Home insurer AXA has warned Britons that a range of factors could make 2012 one of the riskiest on record for home insurance claims.
Britain is poised for an eventful year, including occasions such as the Olympics, the Diamond Jubilee, the possible continuation of drought conditions and ongoing economic pressure.
Thefts from homes increase by 24% when people leave to attend events, and there will be plenty to go and watch in the UK during 2012.
There are also fears that dry conditions could see a rise in subsidence, and theft and attempted theft rose by 12% in 2010 due to economic pressures, with a similar pattern seen in 2011.
Christine Matthews, head of household claims at AXA, advised homeowners to take precautions against theft whilst at the same time ensuring that their homes were properly maintained.
The advice comes as specialist insurer Ecclesiastical warns that church metal theft has hit an all-time high.
Progressive announced Monday it has been issued a fourth patent for its usage-based car insurance program, Snapshot, which electronically tracks driving behavior and offers policyholders an opportunity to earn discounts by showing safe habits and low mileage.
The insurer said in a news release that the latest patent “relates, in part, to producing a driver safety score based on monitored driving data.”
The voluntary Snapshot program, which officials say is used by 250,000 Progressive customers in 39 states and the District of Columbia—making it far larger than similar programs offered by other coverage providers—relies on data that is collected by a device inserted into the diagnostic port of an insured vehicle and relayed to the company.
Policyholders can earn savings of as much as 30 percent if the feedback shows they log relatively few miles and operate the vehicle safely when it comes to factors such as acceleration and braking.
“For more than 15 years we have invested a great deal into the research, development, testing and piloting of usage-based insurance programs and will continue to do so,” Glenn Renwick, Progressive’s president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. “It’s gratify
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The federal government this year has ordered a probe into the crash reports of the car model Chevrolet Volt as part of a defect investigation into whether the car’s lithium ion batteries pose a fire risk after a wreck. General Motors engineers along with the government agency are trying to establish the grounds of a fire involving Chevy Volt that occurred in June.
Upon completing the side-impact testing post three weeks, the hybrid plug-in car caught fire. Chevrolet Volt caught fire while parked in the storage facility, the flames spread to three adjacent parked automobiles. Further the tests conducted during the week of Nov14 produced yet another spark, smoke and fire. N
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Purchasing life insurance can seem overwhelming. There are countless items to consider such as your assets, your family’s needs and your own budget. Companies offer whole life insurance, term insurance and universal insurance. Here are the different methods you can use for buying this important coverage.
Talk to the Company
One option is to simply call the company you are considering and ask for a quote. They may talk to you over the phone or they might set up an appointment to have an agent visit you at your home.
Either way, the representative will provide you with valuable advice about how much coverage you need and how the prices will rise as you age. T
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Car insurance comparison site Tiger.co.uk has found that drink driving deaths suffer a spike during January, due to the high number of parties for Christmas and New Year and a corresponding police crackdown.
The website also warns that the popular myth of being able to know how close to the limit you are is actually false, as (aside from quantity of alcohol drunk), there are a range of other factors.
Height, weight, gender, age, metabolic rate and stress all affect the rate at which alcohol is processed by the body, making it easy to accidentally be over the limit.
Tiger.co.uk warned drivers that drink driving is a criminal offence (unlike speeding which is a traffic offence) and those convicted could face prison.
Worryingly, car insurer LV= discovered through a Freedom of Information request in October that there are still hundreds of drivers convicted of drink driving, with 3% found guilty but not disqualified from driving.
AAA is predicting that more Americans will travel this holiday season, despite a sluggish economy, but they will likely venture less far than last year.
The motor club estimates that 91.9 million U.S. residents will travel 50 miles or more from home, a 1.4 percent increase compared with 2010. And perhaps because of the sluggish economy, most of them will drive, with 83.6 million U.S. residents planning to hit the road—a 2.1 percent increase over last yearaccording to AAA.
“It’s a positive sign for the travel industry that so many Americans are planning to travel this holiday season, collectively contributing to the second-highest year-end holiday travel volume in the past 10 years,” Bill Sutherland, AAA Travel Services vice president, said in a news release. “As our
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There are special considerations to make when preparing for a long RV trip and RV travel safety is an important topic to us here at Gilbert RV Insurance. Please take the time to review these tips on how to make a long journey safe and successful!
Plan Your Trip Thoroughly
Sure, surprise side roads can spice things up, but have an itinerary laid out ahead of time to outline your approximate location on any given day. The key here is that once your itinerary is planned, leave a copy with someone you trust and contact them on a regular basis so they know everything is going according to plan.
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The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is promising a speedy response from its members to policyholders who have suffered damage caused by the high winds hitting Scotland and other parts of the UK.
The trade body confirms that storm damage, such as that caused by high winds, will be covered by home and business property insurance policies and that comprehensive motor insurance will cover damage caused to vehicles
However, people who have suffered damage should:
Contact their insurer as soon as possible for advice and to get the claim moving most insurers have 24-hour emergency helplines.
If necessary, arrange for any temporary repairs to stop the damage getting worse.
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