admin, Author at Insurance Options and Policies

10/02/2012

A Third of Brits Delaying Home Maintenance Projects

(PRWEB UK) 20 June 2011

New research reveals that cash-strapped homeowners are putting off home maintenance projects to save money. Nearly a third (32 per cent) of respondents said that they are delaying home maintenance and decorating jobs to save cash, while 22 per cent were putting off fitting a new kitchen and 17 per cent a new bathroom suite.

The survey commissioned by leading comparison website, Gocompare, revealed that 32 per cent of Brits say that they really need to make some cutbacks to make ends meet. Not carrying out home maintenance and renovation projects were identified as areas where savings could be made. The survey also found that in order to reduce their outgoings, eight per cent of people would consider not renewing their home buildings insurance and another eight per cent would consider not renewing their insurance for their home contents.

Phil Paterson-Fox, Gocompare.com’s head of home services, commented, “In the current economic environment it is a good idea to review your finances and cut back on unnecessary spending – but it is important that in order to save money now, you don’t make false economies. For most of us, our home is our most valuable asset, so when making cut backs you need to ensure that it is adequately protected.

“Homeowners need to think carefully about the maintenance jobs they are putting off. While it may be ok to delay cosmetic redecorating jobs, essential repairs should not be ignored. Delaying structural repairs – a leaking roof for example, may lead to more damage and a bigger bill for repairs in the long-run than if it is dealt with promptly.”

Phil continued, “People should also think very carefully before deciding not to renew their home insurance. While it is not a legal requirement to insure your property, it is usually compulsory to have buildings insurance if you have a mortgage on your home. The cost of rebuilding a property after fire, flood or subsidence can run into tens of thousands of pounds, so even if you own your home outright, you need to consider what you would do if the worst happened. Similarly, before stopping your home contents insurance you need to think about whether you can afford to replace lost or damaged goods.

“A better solution to ditching your cover would be to shop around for a better deal. Only 22 per cent of those taking part in our survey had switched home insurance in the last 12 months, while 14 per cent had never changed provider.

“Using a comparison site to compare home insurance products is simple and fast, and you could save hundreds of pounds while benefiting from the same level of protection for your home. Last year, Gocompare.com customers saved on average, over £230 by switching their building and contents insurance*.”

For further information please contact:

Lynsey Walden or Anders Nilsson at Gocompare.com on 01633 654 055 / 01633 657 599

Gordon, Jason or Liz at MAW Communications on 01603 505 845

Notes to Editors:

Research commissioned by Gocompare.com. Carried out with 2,000 UK adults in May 2011 by OnePoll Research.

*£232 by switching their buildings and contents insurance after comparing policies from over 70 different insurers and brokers. (Based on Online independent research by Consumer Intelligence during 01 April 2011 to 30 April 2011, 10% of consumers could achieve this saving with Gocompare.com home insurance. )

Gocompare.com launched in November 2006 to help people find the right insurance cover at the right price. It was founded by Hayley Parsons who has worked her entire career in the insurance broking and aggregator markets and was the first comparison site to focus on displaying product features rather than just listing prices. It was this philosophy that led to Gocompare.com becoming the first price comparison site to be invited to join the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) in May 2008 and helped force older comparison sites to change their ‘quick quote’ ways and stop using assumptions to calculate estimated figures.

Today, Gocompare.com provides one of the most comprehensive online car insurance comparison services in the UK as well as comparing home, pet, motorbike, van insurance and breakdown cover.

Gocompare.com is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

09/02/2012

Weekly Address: Taking the Insurance Companies on Down the Stretch

As the health insurance reform debate enters into its final stages in Congress, the President denounces the desperate and deceptive last-ditch efforts of the health insurance companies to derail it. October 17, 2009. (Public Domain)

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08/02/2012

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07/02/2012

Farm Dangers for Children This Summer

Shears Family

Truro, United Kingdom (PRWEB) July 29, 2009

As part of a new safety awareness drive, at agricultural shows in the region, farm insurance specialists Cornish Mutual are warning parents of the danger to children of playing on farms.

Slurry pits, large machinery, farm animals and grain stores are some of the dangers being highlighted by the firm with figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showing that over the last ten years 31 children under the age of 16 years old were killed in the agricultural sector, as well as a further 12 between the ages of 16 and 18. Many have also suffered serious injuries such as leg amputations or serious burns.

The most common causes of death and major injury include falling from vehicles, being hit by moving vehicles or objects, contact with machinery, falls from height, drowning or contact with animals.

“Agriculture has one of the highest fatal accident rates of all industries in the South West,” says Philip Wilson, Devon, Dorset and Somerset Area Business Development Manager for Cornish Mutual.

He adds: “As farms are homes as well as workplaces, children are often around and every year there are serious injuries or sometimes tragically deaths. With the warm weather, there will be many youngsters playing outside during the summer months and farms can be a real draw.”

Providing secure play areas, keeping farm yards clear and tidy and ensuring stores, machinery and chemicals are stored away and locked when not in use are some of the ways in which farmers can reduce the risks according to Cornish Mutual.

Ian Shears (pictured) who runs an organic farm near Topsham in Devon offers educational visits to schools and is aware of the importance of reducing risks to children: “At Highfield farm we’ve looked carefully at every area to reduce risk as much as possible whilst still letting the children enjoy their farm visit.”

“We have created safe areas where children can have their lunch with no hazards like machinery or traffic. We always talk to the children and teachers as soon as they arrive about safety.”

“Overall I’ve found children to be very sensible about safety, but its essential children are supervised by a responsible adult at all times. We also like to ensure that we have the right insurance so that if the worst were to happen we know we have the right cover.”

Roger Nourish, Head of the Health & Safety Executive’s Agricultural Sector, said: “Most of us don’t even want to contemplate the death of a child. The fact is tractors, quad bikes and children just don’t mix. With weeks of school holidays ahead – it is time to ask: “How am I going to keep my children, and any friends or visitors, safe when they are on the farm?”

“Don’t think for one minute that an accident couldn’t happen on your farm. It only takes a second for an accident to happen. Yet, only a few seconds thinking time can make the difference and prevent the needless loss of young lives.”

However, it is not only children at risk of serious injury or fatality on the farm – many farms in the region have public rights of way across land and walkers may also be at risk.

HSE figures also show that in 2007/08 there were eight fatal injuries among workers in the agricultural sector and 76 major injuries in the South West. There were also 10 non-fatal injuries to members of the public.

The Agricultural Wages Act means farmers are legally required to pay most full-time employees whilst they are off work due to injury. On a wider basis, legislation means all land owners and users are accountable for injuries which happen as a result of their activities.

Cornish Mutual provides its Members with a range of cover including farmers insurance which can indemnify farmers against these legal liabilities.

Insurance policies can help to offset the income lost as a result of an accident, and may be used to pay overtime to employees or hire temporary or replacement labour depending on the needs of the farmer.

Every farm is unique – Cornish Mutual offer farm insurance packages that can include public liability, employers’ liability, property insurance, livestock insurance and personal accident cover. Other products include a tailored buy to let property insurance for property owners in the residential and holiday lettings markets, including public liability insurance, building and contents insurance, loss of rent insurance, employers and holiday home insurance.

For more information, contact:

Melissa Ward

Cornish Mutual

01872 277151

07702 673343

Notes for editors:

Founded by a group of Westcountry farmers in 1903, Cornish Mutual is the only general insurer based in the South West. Even today, the company is still owned by its Members, and remains at the heart of rural communities throughout Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset.

Although staying true to its origins in agriculture (around two thirds of Cornwall’s farmers are Members), Cornish Mutual now provides household and holiday home insurance, commercial, events and personal accident insurance to Members of all descriptions, living or working throughout the South West countryside.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

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