22. December 2011

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What exactly are insurance premiums?

When you take out an insurance policy of any description you will have to pay monthly premiums for it, but you may not be clear exactly what it is that you are paying. Essentially an insurance premium is the monthly amount that your insurance provider charges to keep your policy active, but the actual rate charged for similar policies and levels of coverage can differ strikingly from one company to the next. This is why most experts encourage consumers to secure quotes from a number of insurance providers before deciding on a company and a policy.

There are a number of means that insurance providers use to calculate the rate of a customer’s premium, with the customer’s likelihood of claiming on the policy being the factor that primarily determines the size of the premium. The information used in deciding the levels is often drawn from available statistical evidence, rather than the particular personal history of a customer, something that can sometimes be rather unfair. An example of this would be of a young man seeking car insurance: he would be likely to be charged a high premium rate, even if his personal driving record is good, simply because statistically young male drivers are a high accident risk. In this situation the young man’s good road record would help to lower the premium somewhat, but he would still be charged at a higher rate than either an older driver or a female driver in the same age bracket.

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The majority of insurance premiums are paid either monthly or semi-yearly, and the policyholder has a responsibility to meet these payments on time. Should they fail to do so, the insurance provider has the option of cancelling the policy – a situation usually referred to by the term ‘lapsed policy’. In this situation, should the policyholder meet the outstanding balance, the policy may be made active again or, alternatively, the policy will be allowed to become defunct. It is surprisingly common for customers to forget to pay a premium when it is due, simply because of the length of time between payment cycles – thus a monthly schedule is perhaps best for both parties.

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17. December 2011

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3 Type of Insurance that home owners need

contentThree types of insurance cover that homeowners should invest in include the likes of contents insurance, buildings insurance and short-term home insurance.

All are must-haves for homeowners and all can be obtained at http://endsleigh.co.uk. Obtaining any one of the above covers is easy and can be done by simply visiting http://endsleigh.co.uk and applying for a quote.

Contents insurance is suited to both those that rent and own and comes in the shape of an insurance cover that suits an assortment of different people.

The contents insurance from Endsleigh.co.uk suits those that have contents worth from anything in the region of £3000 right up to £150,000. It is therefore wise to only insure what you need as otherwise you may end up paying a lot more than you need to.

The contents insurance from Endsleigh offers a 24-hour claims service both online and by the phone. Those that invest in the cover are also entitled to £50,000 of legal cover. Claiming couldn’t be simpler and can actually be achieved online.

Buildings insurance offers £400,000 worth of cover, which is included as standard.

The buildings insurance from Endsleigh offers a 24-hour claims line, which allows for peace of mind, as customers know that are able to contact the insurance company at any time if an emergency does occur.

http://endsleigh.co.uk also provide a benefit that is tailored to the exact customer’s needs and will cover the customer in the case of any repairs.

Short-term home insurance is suited to those that are home owners at the moment but in fact intend to move elsewhere in the foreseeable future. This could be a move abroad for example. Other circumstances that are covered by this particular type of insurance include the likes of homes undergoing renovation, homes awaiting new tenants and also homes on the market.

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10. December 2011

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What exactly are insurance premiums?

When you take out an insurance policy of any description you will have to pay monthly premiums for it, but you may not be clear exactly what it is that you are paying. Essentially an insurance premium is the monthly amount that your insurance provider charges to keep your policy active, but the actual rate charged for similar policies and levels of coverage can differ strikingly from one company to the next. This is why most experts encourage consumers to secure quotes from a number of insurance providers before deciding on a company and a policy.

There are a number of means that insurance providers use to calculate the rate of a customer’s premium, with the customer’s likelihood of claiming on the policy being the factor that primarily determines the size of the premium. The information used in deciding the levels is often drawn from available statistical evidence, rather than the particular personal history of a customer, something that can sometimes be rather unfair. An example of this would be of a young man seeking car insurance: he would be likely to be charged a high premium rate, even if his personal driving record is good, simply because statistically young male drivers are a high accident risk. In this situation the young man’s good road record would help to lower the premium somewhat, but he would still be charged at a higher rate than either an older driver or a female driver in the same age bracket.

The majority of insurance premiums are paid either monthly or semi-yearly, and the policyholder has a responsibility to meet these payments on time. Should they fail to do so, the insurance provider has the option of cancelling the policy – a situation usually referred to by the term ‘lapsed policy’. In this situation, should the policyholder meet the outstanding balance, the policy may be made active again or, alternatively, the policy will be allowed to become defunct. It is surprisingly common for customers to forget to pay a premium when it is due, simply because of the length of time between payment cycles – thus a monthly schedule is perhaps best for both parties.
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19. November 2011

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How to transfer a mortgage to another lender

moneyIf you have taken out a mortgage with a particular lender but wish to transfer it to another one for whatever reason – for example that they are offering a more competitive rate – there are steps you will need to carry out in order to complete this process. In addition there are also potential penalties that you may be required to pay if you want to transfer from one mortgage lender to another in this way. Given the potential complications and pitfalls involved in the procedure, it is useful to have some basic information on how to transfer your mortgage from one lender to another, in order to help you decide if it is the right course of action to take.

Can you switch?

While this may depend on your lender, it should be possible to make the transfer. The most common reason why people wish to transfer their mortgages is that another lender is offering a more competitive deal. If you are considering transferring you should look around at a few potential lenders before making a decision and also remember that it will increase the likelihood of your having to meet redemption fees. This is particularly true if the mortgage is relatively new, but transferring may still save you money in the long term.

Penalties

When it comes to potential penalties, such as redemption fees, the best option is to look at your mortgage agreement to see if you would be liable for them if you chose to transfer. It is also sensible to get some advice from an independent finance expert, as it may be possible to reach an agreement on these penalties. Furthermore such an expert will also help you to calculate whether the lower payments offered by another lender will lead to savings overall.

How do you transfer?

Once you have established whether you will be liable for any penalties for changing your mortgage lender you can begin to look at the other mortgages to determine whether it is worth it. If you decide that it is, you will have to pay an arrangement fee to the lender, in addition to fees for solicitors and valuers.

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18. October 2011

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Where to Find the Best Pet Insurance Online?

There are many companies providing cover for pets in the UK and a pet owner should choose the company that offers the best cover with affordable premiums. Here are a few to investigate.
Pet-insurance.co.uk.

This online company provides cover that is affordable for dogs and cats. The company provides cover, which includes standard, and lifetime (comprehensive) cover. The standard cover offers insurance for a short period. It is a good cover if you operating on a strict budget. The comprehensive cover is ideal for pet owners who suspect that their pets have a chronic illness. It will cover your pet for its lifetime provided the cover premiums are paid. Each of the two covers provides benefits that include death in case of illness, any form of accident, or if the pet is stolen. Their pet cover is up to £4000.

Healthy Pets Insurance
This company provides immediate online cover for dogs, cats, horses, and exotic pets. Their cover is up to £7,500 but it is very flexible. It does not give a limit on the age and provides insurance for treatments that are on going. To obtain information on cover or to apply, you can visit healthy-pets.co.uk.

Animal Friends Insurance
Animal Friends is a UK based company that provides different levels of insurance for pets, from standard to lifetime. They allow pet owners to make payments by debit card, cheque or even credit cards. This company insures pets of all ages, whether they are new born or old pets. They pay claims directly to your bank or to the vet.

Argos Pet Insurance
Argos is a company that provides cover for pets that are as young as two months, but they do not have a maximum age limit. They have covers that are Gold or Silver. They also have a Platinum cover that will insure your pet if it has a recurring disease and the claim varies from £2500 to a maximum of £7000.

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18. September 2011

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Home insurance horror stories

Home insurance is a must and something that should certainly be invested in if you wish to protect both your building and personal contents.

You never know when disaster may strike and without valid home insurance, replacing all your beloved items and rebuilding your home will be near impossible.

Anything from environmental effects to theft and fire could affect your property at any one time. This is why the majority of homeowners look to invest in a great home insurance policy in order to cover their backs.

However home insurance horror stories do exist, this is why it is extremely important to look carefully into the provider in question.

Look at online reviews, ask the advisor many questions and try and get advice from friends and family who have been with their insurance providers for many years, especially those that have made claims.

Making a claim should be a simple procedure and if anything unfortunately does happen to your property, then you should feel assured that your chosen provider will deal with the arisen problems on your behalf.

However home insurance horror stories have arisen in the past when a party has tried to make a claim. These horror stories come in the shape of the insurance company of another involved party not taking responsibility for any damage caused. For example if a builder completing work on your building was to damage part of the property, the builder’s insurance company may neglect responsibility of this damage, stating that they do not believe it was the builder’s fault. This could in turn mean you have to shell out the money yourself, which is an expense you just don’t need.

This is why it is extremely important to look into an insurance policy prior to taking such a policy out as it is extremely important to ensure that policy will have your back covered no matter what the situation.

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13. August 2011

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Check You Insurance Policy Has Adequate Cover

There is nothing worse than putting in a claim on your insurance policy only to discover you do not have adequate cover. So many of us take it for granted that we will automatically be covered no matter what the case. The lesson to be learnt here is to read through the terms and conditions of your insurance policy and check beforehand that you are insured for all your requirements.

A common example of inadequate insurance cover often crops up when it comes to claiming for damages to items of jewellery. A big mistake is to presume that all damages will be covered when adding any precious jewellery pieces on our home contents insurance. Although there are some insurers that will cover damages the majority only stretch to paying out compensation in the case of loss or theft.

Depending on what it is you wish to insure and how much it value it holds it might be a good idea to get an independent insurance policy that you can have tailor made. Specific items that are either prone to risks or costly to replace or fix should demand certain guarantees when it comes to insurance. This might mean that the overall premium comes at a higher cost but it is well worth it in the long run.

Travel and health insurances are other types of insurance that need to be clearly checked and understood. It is a good idea to verify what illnesses you are covered for and what stipulations are imposed as far as medical history goes. Some people find that they are not covered for a particular illness if they have already been diagnosed before the initiation of the insurance policy.

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12. August 2011

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Calculating Life Insurance Coverage Needed

Although many people use life insurance to provide necessary protections for their families, only a few of them actually know how to calculate the right amount of coverage needed by the family. Getting the right insurance plan is important since you will be paying for the coverage you get; it is in fact a form of investment and you need to take proper considerations before making your decision.

There are several factors you can consider when calculating the right amount of life insurance coverage you need. A good rule of thumb is to get coverage amount of at least three to five times your annual salary; the best way to go is to get coverage for five to ten times your annual salary for maximum protection, but be sure to consider the amount of insurance premium you would have to pay as well.

Start by counting the number of dependents — and the probable amount of money they need to support their lives — as a factor to determine your life insurance coverage amount. If you have debts or unfinished financial issues, make sure you add the amount of money needed to clear those debts off to the insurance coverage calculation.

To finalize your calculation, try to determine the regular amount of yearly spending for your current lifestyle and compare it to the coverage amount. This way, you can get the best cost-to-benefit ratio for the life insurance plan you are getting. The insurance premium will be affordable, and the benefits can protect your family perfectly.

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9. July 2011

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Security Measures and Insurance Premiums

Where ever we can save money into today’s economic crisis is well worth considering and one of the areas where we can reduce our monthly outgoings is on our insurance premiums. Whether it is car insurance, home building and contents insurance or even life insurance there are basic measures we can take to lower the cost.

As far as car insurance goes the cost of cover is dependent on the type of policy we chose, the model and engine size of the car, driving history and age of the insured and the security of the vehicle in question. Insurance companies frown on any potential situation that can put a vehicle at risk and this can be anything from failure to park the car in a secure location overnight, absence of a fitted car alarm or poor maintenance and care for the general overall condition and running of the vehicle.

By keeping your car off road over night, for example in your drive way or in a garage you are optimising its security and thus reducing the risk of theft. This factor alone can reduce your insurance premium.

The same principles stand for that of home insurance. The most pro active actions to take to securing your home the lower the risk you have of permitting a burglary to take place. Secure window locks and door locks are essential and sometimes even a requirement with particular insurance companies. Keeping valuable possessions out of sight and under lock and key is another way to deter the unfortunate from happening. Security lights and alarms are also key elements that can reduce your insurance premium and are well worth considering when it comes to saving money in the long run. It might mean you have to spend a little to invest but it is a fraction of what you could be faced with should you neglect crucial security elements.

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28. June 2011

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Life Insurance Explained

A life insurance policy is generally taken out by people with financial commitments who have family members dependent on the money they earn. In return for contributing a regular payment, the life insurance policy will pay out a sum of money upon the holder’s death. This money may be used to cover any financial outgoings i.e. funeral expenses, mortgage repayments, outstanding loans or any other debts you leave behind.

Life assurance policies can also be used as a method of saving and if at the end of the period of cover the person insured is still alive the policy pays out regardless. The cost of life insurance depends heavily on just how healthy a person is and the only way to reduce the cost of a policy is to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The two main types of life insurance are term and whole-of life. Term insurance provides coverage for a specific term of years and the premiums are generally low since the death of the insured is generally unlikely to occur within the term of the policy. Whole-of–life insurance provides cover for as long as you live and builds up an investment value that you can cash in if you choose to surrender the policy. However, most insurance companies no longer offer this type of life insurance policy. Instead they offer a range of products which provide specific financial help in the form of a payment upon death, on becoming critically ill or unable to work as a result of an accident or debilitating illness.

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