Insurance in 2011

Apologies for not having blogged here recently, I have been off researching what is going on in the world of insurance for 2011.

If you havent heard about the high court ruling against women only car insurance then where have you been??? UK companies like Sheila's Wheels will have to have a good hard look at their marketing strategy before December 2012, which is when companies will no longer be to market cheaper car insurance to women simply for being women. The High Court have decreed that it is sexist to offer cheaper insurance down to whether you are male or female, so companies who market cheaper car insurance to females will have to scrap this.

Where will it stop though? Surely it is age-ist for companies to offer larger premiums for young and inexperienced drivers, or higher premiums for OAP's? Premiums are worked out on a number of criteria, but surely there criteria are all independently discriminatory? Watch this space for any updates that I hear, people!!!

In the mean time if you are wanting to get your grubby little mitts on some Cheap Car Insurance then shop on the internet; this is where the savings are at!

New Blog - Great Read!!

In my wanderings around the world that is the internet I have come across a great new blog, InsuranceIntelligence.co.uk  Its got information about new cars, great stories about what is going on in the news to do with all sorts of different insurances and funny videos from the car insurance providers on the market. Swing by and have a look, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!!

Ice Ice Baby

November brought us a great deal of snow; uncharacteristically early for our normally wet country that time of year, and giving the whole country a complete cold snap. I was driving on my way to work the day after the first lot of snow had hit, and I wondered what the fuss was about. The newsreaders were surely scaremongering, it was all white but felt less worrying that that had suggested. After all, there was snow all over the road, but the car didn’t seem to be slipping very much and all was seemingly well. Until iIhit the kerb. The snow, it seemed, had created a blanket across the road and caused me to be unable to see where the road stopped and the kerb began, and I had knocked it without realising. I was a little shaken, but soon realised the problem. No harm done, i resumed my journey and made it to work safe and sound.

But industry experts are warning drivers to have their wheel alignment checked now the weather conditions have improved, as the snow teamed with the alarming amount of potholes that still are scattered across our roads from the LAST lot of snow in January 2010 are causing damage to our cars.Drivers up and down the country have done the same thing, and we could not be driving around in death traps, just waiting for an accident to happen.

Misalignment on your wheels can seem fairly minor, but when the car is on the road and travelling at speed it can cause it to pull to one side, and cause excess wear on the tyres. Both of these are costly for us as drivers when we come to have our car MOT’d and serviced, and with the increase in VAT and petrol prices, the last thing we need is inflated costs for driving.

A great way to save money that can be better spent on having your car fixed is to buy Car Insurance Online  to cut out the brokers and save a few pennies.

New Blog

www.tinkerbelle86.wordpress.com
Read this!

The Grinch

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, by Dr Seuss, was one of my favourite stories as a child. Admittedly, I was a bookworm of a little girl, and most people saw the film version with Jim Carey, but if you are unfamiliar with the story its about a green monster who tries to steal Christmas from the people of Whoville.

It is that though. A story. But warnings from the police this festive season have echoed the Grinch, as they have warned that when we are out, getting into the spirit of the festivites and buying presents for our loved ones, that there are people out there who are trying to ruin it for us.

Criminals see Christmas as a great time to cash in on us, and as we face the crowds and brave the queues, we are more likely to make a trip back to the car to dump our purchases. Car thefts increased in December last year by ten percent, and these figures are set to rise this year. The police are recommending that we are extra vigilant, parking in specific car parks and if we cannot, parking in well lit areas.
Many car insurers will cover theft to your vehicle, but you will risk paying a hefty premium and losing your no claims bonus, plus paying inflated cost for your Car Insurance next time, which isnt very festive, is it?

Car Surfing

When I was in my teens, we thought we were the coolest, that we were doing stupid stuff that our parents never would have done, and that we were invincible. But if worrying new reports coming out of America are anything to go by, our antics were relatively tame, and safe. I mean, the most dangerous thing I ever did was watch a boy spray deodorant on his sock and set fire to it. While it was on his foot. I remember thinking even then that it was a bit silly, and I would much rather go to MacDonalds, so I clearly wasn't cut out for daredevilry or anything remotely dangerous. Leave that to my sister!!

But news coming from across the pond is showing that teenagers are getting more reckless, and engaging in worrying hobbies and past times that are getting them killed. To research this, I searched 'car surfing' on YouTube this morning, and couldn't believe how many videos I found. Kids that looked barely old enough to have hit double figures on the age scale, surfing on moving vehicles, with other cars and lorries whipping past in the adjacent lanes. Another related link that surfaced was 'ghost riding' where the participants skateboard is attacked to the back of a moving vehicle, much like water skiing. Obviously much safer when water is involved, to cushion your face from grinding along something hard.

Excuse me for sounding like my grandmother, but come on guys. Linked with these stories are CNN news pieces with parents, distraught at losing their child in such a pointless way.

Car surfing is dangerous. It doesnt take someone like me to point this out, however much I would like to feel like I am revealing something. Moving car + balance = fail. And not only do you risk breaking something, like a bone or your face, but you risk being mashed into the concrete by an HGV. Not the most ideal way to go.

Ghost riding is also dangerous. See dangers above, but also you risk 'penduluming'; when the skateboard swings out, and again, mashes you into the ground.

However upbeat the tone, its really not a good idea. Kids.... just go bungee jumping!!

If you are driving a vehicle, make sure you have Car Insurance.

Eating In The Car - The Cause of Food Poisoning?

We are all guilty of having done it; grabbing a sandwich of packet of crisps before we embark on our trip to a meeting, and munching them behind the wheel. This is bad news for other road users, as it is really distracting behaviour that could see you ploughing into the car in front, but it is also really dangerous for you too, as a recent study by Halfords discovered. In their latest round of car checks, the retailer discovered that you could be putting your health at risk, due to the high levels of bacteria that can be found in your car.

Is this a surprising fact? Not really, when you think about the amount of time that you spend in your vehicle, getting from a to b. We shed loads of skin in there, and if you are guilty of eating your lunch in your motor on a regular basis, then the crumbs are going to be vital evidence too.

Also, think about how often you clean your car. I know the last time my car had a Hoover was when all the Beatles were still alive and kicking, and when i do give it a dust, it’s a cursory wipe with the sock that lives under my seat. For emergencies, obviously.

So the advice is thus. Don’t eat in the car. Then you won’t be subject to whatever nasty animals are wishing to take up residence in your tummy, and the police will have no reason to pull you over for driving with undue care and attention. Result! If you are planning on driving then make sure you have valid Car Insurance.