome insurance can be found.

One factor to bear in mind is the overhang of the motorhome.  The legally permissible overhang in the UK is 60%.  However, 55% is deemed more desirable to allow for tow-bars and bike racks.  Besides being swayed by the aesthetics of a motorhome, its practical and technical attributes should also be considered.  The largest legally allowed motorhome permissible in the UK is 12m long by 2.55m wide.  However, most campsite, ferries, road tolls, insurance and recovery packages are based on motorhomes of 6m in length, which is the benchmark between medium and large.

Its running costs, the choice of fuel and availability of parts, ought to be considered along with its manoeuvrability.  A very important factor that should never be overlooked when finding the best motorhome for your needs is the payload capacity.  This is the difference between the MIRO (Mass in Running Order), the entire manufactured weight, including all the essential equipment for operating and making the motorhome habitable, less the MTPLM (Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass) its legal maximum weight that includes all the occupants.  Choosing the motorhome is the difficult part, a good insurance broker can ensure that choosing the insurance is altogether easier.

If you would like help with your Motorhome Insurance (not buying your motorhome) then give us a ring on 01377 318255 or click here and we will ensure we find the best policy to meet your needs.

 

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