Blog

Why Evans International recommend A1

On November 23, 2012 / What our customers have to say

TESTIMONIAL FOR WORK DONE

A1 Insurance for all your insurance needs – and more.

Very often in business you deal with large corporate insurance companies who have no comprehension of your business or who you are, you are just a number to them. In many cases you deal with a different person on the end of the phone, wherever that may be.

A1 Insurance Services is different. To me they are my personal insurance company, that have taken the time to understand my business, make sure the cover they provide is at exactly the right level and most importantly at the right price.

A1 Insurance Services also don’t take no for an answer – they do not have “too difficult piles” either – we have been challenged for many years with a fleet policy to cover young drivers, and after some hard negotiations and persistence A1 have risen to the challenge and provided the cover we need – a good price too.

Ian you are excellent at what you do, and I have every faith in recommending you and your company.

Keep up the excellent work.

With every best wishes

Val Evans

Managing Director

Be prepared for Winter Driving

On October 16, 2012 / Current News

TYRES – Ensure your tyres are inflated correctly and that you have sufficient tread on your tyres to cope with wet and slippery conditions.

BATTERY – In winter, the battery will run down quicker. Make sure you do a regular long journey to top it up.

ENGINE – Modern engines are more robust than older ones. All the same, depress the clutch when starting the vehicle as this will reduce drag on the engine and preserve the battery.

SCREENWASH – Keep this topped up and use an additive at the right concentration to prevent it freezing.

FUEL – Keep your tank topped up – that way if you are caught out, you’ll have enough fuel to make it home or run the engine to keep warm. However, it’s essential to keep snow from blocking the exhaust as noxious fumes can leak into the vehicle.

WINDOWS – Clear all snow and ice from the windscreen before driving. Do not use water to de-ice windscreens. Hot water can crack the glass, and the water will only freeze again on the screen or on the ground where you are standing.

LOCKS – A squirt of WD-40 will prevent your door locks freezing up.

WARM CLOTHING – Your car may be warm on the inside but if you have to step outside, you could be in trouble if you haven’t got warm clothing with you.

SNOW KIT – Always pack the following: ice scraper, warm coat, hat, gloves, sturdy boots, a blanket to keep you warm if you get stuck. Take some food, water and a hot drink if you can. Always carry a fully charged mobile and some old bits of carpet, or cat litter, to put under the tyres if they get stuck and a shovel to clear the snow.

And what to do if you get stuck in the snow…

First of all, make sure you have packed your emergency snow kit. If you are trapped in your car, you can stay warm by running the engine. However, it is vital that the exhaust pipe is not blocked by snow. If the engine fumes cannot escape, you could be overwhelmed by carbon monoxide gas, which is highly toxic. If there is any risk the fumes could enter the car, do not run the engine. Even if it is safe, do not run the engine for more than 10 or 15 minutes in each hour.

Stay in or close to your car. In heavy snow it is easy to get disorientated and lost, or separated from your vehicle. If necessary you can always hang a piece of brightly coloured cloth to your car to let others know you are there.

It’s always worth getting your car serviced before the Winter weather closes in. We can recommend T M Sport in Scotton, Knaresborough who provide a great service plus they have a free collection service if you live in a 20 mile radius of Yeadon and Scotton.

Is your Cleaner covered?

On October 9, 2012 / Current News

Are you a Window Cleaning or general Cleaning Contractor or do you use Cleaners?

If so, did you know there are thousands of window cleaning businesses in the UK that are inadequately insured with most having standard liability policies that exclude damage to property worked upon and restrict the types of premises that can be cleaned.

We can offer a specialist Cleaning Contractors scheme that provides cover for:

Damage to property worked upon
Height limit of 25 metres (which can be increased on request)
No need for annual declarations
Continual policy cover

So why not ask your contractor if they’re covered or get in touch and speak to a member of our team for further information.

Are you considering purchasing a new car this month? Ask us for a quote before you buy GAP cover via the Dealer

On September 5, 2012 / Current News, Products

Did you know that a GAP Insurance policy will typically cost you, on average, 35% more when purchased directly from the vehicle dealer than from your insurance broker? Where your dealer will charge you 20% VAT we will only charge you 6% Insurance Premium Tax.

Why do I need GAP Insurance?

In the event of a total loss occurring Purchase Price Protection GAP Insurance will pay out the difference between the motor insurers total loss settlement and the net invoice price you paid for the vehicle, up to the maximum benefit shown in the policy. You can buy Purchase Price Protection GAP Insurance from as little as £101.76.

Most vehicles are eligible and the vehicle doesn’t have to be brand new.

So before you purchase GAP Insurance through your dealer contact us first for a quote.

PS: We can also offer GAP cover on contract hire vehicles, fleets and finance too!

Can the CatClamp save you money?

On September 5, 2012 / Current News

Recent years have seen a marked increase in instances of metal theft and in particular the theft of Catalytic Converters.

Thieves have typically been targeting commercial and sport utility vehicles, with the average replacement and repair costs averaging £2500. This, as well as an increase in premiums, excess payments and lost business due to vehicles being off the road, can be an expensive experience.

A new product on the market called CatClamp has been invented to prevent thieves from stealing your catalytic converter. Its exclusive, patent pending, cable cage design surrounds converters with an aircraft grade stainless steel cable cage that’s virtually impossible to cut. Locked to the Car, 4X4 motorhome or LCV’s chassis with cable loops, it’s far too much trouble for thieves in a hurry. Typical prices range from £175 for the standard model to £275 for the MAXX version. A small price to pay considering the alternative.

For more information visit http://www.catsafe.org.uk/

For all your vehicle insurance requirements give the team a call on 01377 318255.

How to claim after a flood

On July 25, 2012 / Current News

Most insurers have emergency helplines and you can find these in your policy booklet or on our website https://www.a1insurance.co.uk/index.php/how-to-claim/ alternatively you can always ring A1 Insurance tel: 01377 318255.

Last year’s flooding left the insurance industry with a £1bn claims bill, a figure that could easily rise if the UK is hit by more bad weather.

What do I do now?

• Make a record of all flood damage by taking photographs or video and also mark the water levels on the walls for future reference.

• Keep a record of any correspondence you send or receive from your insurers relating to the flood

• If you need to, arrange for emergency repairs to be carried to stop further damage occurring. Ensure you keep any receipts as you will need these for your claim.

• If you need extensive repairs carrying out make sure you get advice before commencing. We can provide advice on finding reputable tradesmen and always check references before you engage someone to carry out the work.

• If the damage to your property is such that you need to move out while it is being repaired then check with us first. Most policies will cover the cost of accommodation up to a specified limit.

• Make sure you let us know your new contact details if applicable so we can contact you during your claim.

You can also find further Flood information on the Environment Agency website http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/

For further information contact our offices on 01377 318255

Why one customer left the ‘comparing’ up to us!

On May 24, 2012 / Current News, What our customers have to say

I normally dread my car insurance renewal coming round so when I was referred to A1 Insurance I was delighted to be offered someone who could take the hassle off my hands. I don’t have time to trawl through Comparison Websites or go looking for those companies that don’t use them, I’m a busy mum.

A1 Insurance found me the best possible price, making me a great saving on last years’ prices. They did all the searching for me, all I needed to do was provide my car details and then my bank details to set up the Direct Debit.

Perhaps if I’d searched long and hard enough I may have been able to find as good a deal as A1 found for me, but by that time I’d have lost the will to live. Without a doubt I will be using A1 Insurance next year when my (no longer dreaded) renewal comes around.

Many thanks for your assistance.

Fiona Bishop

If you would like us to do all the comparing for you then either call a member of the team or email us.

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…..

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.

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.

Do you have the right property insurance?

On March 7, 2012 / Current News

When you buy a property that you intend to let or become responsible for a property that an elderly parent no longer lives in, a standard home insurance product is no longer suitable.

Landlords or ‘Buy to Let’ insurance is very easy for us to set up. All you have to do is inform us of your circumstances and details of the property and we source the best deal at the most competitive price.

We deal with all types of property, flats, management companies, ‘high risk tenants’ and unoccupied properties to name but a few. We can also advise you of home emergency options which provide cover for a tradesman to call at any time, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

So don’t leave your insurance to chance, insure your property correctly and avoid those large compensation claims for trips over a loose carpet, faulty light fittings or defective cookers.

Call A1 Insurance today for guaranteed peace of mind.