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Half of pets have fish and chips each week
Owners are putting the health of their beloved animals at risk by feeding them fast food. More »
By Marianne Straker, Pet Insurance - Mon 6 Feb 2012
Bid to make roads safer for motorists and cyclists
Brake is working with the Metropolitan Police to ensure that motorists and cyclists in West Yorkshire can use the roads safely together. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Mon 6 Feb 2012
Highways Agency warns over icy conditions
The Highways Agency has warned motorists about the dangers of icy conditions, with temperatures falling across the UK. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Fri 3 Feb 2012
North America tops fly-drive destination
As temperatures drop across the UK many Brits will be daydreaming of a summer getaway and new research has ranked North America as the best destination for fly-drive holidays.
Whilst Hong Kong was recently named as the best city break beating off competition from the likes of London and Paris, the lure of driving along Route 66 with the top down is too alluring for holidaymakers.
Carhiremarket.com also noted Australia, New Zealand and South Africa as popular destinations. The African country was recommended for it's plethora of safari tours as well as Victoria Falls, whereas the southern hemisphere states were highlighted for their wide open spaces, rugged terrains and "breathtaking" sights.
However, neither could hold a candle to North America which the website described as having "superb scenery" and also pointed to the easy car access around the country with a host of well-signposted roads. Not to mention the thousands of iconic sites the US has to offer. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Thu 2 Feb 2012
Quarter of Brits worry about cold weather damage
The wintery weather is causing more Brits to worry about their property being damaged.
Siberian winds and heavy snowfall are set to hit the UK in the coming days and it is raising concerns for Brits who believe that any damage to their property could push up the cost of their home insurance.
Research by Santander found that one in four (25 per cent) people worried that their house could be hit by adverse weather conditions. A further 37 per cent believed that they would struggle to pay lighting and heating bills if temperatures dropped any further.
A survey by Direct Line found that 40 per cent of homes across the country did not have adequate cover and were susceptible to frozen pipes and boiler breakdowns.
Steve Burton, head of marketing at Santander, commented: "People are concerned about a wide variety of risks from the effects of adverse weather or their ability to pay the bills during the winter, but in some instances there are steps that can be taken to reduce the level of risk." More »
By Marianne Straker, Home Insurance - Thu 2 Feb 2012
Land Rover drivers are biggest speeders
Land Rover drivers have been named as the biggest speeders on public roads, according to research by car insurance company Confused.com.
The website found that 26 per cent of motorists that drove a Land Rover Discovery had broken the speed limit on a public road whilst the company's Range Rover Sport model was top of the list for breaking speed laws on the motorway.
Ford Galaxy Zetec was found to be the top vehicle in which motorists would use a handheld device whilst driving; the survey revealed that 1.94 per cent of people were guilty of this offence.
Land Rover recently unveiled a range of six new models with the latest Sport vehicle retailing at £48,795.
Gareth Kloet, head of car insurance at Confused.com says: "The rules of the road are designed to help shape our driving habits and to maximise road safety. Keeping on the right side of the law will obviously help to not only minimise the cost of your insurance but also help keep you on the road and keep the roads safe". More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Thu 2 Feb 2012
Not enough been done to cut delays for motorists, says Warranty Direct
The government needs to do more to prevent motorists being caught up in delays caused by utility roadworks, according to Warranty Direct. More »
By Jonathan Dawes, Breakdown Cover - Wed 1 Feb 2012
TomTom releases two new Simpson's sat nav voices
Motorists can now be given a hand by two more of their favourite characters from The Simpsons, after TomTom released voice packs for Mr Burns and Marge. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Wed 1 Feb 2012
Brits favour pets and phones over their own life
Brits would rather take out pet insurance and cover for their phone than protecting their own life.
A study by the Friends Life Group revealed that finding cover for their four-legged friend was more important than safeguarding themselves should the worst happen. The survey revealed that 14 per cent of people had pet insurance whilst only ten per cent had critical illness cover.
People were more likely to get mobile phone protection with nine per cent automatically taking out cover. Direct Line recently revealed that 33 per cent of dog owners would treat their pet to desserts and sweets suggesting they valued their canine more than themselves.
Steve Casey, head of marketing at Friends Life, said: "It is a fact of life that we seem to prioritise insuring things like our mobile phone or our pet over insuring our income. But the consequences of us being unable to work for a prolonged period, for example because of illness, can be severe." More »
By Marianne Straker, Pet Insurance - Wed 1 Feb 2012
One in five skiers travel without insurance
Winter holidays are quickly becoming a favourite for Brits looking for a different kind of getaway.
However, research by Barclays has found that one in five UK skiers are hitting the slopes without any travel insurance. Whilst skiing is a very enjoyable and fun activity it also carries a high risk factor.
Bosses of the bank's insurance branch have warned that injuries such as a broken leg can cost £1,100 in Europe and £9,000 in North America. Even common problems such as torn ligaments and fractures can be very costly.
Kieran Murphy, managing director of Barclays Insurance, said: "Even experienced winter sports enthusiasts can have an accident so it is essential to check you have adequate travel insurance in place so you don't get hurt financially too."
Santander Insurance recently found that 17 per cent of holidaymakers planning to head out on the piste had only experienced skiing from playing computer games. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Wed 1 Feb 2012
Nearly half of UK vulnerable to winter weather
Britain is bracing itself for the long-awaited barrage of winter weather and home insurance company Direct Line has revealed that 40 per cent of properties are vulnerable to damage caused by sub-zero conditions.
The Met Office is warning of snow falls, sleet and freezing temperatures as the UK is finally hit by wintry weather following a relatively mild December and January. Experts have issued a "yellow" warning of snow and ice in rural areas and some northern cities.
Direct Line has found that nearly half of homes are susceptible to frozen pipes and broken boilers if temperatures drop into the minuses. Whilst the cold weather is expected many homeowners have yet to make sure their property is ready to cope with it.
Stuart Curson, head of company's home insurance, said: "As the last two winters have demonstrated, bad weather can cause serious damage to property, as well as enormous stress to homeowners. Whilst this winter has proved mild so far, the current weather predictions should ring alarm bells for many householders." More »
By Marianne Straker, Home Insurance - Wed 1 Feb 2012
High petrol prices could force drivers off the road
Rising petrol prices could discourage drivers from using their car as motorists reveal worries about increasing bills.
Car insurance company Hastings Direct found that 78 per cent of drivers were put off using their car by the rising cost of owning a vehicle. The company's survey also revealed that one in five (12 per cent) motorists would give up their car completely if petrol prices hit the £2 mark.
The average price for a tank of unleaded petrol currently stands at 134.38p per litre but it is a major hike compared to the beginning of the century when prices stood at 77p. Hastings' survey found that 74 per cent of people had decided to cut back on the amount of time they use their car in order to save money.
Tobias van der Meer, managing director of the company, said: "Taking the right actions, reducing mileage and driving safely, can help motorists cut the cost of their insurance and their fuel bills, but ultimately motorists cannot and will not be able to keep on paying higher and higher petrol prices." More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Tue 31 Jan 2012
Flood protection needs to be 'national priority'
Residents need to make flood protection a "national priority", according to the head of AA home insurance.
A report by the Public Accounts Committee found that the annual damage caused by floods cost the country £1.1 billion and the figure is set to rise. The government recently announced that it plans to cut the Environment Agency's flood risk management budget by ten per cent.
This will mean that many homes across the UK will become unable to afford the insurance premiums needed to protect a property from flooding. In 2009, Britain was hit by a number of flash floods in places such as Cumbria and Kent as a month's rain fell in just 24 hours.
Now the AA is urging residents to make sure they have measures in place to stop any further property damage caused by floods.
Simon Douglas, director of the insurer, said: "Flood protection is a national priority, yet many people in flood-prone areas may find their homes difficult to insure from later this year. People want the government to take decisive action now, to ensure that their homes are protected." More »
By Marianne Straker, Home Insurance - Tue 31 Jan 2012
Lloyds puts an end to charity cards
Major banking group Lloyds has decided to end its charity cards from companies such as Halifax and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Charity credit cards are a way for people to donate money just by using plastic on transactions in stores. Many companies offer a system where funds are given to organisations once an account is opened and then for every transaction over a certain amount a percentage is donated to charity.
However, Lloyds believes that this is not a cost-effective way of giving money and has taken the decision to withdraw its cards from banks and building societies.
In the past 23 years the company has donated millions to charities such as Cancer Research UK and the NSPCC but now it will end the scheme in the coming weeks.
Baroness Finlay, vice chair of the all-party parliamentary group on cancer, criticised the decision.
She told BBC Radio 4's Money Box programme: "I think a bank which can produce that amount of additional money to give large bonuses has to look very hard at whether it should be giving back to the society on which it depends for its business." More »
By Sarah Engle, Credit Cards - Mon 30 Jan 2012
Buying properties becomes cheaper than renting
Buying a house is now 16 per cent cheaper than renting, according to new research by Halifax.
While the company recently revealed that mortgage rates were at their lowest level for 14 years, it also found that purchasing a property is over £100 cheaper than leasing it off a landlord.
The firm's Buying vs. Renting Review found that the typical monthly cost of buying a three-bedroom house was £600 in December 2011, while the average rent on the same property was £716.
It shows a massive turnaround from 2008, when buying was 29 per cent more expensive than renting, while in the past year buying costs fell by five per cent.
Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "The affordability gains for buyers relative to renters in the last three years have been significant. The average mortgage payment has fallen dramatically over recent years as a result of falling house prices and mortgage rates." More »
By Marianne Straker, Home Insurance - Mon 30 Jan 2012
Rush hour slowed to 15mph due to delays
British commuters are seeing their drive to work slowed to 15mph thanks to delays on the roads.
Research by Direct Line car insurance found that drivers in Manchester suffered the worst, with average commutes on busy roads taking an hour and 55 minutes to complete a 25-mile journey.
Other cities such as Birmingham and Bradford also fared badly, with drivers hitting an average speed of just 14mph. In contrast, motorists in Glasgow faced the least amount of bottlenecks, managing a speed of 18.7mph even in congested areas.
Steve Price, head of the insurer, said: "Checking your route before leaving home, pre-warning your boss when you know traffic is bad or having a flexible working agreement in place can all help to reduce the stresses and strains of driving to work."
With the Olympics fast-approaching, Transport for London organisation has launched a new "live traffic" website as well as a Twitter feed to warn drivers of possible delays in the city. More »
By Tom Farley, Car Insurance - Mon 30 Jan 2012
Household wealth shows north-south divide
There is a north-south divide in household finance, according to new research by the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS).
Officials at the organisation described the new figures as "alarming" but highlighted that London was an exception to the rule. The analysis found that 1.8 million households (8.9 per cent across the UK) spent more than 25 per cent of their income paying back debts.
Areas with the highest level of unsecured loan repayments tended to be in the north of England with regions such as Yorkshire and the north-east topping the list for above-average rates.
Recent research by Aviva found that household debt was once again on the rise with 62 per cent of UK families worrying about the increased cost of living.
CCCS bosses also found that despite lower house prices in the north of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland many struggled with mortgage repayments.
Lord Stevenson, chairman of the organisation, said: "Households are struggling right across the UK, but northern regions are in a far more perilous position than elsewhere." More »
By Marianne Straker, Home Insurance - Fri 27 Jan 2012
London remains top UK destination
London remains the most popular place for getaways in Britain but two Scottish cities have also been named in the top five destinations for UK breaks.
Holiday website Expedia.co.uk ranked the English capital as the number one city based on bookings for January. However, Edinburgh and Glasgow were second and fourth respectively with officials highlighting Scotland's largest city as the most "exciting" in the UK.
Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: "To see both Edinburgh and Glasgow feature in the UK's top five destinations is tremendously welcome. Glasgow is becoming increasingly well known for its museums and its shopping and earning a reputation as one of the UK's most exciting cities."
Many people have been favouring holidays in England as a way to cut down travel insurance and other costly fees involved when travelling abroad.
Skiing holidays have been very popular with Brits but many insurance firms have warned that if people do not take out the correct cover it could lead to expensive repercussions should they have an accident. More »
By Tom Farley, Travel Insurance - Fri 27 Jan 2012
Welsh Assembly criticises payday loans
Payday loans companies have been criticised by members of the Welsh Assembly for "sucking money" from the poor across the country.
Firms offering high-interest bonds have come under scrutiny in recent weeks due to the "irresponsibility" of the style of lending. Wonga, a major short-term lender, has been criticised recently after it encouraged students looking to reduce the amount debt they had over the course of their studies to use the scheme.
Now the Welsh Assembly has attacked the companies for targeting poor and vulnerable communities to take out loans they will struggle to pay back.
Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru assembly minister, has called for there to be a cap on the high-interest loan which can be well over 1,000 per cent APR.
He said in a debate at the Senedd: "Adverts concentrate on the quickness and simplicity of the lending, the amount paid back is talked about in terms of £20 and £30. It's hard for a consumer to make a choice based on the real interest rates." More »
By Sarah Engle, Loans - Thu 26 Jan 2012
