iKube, the UK’s longest running black box insurance provider can prove that not all young drivers should be classed as reckless or irresponsible. By using the millions of miles of data collected through their black box technology, iKube have already rewarded 75% of those who renew this year purely based on driving well. This reward is a behavioural discount on top of any no claims discount earned.

iKube offers a straight-forward, simple way to reduce insurance premiums. In return for driving well and staying off the road after 11pm iKube rewards young drivers with a safe driving discount.

Then, at renewal 25% are also offered an unrestricted driving policy based on the fact that they have driven particularly well. With the rising cost of car insurance iKube believes this is a major incentive for young drivers to drive responsibly.

Jake, iKube customer and young driver from Kent supports this opinion by saying:

“I am now going into my 3rd year of insurance with iKube, I first joined iKube as it offered competitive rates and assisted young drivers in getting affordable insurance, unlike other insurance companies who charge extortionate and unrealistic premiums.” Jake added:

“The concept of the iKube tracking systems rewards good young drivers who are branded with the ‘reckless and dangerous’ tag by other insurance companies, I was delighted when in my 3rd year of renewal I was offered an unrestricted policy due to good driving behaviours; it proved that good young drivers can be rewarded financially for behaving on the road.”

Managing Director for iKube, Nigel Lombard has expressed his delight that the black box or “telematics” car insurance scheme has continued to grow, stating: “No one has been doing it longer than us – we really are the longest running continuous provider of telematics car insurance for young drivers. Our data actually proves that not all young drivers are reckless.” Mr Lombard added that he is thrilled that iKube continues to benefit so many young drivers who may not have been able to take to the road previously due to the cost of traditional car insurance.

To find out more please visit: http://www.ikubeinsurance.com

Harrogate, UK (11th May, 2012) – Engage Mutual, one of the larger UK mutuals, providing simple, value for money savings, protection and investment products, comments as it is revealed one in four now reject the care home option for elderly parents and take on the role of carers themselves.

Notions of a selfish society are cast aside as new research reveals that the 45-60 age group is shouldering the responsibility of looking after elderly parents. Despite active levels of family engagement, all but a minority find it hard to have the conversation about long-term care needs, and for most, care homes are not an option.

The new research for Engage Mutual’s ‘engage with you’ community website, which launched this week, polled a GB representative sample of more than 1,000 adults aged between 45-60 – the busy “sandwich generation” balancing the need to support children and elderly parents – and asked them about their attitude towards care for their elderly parents.

Only 4% of respondents had elderly parents in a care home and 83% wouldn’t consider it an option, even if cost was not an issue. The vast majority of 45-60 year-olds managed to support their parents – and around one in four (24%) had taken on an active carer role providing regular, routine support to help them cope with their daily life.

Majority engaged with elderly parents

When asked to describe their current relationship with their elderly parents:
• 45% said their elderly parents were an implicit part of family life and they saw them often.
• 24% give daily, routine support to help their elderly relatives cope with daily life.
• 16% said they already had a busy and hectic schedule but somehow always managed to fit in time to help their elderly parents.
• 5% said they gave elderly relatives a lot of financial support: For the majority, support was defined in terms of time and practical help.

Active support system despite busy lives

The poll also discovered that more than seven in 10 people surveyed (71%) provide practical, routine help to their elderly parents at least a few times a month, with just 17% saying they were unable to do much because they lived too far away.

Top 10 forms of active support:
Talk regularly on the phone 59%
Take to medical appointments 20%
Pop round to check they’re OK 29%
Help with their finances 15%
Do odd jobs around home 28%
Stock up on groceries 14%
Take them for days out 27%
Decorating/plumbing 13%
Help with gardening 23%
Cleaning the house 11%

More than a third of people surveyed (36%) had an elderly parent living alone and here the level of support across a range of tasks was significantly higher. For some, this suggests the demands on support could intensify as their parents become older.

Whilst the majority were helping their parents, with around one in four (24%) providing regular help, the research for ‘engage with you’ also revealed that only 36% of 45-60 year olds said they had had a serious conversation with their elderly relative(s) about a long-term care plan. Many did not want to start a conversation that would be upsetting and some said they didn’t know how to start the conversation. Set against the positive practical support provided, these communication barriers are storing up challenges for the future.

Karl Elliott, Director for the engage with you community website, said: “Notions of Britain as a selfish society with people having little respect for the elderly are out of touch. Our research shows that there is a strong sense of family in Britain today and a commitment to ensuring elderly parents can enjoy a dignified, independent and supported lifestyle as an active and integral part of the family. The recent horror stories on care homes may have had an impact but, for many, this was never an option under consideration.

“What the Government needs to wake up to is that millions of parents are already taking on the role of carers for elderly relatives. Many are juggling a caring role with busy jobs and still supporting their children. Time is tight, money is tight, is there any support headed their way?”

Following months of listening to the experiences of people around the UK that have taken on care roles, Engage Mutual this week launches www.engagewithyou.com, an online community for those facing the challenge of supporting elderly relatives. Here they can share experiences and stories, get free independent information and discover what support is currently available to help make balanced and informed decisions. Visit the site today to share, talk and listen with others.
Over time ‘engage with you’ will expand to address a variety of other life issues specific to this generation.

The research was undertaken for Engage Mutual by YouGov between 4-9 April 2012. The survey polled a GB representative sample of 1,008 people aged 45-60 who had elderly parents and 500 people aged over 65 who had adult children. Additional tables are available on request.

For further information, customers can contact Engage Mutual on 0800 169 4321 or visit www.engagemutual.com.

About Engage Mutual:
www.engagewithyou.com is an online community that signposts help and information for a responsibility laden generation in the hectic middle of life. Here they can share experiences, stories and tips, and find solutions to help them deal with a range of issues.

This new venture for customer owned financial services provider Engage Mutual, will see it provide an environment for people to connect, help, and support each other. Engage Mutual is one of the larger UK mutuals providing simple, value for money savings, protection and investment products to more than 500,000 customers.

Contact:
Kathryn McLaughlin, PR Manager
Engage Mutual Assurance
Tel: 01423 855245 / Mob: 07785 623539 Post: Engage Mutual Customer Service Department
Hornbeam Park Avenue
Harrogate
HG2 8XE
Tel: 0800 169 4321
International Tel: +44 1423 855 000
Email: mail@engagemutual.com

A charming little village in West Yorkshire has been named and shamed as the second worst place for burglaries in the UK.

Apperley Bridge in West Yorkshire has been identified as the runner-up in a list of 20 districts based on research into insurance claims for theft and burglary. Not only does Apperley Bridge feature in the top 20 list, there are other areas of Yorkshire that are rather prominent with areas in Leeds and Bradford shown to be rather vulnerable.

Apperley Bridge in Yorkshire was second only to Stoke Newington in North-east London, previously known as a notoriously dangerous place when it comes to crime levels. Now though, thanks to its organic farmers’ market and also the car boot fairs which are dedicated to vintage goods, Stoke Newington is becoming known as an up and coming area to live in around London.

Brits are more likely to get burgled while they’re out of the house, and with the snow that’s in bound this coming week and the big freeze it’s wise for you to avoid any frozen pipes which inevitably lead to broken and cracked pipes.

If you’re away then most insurers recommend you turn off the water and drain your system to avoid any mishaps. However, if you don’t do this and something happens whilst you’re away, because you’ve not read the policy properly it may end up with you not being covered.

If you haven’t read your policy correctly and something does happen, you may not be insured and this will totally void the need of any loss adjusters paying you a visit. Simply put, if you’re not covered then there’s no need for anyone to come and see you.

Rest assured if someone does break into your home though as Salmon Assessors’ expert loss assessors will formulate and negotiate the claim as sensitively as possible. They will deal with all of the repairs that may be needed to the home and they will help you substantiate everything that has been stolen.

The lack of insurance policies aimed at expert level skiers and snowboarders means many are not fully covered for the activities they want to take part in.

Ski insurance experts Complete Ski have launched a a brand new policy “Complete Ski Black” aimed at advanced and expert winter sports enthusiasts. Responding to the lack of policies aimed at expert level skiers and snowboarders the company has set up this policy to cover everything from off-piste skiing and snowboarding to heli-skiing and cat-skiing.

Off-piste opportunities have been increasing in popularity; with people who are looking for a little bit more adrenaline from their winter sports and are uncomfortable on, the increasingly crowded, resort slopes. With this trend we have also seen the steady rise in the popularity of heli-skiing (jumping from a helicopter onto an off-piste slope) and the relatively new cat-skiing (where you are transported by snowplough to previously unreachable pistes).

Compared to on-piste skiing these increasingly popular ventures have much higher injury rates – as well, of course, as being much more exciting. These risks are of serious concern when we consider that 49% of all skiing fatalities are the result of avalanches, 23% from falling on steep ground, rocks or ice, 13% from hypothermia, 9% from getting lost and 5% from becoming injured or trapped in crevasses – leaving just 4% of injuries for other causes (Planetfear.com). Total numbers of fatalities are relatively low at only 200-300 a year but the risks are still severe.

All these are directly related to off-piste skiing as the terrain is much less groomed and there are no boundary markers or warnings (Planetfear.com). This means that more competent skiers and snowboarders are still at high risk, despite having the benefits of increased levels of skill. Trying your skills on increasingly complex slopes and in unknown locations is a real draw for many but the risks are well worth considering. When it comes to off-piste winter sports many people fail to engage or prepare for the challenges they may face on open slopes.

The clear risks can in many cases be mitigated by proper preparations; with many resorts now running safety courses and avalanche awareness courses to help prepare people for off-piste winter sports. Of course, this type of preparation is essential to taking yourself off-piste and we can’t recommend just trying your hand with such a level of challenge.

Nevertheless, skiing off-piste provides an unrivalled opportunity for experiencing the sheer adrenaline thrill of a fresh open slope free from other skiers. Whilst some insurers and tour operators will provide cover for activities that take place off-piste, within resort boundaries or with a guide, many policies will not cover search and rescue fees – which are commonly associated with the avalanche risks that off-piste skiers face. The costs for search and rescue generally far outstrip those associated with normal medical costs with many countries such as France charging up to £9,000 for search and rescue efforts. These costs are often impossible for skiers to meet and insurers have been slow to meet this need.

Responding to this trend in the sector Complete Ski spokesperson Rob Thomas said:

“Whilst we caution safety at all times when people are engaging in winter sports we understand that there is both a demand and a need for winter sports policies, which can provide an added layer of protection for more advanced skiers and snowboarders.”

Britons prefer to take out insurance policies on their mobile phones as opposed to life insurance, according to some new research.

Findings by the Friends Life Group reveal that pet insurance is deemed more important than taking out life insurance to protect one’s own family.

The survey found that 14% of Brits would automatically insure their pet and 9% would take out mobile phone insurance, in stark contrast to only 6% of people who would take income protection insurance and 10% critical illness cover.

The study suggests that society is taking greater care in protecting gadgets and gizmos against own lives. As fewer adults prioritise life insurance policies as a necessity, it is essential to reiterate the importance of endowment policies.

It is obvious that Brits do not love their phones more than their offspring but it is vital to ensure the future financial security of your family in the case of an accident and to favour life insurance.

Endowment policies are concepts of life insurance and are designed to pay a certain amount of money after a specified term after it has matured or by an earlier death otherwise. Be prepared in the event of a misfortune and find out about selling endowment policies at endowment-policies.co.uk today.

Whether you want to know information about life insurance rates, or surrendering endowment policies, rest assured the professionals can help you will all the guidance and advice you need.

ENDS

Sun Life Direct outlines how much it costs when you die in the UK with its fifth annual report

• Cost of dying increases to £7,248, the equivalent of three months average UK wages (up 20% since 2007!)

• Almost 1 in 5 (100,000) people who are left to organise a funeral struggle with the costs, double that of 2009

• The State safety net is stretched – demand for financial aid far outstrips supply

Sun Life Direct, the expert in the cost of dying[1], has today announced the results of its Annual Cost of Dying Report[2].

The cost of dying (including death-related costs such as funerals, probate, headstones and flowers) has increased to an average of £7,248, representing a dramatic increase of 20% since 2007 and over £400 since last year. In addition, funeral costs have increased 61% over the past seven years, which Sun Life Direct believes will continue for the foreseeable future. The survey identifies that almost one in five people who are left to organise a funeral struggle with the costs, double that of 2009.

Despite these substantial costs, a quarter of the UK population haven’t made any plans for their end of lives, whether it be for funeral costs, estate administration, the preparation of legal documents such as wills, lasting power of attorney or for the provision for long term care. A large segment of the population think they have adequately planned for death when in fact all they have done is told someone, often a family member. Additionally, 44% of people don’t plan for their funerals because they expect family and friends to organise and fund it.

Sun Life Direct’s research not only highlights confused attitudes around end of life planning but also feeds into a broader concern; that society is facing three interrelated later life issues. Firstly, the UK’s ageing baby-boomers means the volume of elderly people living longer will result in a progressive surge in demand on the State over the coming decades. Secondly, this and other recent reports (Dilnot[3]) highlights that the population faces rising end of life costs and blurred ideas as to who is responsible. Thirdly, the Sun Life Direct Cost of Dying research shows that many people do not provide and plan for the end of their lives, whether it be for their funeral, the administration of their estate or for care at the end of their lives.

Simon Cox, head of life planning for Sun Life Direct, comments:

“Failure to plan properly for the end of your life not only results in a financial burden for families, but also an emotional one. We are ominously aware that State resources for funeral payments are severely stretched – 38,000 funeral awards were made by the Department for Work and Pensions administered Social Fund Funeral Payments Scheme in 2010/11 – 44% of applications were unsuccessful and average payouts were only £1,217 per applicant. Demand for financial aid far outstrips supply and those who are successful still have a significant strain on their wallet with the shortfall between the average £1,217 provided and the cost of a funeral.

“Action is needed to avert the sort of distress experienced by those who have had real problems paying for the funeral of a loved one, and action from those who have not made any end of life plans.”

Dr Kate Woodthorpe, lecturer in Sociology, University of Bath, concludes:

“A key concern for society is whether the current infrastructure established to support people at the end of their life is fit for purpose today. Currently the number of deaths each year in England and Wales is at an all time low, with 491,348 deaths registered in 2009. It is anticipated however, that the number of deaths will rise significantly and by 2030 there will be an additional 80,000 people dying a year.[4] This equates to a rise of 17% in the death rate in less than 20 years.

“At the same time, people are living longer and as a result are using more resources, both their own and the State’s. Costs for social care are rising, living standard expectations are high, and there remains an expectation that wealth is passed through the generations. The relationship between the public, commercial and voluntary sectors in the resourcing and provision of care, information, advice, support and services in old age and in planning for death is open to debate.”

The complete report expands on the following findings:

• This year’s headline figures and key changes from last year
• The extent to which end of life planning takes place
• Barriers to planning
• Confused and contradictory attitudes towards the role of families, the State and ourselves in relation to planning
• Who we turn to for advice and support on end of life matters
• Suggestions on how the end of life time bomb might be defused

To view the complete report, please contact:

MHP Communications
Andrew Lyons
sunlife@mhpc.com
+44 (0)20 31278 8518

Notes to editors

About the research

The report was commissioned by Sun Life Direct and carried out by Mintel Research Consultancy. It has been conducted annually since 2004, using a consistent approach to ensure data comparability over time.

The report specifically recruited a panel of directors in each of the ten regions. The regions are based upon Government office regions of England, plus Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Also an online panel consisting of 1,019 mainly British adults aged 40 or above and 1,505 mainly British adults who have been personally responsible for planning both a funeral and the administration of the estate.

About Sun Life Direct

Sun Life Direct distributes financial services plans on behalf of AXA Wealth Services Ltd, direct to consumers.  It is a part of the AXA Group in the UK.

Sun Life Direct is a provider of Over 50 Life Insurance, Funeral Plans and Life Insurance. In fact, the Guaranteed Over 50 Plan is the nation’s most popular choice for over 50s life insurance*. The Sun Life name has been around for 200 years and has roots stretching back to 1810. By 1900 Sun Life were the first to offer life insurance without the need for a medical – something we’re still proud to offer today. More information on Sun Life Direct can be found at www.sunlifedirect.co.uk

*Most popular whole of life guaranteed acceptance plan bought directly. ABI statistics, Q1 2011

About AXA

AXA UK is a part of the AXA Group. AXA Group is a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, with 214,000 employees serving 95 million clients. It is ranked the largest insurer in the world by net written premium and the top insurance brand globally.

In the UK AXA is focused on three key areas: wealth management, insurance and healthcare. It operates through a number of business units including: AXA Wealth; AXA Commercial Lines, AXA Personal Lines, AXA PPP healthcare, AXA Ireland and an independent distribution business Bluefin. AXA employs over 12,000 staff in the UK.

In 2010, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 91 billion and IFRS underlying earnings to Euro 3.9 billion. AXA had Euro 1,104 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2010.

The AXA ordinary share is listed on compartment A of Euronext Paris under the ticker symbol CS (ISN FR 0000120628 – Bloomberg: CS FP – Reuters: AXAF.PA). AXA’s American Depository Shares are also quoted on the OTC QX platform under the ticker symbol AXAHY.

The Group is included in the main international SRI indexes, such as Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and FTSE4GOOD.

Recent harsh winds have caused severe damage to many homes across the UK and the number of insurance claims for weather damage has hit an all-time high.

The Met Office issued stark warnings across Britain after storms reached up to 100 mph in areas of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. And insurance firms have reported record numbers of home insurance claims following the gale force winds and extreme rain.

The severe winds caused disruption to thousands of properties as roof tiles were blown off and flood alerts were released across the country. Britons who have experienced water damage to their home or business property need to call an insurance company immediately to send loss adjusters out to assess the destruction and start processing the claim.

Direct Line announced that it had its busiest day for five years following the UK weather and Co-operative Insurance reported that it had more claims in one day than it normally has in the whole month of January.

But homeowners need to be careful that they have the right cover before claiming for storm damage in case it is refused. It is far better to be safe than sorry and to get an independent expert firm to undertake their own assessment on the findings with their impartial loss assessors in case the insurance company turns the claim down.

Some policies may not cover damage to contents, fencing, hedges or pay for damage to homes caused by falling trees. Check if there are any claims limits on your policy, or any vetoes, and that you have maintained your property properly. Any evidence that proves there was damage before the wintry weather may result in a dismissed claim.

Salmon Assessors are acknowledged in the industry as the UK’s leading Expert Insurance Claim Negotiators. No other Loss Assessor can legitimately claim to be able to guarantee a higher settlement from your insurers. They have dealt with thousands of claims over the past 25 years and no other firm is more qualified to help you through such a disaster so contact the specialists today.

ENDS 

“We are specialist insurers for Barn Conversions and unlike any other website we have the only online quotation system that is completely dedicated to this distinctive style of property. Barn insurance is only for that who must be resident in the United Kingdom and live in a Barn Conversion, which must be your Permanent Home and not a Weekend or Holiday Let, whether it’s your first insurance for this type of property or you are just looking for an alternative option at renewal, our website has everything you require at your fingertips, just look at what we have to offer.”

Wolverhampton, UK, January-11, 2012— Choosing house insurance is an important part of being a home owner, much like many of the other expenses you will have when you own your own home, what you pay for home insurance is not cast in stone. There will always be ways to find more affordable insurance for your home, without having to spend hours and hours of your time trying to find the most affordable insurance.

Barn insurance is a best option that can save you a lot of money. This website is dedicated to those of you who are resident in the United Kingdom and live in a Barn Conversion, which must be your Permanent Home and not a Weekend or Holiday Let, whether it’s your first insurance for this type of property or you are just looking for an alternative option at renewal.

Buildings cover also includes fire, lightning, explosion or earthquake aircraft and other flying devices storm, flood, weight of snow, escape of oil from fixed domestic, oil-fired heating installations, escape of water from fixed water tanks, apparatus or pipes theft or attempted theft collision by any vehicle or animal riots, strikes, violent disorder, civil commotion and malicious damage subsidence or heave of the site or landslip falling trees, lamp-posts or telegraph poles accidental damage to oil pipes, underground supply pipes, sewers, drains and cables frost damage to fixed water tanks, apparatus. Architect s and surveyor fees, debris removal and additional costs as a result of local authority requirements increased domestic metered water charges up to £750 in all following an escape of water. It also offers house building insurance, flood home insurance etc.

ABOUT Barn insurance:- Barn insurance has aim is to provide customers with a high level of service and that all aspects of your insurance are dealt with promptly, efficiently and fairly, we have set out below details which could be of assistance to you. We have tried to show the main topics that customers may well require. If you are still unable to find the answer to a particular problem please either e mail us at info@barninsurance.com or telephone 01902 375559 where we will be able to assist you or you can also visit our website http://www.barninsurance.com

Or visit:-
Chestnut House
Kingswood Business Park
Kingswood
Wolverhampton
WV7 3AU
Telephone: 01902 375 559
Facsimile: 01902 375 077
E mail: info@barninsurance.com

Transactor Global Solutions Limited (TGSL), the market leader in modern .Net insurance technology solutions, has this week announced a partnership with Realex Payments that will see the payment gateway’s tailored solutions made available to a wide range of businesses working with TGSL.
Tim McDonnell of Realex Payments said of the partnership: “we are delighted to be working with TGSL. TGSL is a leading player in the insurance software industry with the most dynamic, functional and configurable systems on the market. The partnership with TGSL will ensure that our mutual customers have the benefit of working with industry leading software and innovative, cutting edge PCI DSS compliant payment systems”
Danny Kingston, IT Services Manager, TGSL added “We are extremely excited about working with Realex Payments and offering our customers a PCI DSS compliant payment solution from a trusted partner with years of experience within the industry. We look forward to our partnership going from strength to strength, and continuing to provide cutting edge integrations “out of the box” to all Transactor GSL Users.”
Realex Payments has gained considerable experience within the insurance industry over the last 10 years, and recognise the issues facing insurers when it comes to taking ‘customer not present’ transactions. Last year alone Realex processed £1 billion worth of insurance sector transactions globally. Realex Payments is currently working with thousands of businesses to help them achieve secure card storage in a PCI DSS compliant environment, maintenance of up to date card details for recurring payment, multi-channel processing, and expansion in to new markets and increasing conversion rates around renewals.
The first company to benefit from this new partnership will be insurance broker Principal Insurance who take advantage of Realex Payments host of payment features, as well as dedicated technical account management. “We adopt a partnered approach – that’s why our customers act as advocates, and we are proud and confident in saying that our customer service is second to none” added Tim McDonnell.

DisasterCare Platinum has produced a new guide designed to show insurers how cost-savings and efficiencies can be introduced to reduce the impact of restoration works to water damaged buildings.

The last two winters resulted in some of the largest claims on record in the insurance sector as a result of water damage – mainly caused by roof pipes bursting in homes.

Large costs were incurred by insurers – and policyholders endured a good deal of disruption and devastation due to the scale of losses.

Charles Jeffrey, of DisasterCare Platinum, said: “With this in mind we’ve produced ‘The Use of Technology To Recover Water Damaged Buildings,’ which provides a summary of how technology is able to reduce the time a claim is live – and the potential disruption of restoration repairs. “The guide available at http://www.disastercare.co.uk/new-technology-guide.htm covers the concepts of drying with heat, conventional drying technology, sustainable drying, and monitoring and evaluation.

“The information is designed to help signpost insurance professionals to some of the innovations within the marketplace, and help them make informed decisions about the processes that can now be introduced for future claims.”

DisasterCare Platinum has also produced a video, entitled ‘A Technology Guide,’ which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/disastercareplatinum The company also offers an online brochure on technology in restoration, which can be viewed at http://www.disastercare.co.uk/restoration-guide.htm ENDS DisasterCare Platinum is a specialist restoration service, which caters for higher value and technically complex insurance claims resulting from flood and fire damage.
DisasterCare Platinum’s areas of expertise include water damage restoration, structural drying, fire and smoke removal, mould and microbial remediation – as well as accidental damage to carpets and soft furnishings. The company, which has its headquarters in Farnham, Surrey, offers the latest technology to ensure clear lines of communication with insurers – with detailed site reports, estimates and schedules of work delivered to clients within minutes of technicians leaving a site.

http://www.disastercare.co.uk

DisasterCare Platinum, Wrecclesham Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8TY
T: 0845 521 0280

To contact DisasterCare Platinum email Charles.Jeffrey@disastercare.co.uk or call 0845 521 0280

Press release issued by Jane Shepherd, Shepherd PR Limited, 01538 308685/07985 129315