The first time you drive on the road is a memorable and special occasion, and when you pass your test and take your first solo drive, it's simply unforgettable. The feeling of freedom, and perhaps a moment you have been waiting for, is exciting and liberating. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to getting on the road is getting insured. You want to get the right cover at a good price, so here are some top tips so you can do just that!

Choose the right car
Many of us would love to buy a really expensive and powerful car, but if you have recently passed your test, the more your car possesses these qualities, the higher the cost of your insurance premium. Think about insurance groupings. Group one is the cheapest. The bigger the number, the more your car will cost to insure, so do your research.

Keep mileage to a minimum
The fewer miles you drive, typically, the cheaper your premium. Remember to always provide accurate information. If you don't, you could invalidate your policy. If you think you are going to exceed the number of miles you drive each year, then inform your insurer, and they will recalculate your premium. This may mean you have to pay a bit more, but it will be a minimal amount compared to the costs of having an accident and not being covered in the event of a claim.

Pay in advance if you can!
Paying your premium monthly is handy if you do not have all of the money to pay in a lump sum. In essence, paying monthly means you are borrowing, and you will pay interest. So if you can, pay in advance. A good tip is to use a zero-per cent credit card, which will reduce the cost of borrowing to pay your premium.

Get a black box fitted to your vehicle
These are your friends. If you brake, accelerate, corner, and stick to low-level mileage, your black box will record all this information, and your insurer will have proof that you are a safe driver. These devices also monitor what time of day you’re driving, and the good news is that all of this will lead to cheaper premiums.

Take an advanced driving course
Taken after you have passed your test and lasting about six hours, these will help improve your skills by undertaking practical driving courses with an approved instructor. So always check with your insurer, as it could reduce your premium significantly.

Drive sensibly and safely!
If you are a good driver, this is not a reason to drive fast or take risks. Rather, this is an opportunity to show your insurance company that you are a safe bet by building up a good track record, reducing your likelihood of making a claim, and ultimately leading to cheaper premiums. Leaving you with more money to enjoy life.

Drive a hard bargain!
Haggling for your policy is a no-no. However, don’t be afraid to chat with your provider and ask if there is any manoeuvring on price. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, and your insurance broker or provider may be able to improve on any quotes you have had.

Choose add-ons wisely
Certain optional extras on your policy are a no-brainer, but it really depends on your circumstances. Breakdown cover, for example, is a really good idea if you live in a rural location. On the other hand, you may prefer key cover, personal accident cover, or legal cover.

Happy motoring
When you get the right level of coverage, you can go about building your no-claims bonus. Then enjoy your newfound freedom with the peace of mind that, should you need to make a claim, you are covered.

Get in touch today to see how we can guide you to the best insurance policy for you.

 

Investing is fun, exciting, and, if you get it right, financially rewarding. There are so many ways to invest, from savings accounts to property, stocks and shares, ISAs, art, wine, classic cars, and more. However, if you choose to invest, there are a few guiding principles to steer you down what could be a profitable path.

Do I understand the risks, and am I okay with losses?
Nobody truly understands all the risks of investing; otherwise, it’s not a risk. Generally, the higher the potential return, the higher the risk. But if you don’t like risk, invest in a savings account. You may not make a great return, but the risk of losing your hard-earned money is kept to a minimum. If you are prepared to invest in higher-risk investments, it’s important to be prepared to wait and possibly lose some of that money.

What are the terms of the investment, and how much access do I have to my money?
It's important to do your research; don’t be afraid to find out certain fundamental information. Who oversees the company? What are you investing in? It could be new technology. Consider how quickly you can exit the investment if you change your mind or decide to invest elsewhere.

Is my investment regulated?
Many investments are regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), but others are not. Therefore, you must weigh up what kind of investments you want to make and how long or short-term these investments are likely to be.

How protected is my investment?
Some investments have no protection at all, while others offer a little protection. For example, investing in a savings account is virtually risk-free. But if you worry about your building society going bust, then the FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) could help compensate you. Investing in the stock market can’t be insured, but there are ways to protect your investment.

Do I need financial advice?
Seeking good financial advice when it comes to investing will help you spread the risks and opportunities of your investments. Many financial advisors will suggest that you mix up your portfolio with a variety of investments to mitigate that risk. It could be that you decide to invest in an ISA, play the stock market, or play it safe with a savings account. Or perhaps you are passionate about art, cars, wine, or other investments and are not interested in the services of a financial advisor.

Conclusion: Choose investments you can insure
It’s clear that some investments offer more risk and protection than others. And while you can’t insure against shares performing badly on the stock exchange, if you invest in your passions, at least you can insure them at the current market value. Perhaps you invest in art, classic cars, or property? If that house, car, or asset is valued at its true market value, then you are protecting your investment.

Get a quote for the right kind of insurance to protect your investment.

 

It’s not something anyone wants to think about, but if you do, then critical illness insurance could save you and your family from a massive change in circumstances. Critical illness coverage will pay your mortgage, your treatment, and could even cover the cost of necessary alterations to your home if they are needed due to injury.

What illnesses are you covered for?
This can vary, and it’s important to check with your insurer to see what medical conditions and injuries are covered. Here is a snippet of what could be covered: Cancer, deafness, organ transplant, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and much more. Your insurance company will clearly define under what circumstances they would pay out for these conditions, which usually must be of a specified severity.

Why do you need it?
If you are unable to work due to a serious illness, the financial impact can be devastating. Unfortunately, government assistance in the form of state benefits does little to match your income, nor does statutory sick pay. The impact on your family can be huge, and if you are unable to provide for them or pay your mortgage, then the consequences for you and your family become even worse. Critical illness cover is also very beneficial when you recover. The last thing you want is to spend your hard-earned life savings paying your bills while you recuperate.

Deciding how much cover you need
It’s important to plan and assess your financial position carefully. When taking out critical illness cover, consider your earnings, any debts you may have, the cost of your mortgage, the cost of your monthly household bills, and your family’s monthly outgoings for childcare. That way, you will calculate a realistic figure if the worst should happen.

Calculating your premium
The cost of your critical illness cover will depend on many factors, including lifestyle choices (for example, if you smoke or not), medical history, your occupation, and the level of cover you require.

A few things to remember when taking out critical illness cover

• Add a waiver: This is a top tip when it comes to protecting your policy. If you become ill and can’t work due to illness and are struggling to pay your critical illness policy, by paying a little more each month, you can rest assured that your premium will continue to be paid and your family can claim in the event of your death.
• Give accurate and honest information to your insurer: It’s vital that you disclose any information to your insurer; otherwise, you could invalidate your policy. Insurance companies will check your medical history, so don’t risk it!
• Understand the terms of your policy: Talk to your friendly advisor; they are a fountain of knowledge. You need to know where you stand in the event of a claim. They will be more than happy to help, and this will all be backed up in writing, so take your time to read your terms carefully.

Critical illness cover keeps your family and home secure in the event of a serious illness or injury. Interested? Get in touch today.

 

There’s nothing like getting away from it all! Whether you are jetting off to the sun-kissed shores of a tropical beach, planning an Arctic adventure, or hiring a cottage on the Cornwall coast, one thing is certain: you need travel insurance.

Travel insurance is not all about covering the worst possible scenarios, like breaking a leg and landing a huge medical bill. It’s hugely comforting knowing that if you are delayed and your travel plans go badly wrong, you are covered and don’t end up paying for extra flights or, worse, another holiday. You don’t want any stress when you are trying to relax, and sometimes it’s relatively insignificant events that could occur that will not ruin your holiday but alter that special holiday feeling. While a basic policy covers you very well, it’s all about finding the right policy for you and your loved ones.

What’s covered in a basic travel insurance policy?

• Medical cover: For many people, this is the first fearful scenario when taking out travel insurance, as medical bills in America and Europe can run into the hundreds of thousands.
• Cancellation: If you have a good reason to cancel your holiday due to unexpected events, you could claim back the costs of travel and accommodation. It’s important to check the terms of your policy.
• Delays and departures: If you get delayed due to a storm, for example, or if you are involved in a car accident and you miss your departure, then you could make a claim for any extra travel or accommodation costs. The terms of your policy may vary for each insurer, but typically, the delay must have occurred due to circumstances beyond your control.
• Baggage and belongings: If your personal items or baggage are lost, stolen, or damaged, then you are covered, but there will be a limit to the value of these items, so check if you have any high-value items that you may need to inform your insurer of.
• Personal liability: This will cover you against any accidental damage to property or accidental injury to someone while you are on holiday. Without this, you could face legal bills costing thousands.
• Finding the right policy for you: While standard travel insurance policies offer good levels of cover, if you are going on a skiing holiday, scuba diving, or other dangerous sports, then you may need to get some extra protection with some add-ons. Other examples of add-ons cover medical outbreaks, tour operators going bust, and terrorist attacks. If you have certain pre-existing medical conditions, you may need specialist coverage. The same goes if you are backpacking or going on a winter sports travel adventure. And then there are more well-known policies, such as single-trip and multi-trip, that can cover you for all your trips on an annual basis.

It’s always worth talking to your insurance provider to tailor a policy to your every need and find out about some great products that could save you some money, for example, group or family cover.

 

Browse our properties to find your perfect place to rent, or get in touch with our friendly team to see how we can help.

 

Whether you are a sole trader, director of a limited company, or self-employed, having the right liability insurance is important. If you have been in business for years or just started, you want to drive your business forward. You don’t want any legal or costly complications that could threaten or even wipe out your business.

Employers’ liability insurance
This is required by law, unlike many other forms of liability insurance. It covers claims made by current or previous employees, which can run into millions due to legal fees or compensation. Even if you run your business from home or only employ one person, employer’s public liability insurance is still required to cover injuries or illnesses caused while in your business’s employ.

Public liability
Any business that deals with members of the public needs this type of cover. As a result, this is the most common type of business insurance. So even if you do not deal directly with the public, you will still need public liability insurance to protect you from any claims made by suppliers in the event of physical injury or property damage. This type of cover is vital to protecting your investment and not leaving you potentially owing millions in costs due to inadequate cover.

Product liability
If your business manufactures or sells products, then you need this type of cover. Don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need product liability insurance if you don’t sell directly to the public. If you are part of the supply chain, you still need to be covered.

Director and officer’s liability
Just as the name suggests, this type of cover protects you against claims from investors, shareholders, employees, and competitors. This type of insurance predominantly covers the cost of investigations, which can be very high. This can include many scenarios, from an investigation by HMRC or a competitor claiming a director has stolen trade secrets to investors personally blaming a director for the business’s losses.

Professional indemnity insurance
This will protect you in the case of claims that come about because you wrongfully advised a client and, as a result, they lose money. Many clients who require your services will often demand that you have this in place. Lawyers, surveyors, photographers, accountants, professionals working in the healthcare sector, and architects are a few examples of professions typically taking out this type of cover.

Covering against other threats
Threats to your business’s survival can appear in many forms. That’s why, when you get the correct level of liability insurance cover, it’s worth discussing in detail any other insurance you may require. From IT and cyber insurance, commercial property, or vehicle insurance to goods in transit, to mention but a few. It would be futile to safeguard against one threat only for some equally damaging claim to ruin your business. It’s worth taking a bit of extra time to consider getting the correct level of coverage.

Visit our website to find the best levels of cover for all your business insurance needs.

 

It will have taken considerable effort to let your property. Whether you have spent years building a portfolio or have simply decided to let your property, the last thing you need is for all that hard work to go down the drain – not to mention the income stream from rent being affected by damage.

Landlord insurance at its basic level starts with buildings insurance and, in this sense, is not too dissimilar to buildings insurance for a private residence. If you want to take out a buy-to-let mortgage, you will need to have buildings insurance in place.

Buildings insurance
Buildings insurance is imperative as it covers the cost of structural damage and the cost of rebuilding your property should the worst happen. This can run into some rather scary numbers that far exceed the market value of the property. Buildings insurance typically covers damage caused by fire, smoke, burst pipes, storm damage, water, theft, and vandalism. Landlord’s buildings insurance differs from standard buildings insurance, and if it’s not in place, your insurance could be invalidated. But the good news is that the correct landlord buildings insurance policy could provide accommodation cover if your tenants can’t stay in your property due to damage. If your tenants caused malicious damage to your property, then you are covered. It’s important to check with your insurer so that you know exactly what you are covered for.

Add-ons and other important cover
Just because certain elements of landlord insurance may be classified as add-ons, they are seriously worth considering as they could save you vast sums of money and help protect your investment.

Landlord contents insurance
This could be a separate policy from your building’s policy or an add-on, and if you are letting an unfurnished property, you might not deem it essential. That said, carpets, curtains, and furniture can be costly to replace, and if you’re renting your property furnished, it’s a no-brainer! It’s worth remembering that your tenant’s furniture is not covered by your contents insurance policy.

Liability insurance
This covers you against any claims made by your tenants should they have an accident resulting in an injury on your property. Legal claims of this nature can run into millions of pounds, so it really is worth considering!

Rent guarantee insurance
Taking out this kind of cover is a very shrewd move. The circumstances of your tenants can change, and if they can’t pay the rent, then you are covered. Without it, you may struggle to pay your buy-to-let mortgage. This type of insurance, also known as rent default insurance, will also cover the cost of any legal action required if you are forced to evict tenants.

Home emergency cover
This can be very handy in the face of an unexpected failure of essentials like plumbing, heating issues, drains, blocked sewers, lost keys, electrical issues, roofing problems, and the doors and windows that keep your property secure. The costs of labour and parts are covered, so it’s a comforting feeling knowing that any unexpected bills will be taken care of if you need to make an expensive call out at any time of the day or night.

Are you a landlord looking to protect your property investment with a complete and competitively priced policy? Get in touch.