PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
13 June 2019
The perils of not insuring your caravan this summer

The perils of not insuring your caravan this summer

Legally, you aren’t required to hold caravan insurance, even when on tow. This is unlike the legal obligation for you to hold car insurance, as caravans are often covered by most insurers in their car insurance policies. Although, it is crucial to inform your insurance company of this, as having a towbar fitted to your car can, in some cases, technically account for a modification to your car.

Relying on just your car insurance will only give you third party insurance cover too. This is perfectly acceptable in some circumstances, however, it does mean that should your caravan be involved in a collision, suffers damage, or is stolen, you will not be covered. The question to ask yourself is: can you afford the loss, if the worst were to happen, by avoiding caravan insurance?

This being said about the legalities of caravan insurance, there are legal restrictions as to who can tow. If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B car licence you can’t legally tow a vehicle and trailer combination without taking a separate test.

Licences issued before 1 January 1997, on the other hand, generally allow drivers to drive a vehicle and trailer combination of up to 8,250kg MAM. Although, it’s always worth checking your individual driving licence information to be sure. You can do this through the Gov.uk website.

So, whilst you may not have the legal obligation to insure your caravan, you need to be absolute about the sort of licence that you hold – otherwise, this could land you in a whole load of trouble.

What type of caravan insurance do we offer?

The two types of caravan insurance:

  • Static caravan insurance for those caravans in fixed holiday parks or seaside resort locations.
  • Touring or tourer caravan insurance which covers all caravans being towed behind a vehicle.

Take a look at our website to search for caravan insurance today or get in touch with one of our advisors who will be only too happy to help!

The information contained in this blog is accurate and compliant at the date of publishing on 13th June 2019.

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
29 September 2015
Innocent Driver’s Car Impounded for Not Carrying Insurance Documents

Innocent Driver’s Car Impounded for Not Carrying Insurance Documents

Whether you drive a shiny new BMW or a second hand Mazda, insurance should never be scrimped on. Most Brits are responsible about taking out cover yet unfortunately, not everyone enjoys a smooth ride, even when they’ve done the right thing. Earlier this month Lancashire teenager Keaton was stopped by the police and had his mum’s car seized, all because their records showed that he wasn’t covered by insurance. Now, he’s being forced to pay £150 in order to reclaim the car when in fact, he was covered by a temporary car insurance policy all along.

Despite the fact that Keaton offered to show police a copy of the temporary policy back at his Langroyd Road home, they insisted on seizing the vehicle. He’s now being asked to pay £150 fee to reclaim the car, as well as a daily fee for each day it’s been stored in the Lancashire Police hold. Keaton and his mum are appealing the fees though the police assert that all temporary policy holders should always carry a copy of their policy while driving, should a situation like this arise.

Clearly, the concept of a temporary insurance policy is surrounded by confusion so to help clear it up we’ve put together a quick guide to everything you need to know. 

What is temporary car insurance?

As the name suggests, temporary car insurance offers policy holders short term cover on a temporary basis. Unlike most policies which run for 12 months, temporary insurance can be taken out for as little as one month.

When is it useful?

If you’re borrowing a friend or relative’s vehicle or want to add another eligible driver to your policy, temporary insurance is a great option.

Is it cheaper than adding someone to an existing policy?

While it’s relatively easy to add another driver to an existing policy it’s not always the most cost effective option, especially if they only plan on driving for a month or two. Temporary insurance gives policy holders the flexibility to add another driver to their existing policy, without having to pay for an entire year of cover.

Does it affect the no-claims bonus?

As a temporary insurance policy is an entirely different form of cover no-claims bonuses won’t be affected should the temporary driver make a claim.

Is it automatic?

While insurance policies should generally kick in instantaneously, police may not necessarily have access to the new records. As seen in Keaton’s case. As such, always carry a copy in the car just to be safe.

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
25 September 2015
Could a New App Cut Your Car Insurance Premium?

Could a New App Cut Your Car Insurance Premium?

Across the UK Brits rely on motor vehicles to get them from A to B. However unfortunately for motorist bank accounts, petrol and car maintenance aren’t the only costs associated with owning a vehicle. Car insurance is an absolute must though it definitely doesn’t come cheap. What’s more, responsible drivers are often forced to pay the same premiums as their reckless counterparts… until now.

Thanks to the launch of a brand new smartphone app that actively monitors driving behaviour, motorists could now enjoy the opportunity to lower their premiums if they receive a high enough score.

Technology takes to the roads

Developed by Octo Telematics, Octo U uses GPS technology to build a driver risk profile based on a handful of factors. Acceleration, braking and cornering are all taken into account to generate a score which can be used to convince insurers a driver is eligible for a low risk policy. Not measuring up? No worries! The app continuously updates profiles and when a high enough score is achieved drivers can seek out a personalised discounted motor insurance quote.

Safer roads for all

For the UK as a whole the app is a fantastic opportunity to transform the reckless driving behaviours that are responsible for so many accidents, injuries and fatalities. Road safety charity Brake is an avid supporter of the app and maintains that technology such as Octo U is the key to making British roads as safe as possible.

Dr Tom Fisher of Brake explains, “Changing driver behaviour is crucial in reducing collisions and helping all road users to make safer choices at the wheel; in-vehicle technology is an invaluable tool in informing and improving driver behaviour.”

Fabio Sbianchi, CEO of Octo Telematics also stresses that the app is a great opportunity for insurers to cash in on data regarding their policy holders. “By downloading the app, motorists are buying into the concept of telematics at an entry-level. This doesn’t replace black box technology, but opens the door for insurers to introduce a wider range of policies and services based on a clearer picture of the type of driver they are,” he says.

Want in on the action? Octo U is available to download for free from the Apple App Store for iPhone and the Google Play and Amazon Kindle stores for Android devices.

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
21 September 2015
Most Common Reasons of a Breakdown

Most Common Reasons of a Breakdown

Picture the scene: you’re on the road heading to a friend’s wedding, a daughter’s birthday, a crucial business meeting or some other must-not-miss event. Suddenly, your engine begins to splutter and before you know it, you’ve pulled up at the side of the road with a car that won’t start and a party, meeting or other event that you’re definitely going to miss.

(more…)

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
7 September 2015
Tax Hike Set to Push up Car Insurance Premiums

Tax Hike Set to Push up Car Insurance Premiums

Car insurance premiums are set to rise over the next few months, after the Chancellor George Osborne announced an increase in Insurance Premium Tax (IPT). The tax hike will see IPT go from 6% to 9.5% in November, and it applies to pet, mobile, contents, building and car insurance – with 19.6 million people affected by the motor insurance increase in particular.

(more…)

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
28 August 2015
The Car Insurance Age Debate

The Car Insurance Age Debate

A debate has once more been ignited in the world of car insurance, after actress Sheila Hancock contested an insurance premium price hike that she claimed was prejudiced against older drivers.

(more…)

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
21 August 2015
The Most Ridiculous Insurance Claims You’ll Ever Come Across

The Most Ridiculous Insurance Claims You’ll Ever Come Across

Insurance is a blanket to fall back on when things in life don’t go according to plan – but there are limits to it! Whether it’s travel, car or life insurance, always make sure you read the small print so you know exactly what you are and aren’t covered for. Insurance companies have all sorts of claims which they have to decide worthy or not of compensating. With insurance fraud on the rise according to the Association of British Insurers, it’s no wonder insurance providers and hasty to pay out.

This lot however, are taking the biscuit with their insurance claims! Read on for some of the most preposterous claims you’ll ever see, and find out if the individuals involved received any money from their insurers.

(more…)

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
17 August 2015
Lucky Escape for the Driver of a Car Who Crashed into Roof of House

Lucky Escape for the Driver of a Car Who Crashed into Roof of House

A driver in South Africa and an unfortunate sleeper have both had a very lucky escape after a freak car accident. As you can see from the image, the car in question ended up crashing through the roof of a house, and was trapped vertically with the end of the car poking out of the roof.

(more…)

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
29 May 2015
 
 

Simple Fleet Management Tips

Corporate fleets can be expensive and complex to manage. This means it’s important for businesses to minimise costs and reduce expenses wherever possible. Want to know more? We’ve put together a list of useful tips to help you cut costs and maximise the efficiency of your fleet.

(more…)

PUBLISHED BY: headred
BACK TO LIST
11 May 2015
 
 

Could Car Insurance For Ride on Mowers Be On The Horizon?

The UK was outraged last month as the EU claims ride on mower owners will need to take out car insurance to the tune of £100. As well as gardeners, electric wheel chair owners and golf caddy drivers could also be subject to the new fees, warn legal and insurance experts based in the UK. Is it true? Read on as we reveal all!

(more…)