In a new series of articles, we look at various insurance related matters with regards to your personal motor, household, and travel insurances, to keep you up to date, and potentially save on your premium.
Household
Security Tips to Keep Intruders from Entering Your Home
According to Crime Stoppers, a burglary happens in the UK every 40 seconds. The consequences of a home invasion can go well beyond property damage and the loss of valuables or sentimental possessions. The mental and emotional impacts of experiencing a burglary can be traumatic and linger for a long time.
Fortunately, there are several steps that can be taken to reduce the chance of burglars targeting your home or successfully breaking in. To protect yourself, your family, and your property, consider these home security tips:
- Lock all doors and windows at night and when you are not home.
- Consider installing automatic security lights or surveillance cameras outside your home.
- Avoid leaving out any garden tools, ladders, or other equipment that burglars could potentially utilise to gain entry.
- Ensure all sheds, garages and other outbuildings are locked.
- Turn lights, a television, or a radio on when you leave the house to make it appear as if someone is home.
- Ask a family member, friend, or neighbour to collect any post or newspaper deliveries if you are going to be gone for an extended period.
- Keep valuable possessions in areas of your home where they cannot be seen from outside.
- Be careful about announcing your intent to be away from your home, such as with a physical note left outside or on social media.
- Wait until collection day to put out the packaging of expensive purchases in your rubbish bin, so as to not advertise your new possessions to passers-by.
Motor
Avoiding Pothole Damage
Following the bitter weather of winter, roads may be in rough shape. According to industry experts, potholes cost motorists as much as £730 million each year. So, when taking your car out on the road this spring, consider these driving tips to avoid pothole-related damage:
- Stay alert—Drivers should always be alert while operating a vehicle, but to avoid potholes, pay special attention to the surface of the road. It remains important that while watching the road itself, drivers also continue to be alert for other motorists and pedestrians.
- Keep your distance—Staying far enough behind the car in front of you will give you more time to see that you may be approaching a pothole.
- Take your time—Travelling at high speeds can result in a pothole causing excessive damage to your vehicle.
- Hold the wheel properly—Keep your hands in the ’10 to 2’ position on the steering wheel. Striking a pothole can cause you to lose control of your vehicle, so having an optimal grip on the wheel can prevent the accident from becoming even worse.
- Check your tyres—Ensuring that tyres have the correct pressure can help them absorb the impact of a pothole and therefore reduce the resulting damage.
Travel
The Real Cost of Finalising Your Holiday Insurance Last Minute
Although most travellers book their holiday plans months in advance, a recent survey conducted by insurance experts found that a significant number of Britons hold off on purchasing cover for their trips until the last minute. In fact, the survey revealed the following travel insurance trends:
- A startling 50 per cent of holidaymakers wait to purchase their travel insurance until a week before their trip.
- More than 30 per cent of travellers under the age of 35 do not purchase cover until the first day of their trip.
- As many as 40 per cent of travellers under the age of 35 go on holiday without purchasing any travel insurance whatsoever.
Despite these statistics, insurance experts confirm that purchasing cover for your holiday at the last minute (or not at all) can carry a hefty price tag. After all, lacking a travel insurance policy prior to your holiday could leave you financially vulnerable if an incident occurs before your trip even begins—such as a booking scam, cancelled or delayed flights, a personal emergency that prevents you from travelling or one of your travel accommodations (e.g., airline or hotel) going out of business. With this in mind, be sure to purchase your travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday.